Despite Loss of Ginobili, Spurs stay confident. NBA.com

[Spursfan092120]

Spurs readying to face rest of season sans Ginobili


Posted Apr 7 2009 4:01PM
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs are adjusting to life without Manu Ginobili for the NBA playoffs.
The Spurs got a dose of false hope when he made a brief late-season return from an ankle injury. But San Antonio recieved the bad news on Monday that Ginobili will miss the rest of the season after tests showed a stress fracture in the ankle. Coach Gregg Popovich says the Spurs must adjust their roles again and stay positive heading into the playoffs.
"I look at it as a challenge right now for our team. It's about attitude," Popovich said on Tuesday before a game at Oklahoma City. "We can do the best possible job we can of continuing to believe in each other and put out the effort that's required to win basketball games or we can feel sorry for ourselves and say, 'Well, gosh, without Manu it's going to be really difficult to reach our goals.'
"That's not how the team is built, I don't think, character-wise."
Ginobili had been averaging 15.5 points and 3.6 assists in 44 games this season, and his 3-point accuracy was down from 40 percent to 33 percent this season. The Argentine guard had two long absences because of the injury. San Antonio had a win-loss record of 32-12 with him and 17-15 without him this season.
"It is a little bit of a shock because we thought we had him back and we changed the team around pretty significantly to accommodate that, as far as rotations and people playing, that kind of thing," Popovich said. "Now we'll have to redefine it again and retool it again, but they'll give their best effort, without any doubt."
Ginobili had missed 19 games after the All-Star break to let his stress reaction heal in his right leg, but was sidelined again in his sixth game back -- a 101-81 loss to Cleveland on Sunday. A day later, the team learned that he would miss the final six games of the regular season and the playoffs after the injury developed into a stress fracture.
Popovich said the Spurs had tried to be careful and delayed Ginobili's return even after he had been cleared to play, allowing more time to heal the ankle bone. Popovich said Ginobili hadn't had any pain in his first five games back.
"We proceeded under the impression that it was healed. Not getting better -- that he was ready to go," Popovich said. "At the time it wasn't a stress fracture, it was a stress reaction, and all the indications, all the films, all the things that the medical people do came out positive with regrowth."
The Spurs have already clinched a playoff berth, but have slipped from second to third in the Western Conference and have only a half-game lead on Houston in the Southwest Division. Portland and New Orleans are within two games of San Antonio and trying to get a top-four seed for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
"We look at it as a challenge and take it on, and whatever happens from there happens," Popovich said. "There's really no other choice."

[Creation88]

remember the Alamo.

[SPURSGOAT]

I guess getting rid of Pops to make room for Ginobli does not look so hot now...

[ulosturedge]

Originally Posted by Creation88

remember the Alamo.

[spursfan1000]

Good thing that POP is staying positive.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Originally Posted by SPURSGOAT

I guess getting rid of Pops to make room for Ginobli does not look so hot now...

It does make me sad that our 6th big won't be there to cheer from the bench through the post season.


Damn, that sucks.

[kace]

Originally Posted by SPURSGOAT

I guess getting rid of Pops to make room for Ginobli does not look so hot now...

oh, yes. we all would feel so much better and confident with pops on the team right now...

[VI_Massive]

Looks like Pop has to kind of backtrack a bit on the whole "we're not good enough without Manu" stuff. Awkward.

[ambchang]

While the Ginobili injury was no doubt devastating, the Spurs has been playing inconsistent basketball the last little while. The loss of Ginobili could spur the Spurs to greater heights based purely on proving the world wrong.

Before Ginobili's loss, the Spurs were on the outside looking in for the championship, the probability is worse now, but it could add in other variables that we haven't accounted for in the past.

Overall, I am still going to follow the Spurs no matter what.

[Obstructed_View]

Originally Posted by SPURSGOAT

I guess getting rid of Pops to make room for Ginobli does not look so hot now...

At least get your facts right. Gooden took Mensah-Bonsu's spot. Manu's been on the roster all year.

[easy7]

Let the bodies hit the floor...