NBA coaching legend Popovich has fond memories of Run TMC

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SAN FRANCISCO – The flavor of the night at Chase Center on Monday was Run TMC, which carries the sweet aroma of nostalgia.

Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin – known as Run TMC during their memorable two-season stint with the Warriors – once again were teammates representing the Warriors.

They held a news conference before tipoff between the Warriors and Spurs, and they also gave San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich a reason to reminisce about his two-year experience as Golden State assistant 30 years ago.

“It was very special,” Popovich said. “When I was here as an assistant, I got to enjoy Timmy and Mully. Mitch was gone.”

Popovich, now the winningest coach in NBA history, worked under coach/general Don Nelson, who inherited Mullin but drafted Richmond and Hardaway. Nelson kept the trio together for two seasons before trading Richmond to the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 1, 1991.

That left Run TC, which didn’t have the same ring, though Mullin and Hardaway were the co-anchors of a Golden State team that in 1991-92 won 55 games – the highest total since 1975-76.

Though Popovich was an assistant with the Spurs during the Run TMC era, he clearly recognized how much it meant the Bay Area and to Warriors fans.

“It was cool, it was fast paced, it was creative, the people really bought into it,” Popovich said. “It was a wonderful time in the NBA. These guys were one of the best shows available for sure.”

The Run TMC Warriors finished 37-45 in 1989-90, which was Hardaway’s rookie year and Richmond’s second season. It was Mullin’s fifth season. The energy and excitement of that group, however, was enough to bring sellout crowds to what was the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

The 1990-91 season, however, gave fans a reason to believe the future was bright. Mullin, Richmond and Hardaway combined to average 72.5 points, with all three topping 22 points per game.

RELATED: Richmond sees what Run TMC could have been in Curry, Green, Thompson

That Warriors team beat the Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs before falling to the Lakers in the second round.

Richmond was traded five months later, ending an era and allowing fans to forever wander what might have been.

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