Collecting Game-used: A piece of a Gregg Popovich milestone

Not all game-used items are obviously documentable in this age of super-HD cameras, super-slo-mo replays and non-stop viral replay potential.

While that's tough for some to understand -- something just as perplexing as the idea that not every single little thing at a game can be authenticated and stickered -- it's also not that tough as some types of items are anonymous in their roles before our eyes. While this Collecting Game-used series has stuck with basics like caps, balls, bases and pucks in the past, this month's piece isn't one where I can definitively photo-match it to in-game action. However, it is authenticated as close as possible as it can be -- it's legit and it was a pick-up from the last days of Steiner Sports, which will be no more next month after that company was purchased by Fanatics.

What is the item? Keep reading to see the details ...

What is this month's game-used item? Well, it might be in this photograph. Maybe. There's a 50-50 shot.

THE BASICS ...
Game-used net (Steiner Sports Authenticated): San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks, Jan. 2, 2018.
Watch it in action: Right here

What's Buzz-worthy: While we don't see them embedded into a lot of cards -- there have been some, but not many -- game-used basketball nets can be a cheap piece of the game for a game-used collector that has some interesting appeal but not quite as much as, say, a jersey or a ball. That helps with the price -- I landed this for less than $30 not that long ago from Steiner. Why did I grab it? Well, firstly because I didn't have one, but also because the Jan. 2, 2018, game between the Spurs and Knicks had a historic result with a glance at the record book (I'd also probably call the Spurs my team to a degree, though I'm off and on with the NBA.) The 100-91 Spurs win where this net was used was the 1,176th of coach Gregg Popovich's Hall of Fame* career. (*Why an asterisk? He's not there but is eligible ... and a lock.) That one moved him past George Karl into fifth on the career wins list behind just Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Lenny Wilkins and Don Nelson that night. (He's now third with 1,222 wins, while the all-time record is 1,335.) While it might be easy to scoff at this trivia like a Popovich TV interview, let me say, yes, I agree. But, then again, this was a cheap pick-up so I'll take it just to say I have one. Notable players on the court for this game included Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kristaps Porzingis to name a few and I'm sure I could find some trivial milestones on the stats side for any of them and others. (Yes, it's a just a net, I know.) Researching for this Madison Square Garden game resulted in at least one photo where this could be the net based on some of its discoloring -- see above and then check the gallery below -- but I'm not crazy enough to try and match knots. (At least not today.) Also fun with the research for this one? There was a who's who of celebrity fans at that game -- a list that included Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Tim Robbins, Padma Lakshmi and other celebs who don't have trading cards appearances so I don't know who they are.

Want to read a really good piece about nets in the NBA? Check out this ESPN piece. According to that lengthy item, the NBA requires nets to be changed every seventh game if not sooner due to wear.

>> See all past Collecting Game-used stories from Buzz here

--

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com