duncan228
11-04-2008, 12:33 AM
Spurs' Oberto cleared to return (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Oberto_cleared_to_return.html)
By Jeff McDonald
The Argentine with the recurring medical problem walked off the practice court, grinned into the TV cameras, and gave Spurs fans the best news they've had all week.
Yes, Fabricio Oberto said, he should be ready to play against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
“I practiced yesterday and today,” Oberto, the Spurs' 6-foot-10 sometime starting center, said Monday. “I feel pretty good, so I think I can play.”
The fiesta among Spurs fans will be a little hardier next month, when another sidelined Argentine — Manu Ginobili — finally looks into the cameras and says something similar.
For now, the return of an Argentine, any Argentine, is cause enough for celebration.
Oberto, 33, missed the first two games of the season after the surprise return of a heart condition called atrial fibrillation.
The malady, manifested as an irregular heartbeat, first surfaced in Oberto in April of 2007. Its reappearance on the eve of the season opener forced the Spurs to face the gargantuan front lines of Phoenix and Portland without one of their grittiest rebounders — and with only three players in uniform taller than 6-7.
“Obviously, being down a big (man), trying to play a game with three, we got hurt on the offensive glass,” forward Tim Duncan said. “That's what maybe we missed the most, (Oberto's) physicality.”
After two losses by a combined six points, the Spurs are 0-2 for the first time in 12 seasons. Tonight at the AT&T Center, they will be looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since joining the NBA.
Had either Argentine been available they might be 2-0.
The Spurs knew what they'd be missing when Ginobili aggravated a nagging ankle injury in the summer Olympics, resulting in offseason surgery.
Ginobili wasn't just the Spurs' top scorer last season, he was their catalyst. He was also the Spurs' best closer, the player most likely to be handed the ball late in close games.
Certainly, he would have been useful on that final, frenetic fast break at Portland, which ended with Michael Finley missing a short jumper as time expired on a 100-99 victory for the Trail Blazers.
“That's one less person out there to make plays,” forward Ime Udoka said. “Manu was great last year, finishing games and taking big shots, so he was probably missed a little bit.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich doesn't believe the Spurs will be able to consistently recover the nearly 20 points per game Ginobili provides. As such, he says the Spurs should be prepared to attack the other side of the scoreboard equation.
“The defense can't slack,” Popovich said, and he believes it did in the 103-98 season-opening loss to Phoenix. “We miss Manu and his scoring and his steals and his game-changing shots. We can't go without our defense, too.”
Here, too, the Spurs' lesser-known Argentine might have helped.
Reflecting on life without Oberto, Duncan sounded like a man poised to pen one of those sappy, '80s-style power ballads.
“I guess you don't realize what you have until it's kind of gone,” Duncan said.
Oberto's ordeal began a week ago today. He was lifting weights, as per his daily routine, when he experienced a familiar unsettling sensation.
“Like my heart was in my neck,” Oberto said.
It was the same organs-out-of-place feeling he had two Aprils ago. To fix it then, Oberto had to undergo a procedure to essentially shock his heart back into time.
Last Tuesday night, he underwent the same procedure.
“It was pretty easy,” Oberto said, knowing no tinkering involving a human heart ever is.
A successful slew of daily exams led team doctors to clear Oberto to play against Dallas.
“I'm happy to be able to play, and try to help the team,” Oberto said.
No matter which Argentine had uttered the above sentence, the Spurs are confident he will.
By Jeff McDonald
The Argentine with the recurring medical problem walked off the practice court, grinned into the TV cameras, and gave Spurs fans the best news they've had all week.
Yes, Fabricio Oberto said, he should be ready to play against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
“I practiced yesterday and today,” Oberto, the Spurs' 6-foot-10 sometime starting center, said Monday. “I feel pretty good, so I think I can play.”
The fiesta among Spurs fans will be a little hardier next month, when another sidelined Argentine — Manu Ginobili — finally looks into the cameras and says something similar.
For now, the return of an Argentine, any Argentine, is cause enough for celebration.
Oberto, 33, missed the first two games of the season after the surprise return of a heart condition called atrial fibrillation.
The malady, manifested as an irregular heartbeat, first surfaced in Oberto in April of 2007. Its reappearance on the eve of the season opener forced the Spurs to face the gargantuan front lines of Phoenix and Portland without one of their grittiest rebounders — and with only three players in uniform taller than 6-7.
“Obviously, being down a big (man), trying to play a game with three, we got hurt on the offensive glass,” forward Tim Duncan said. “That's what maybe we missed the most, (Oberto's) physicality.”
After two losses by a combined six points, the Spurs are 0-2 for the first time in 12 seasons. Tonight at the AT&T Center, they will be looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since joining the NBA.
Had either Argentine been available they might be 2-0.
The Spurs knew what they'd be missing when Ginobili aggravated a nagging ankle injury in the summer Olympics, resulting in offseason surgery.
Ginobili wasn't just the Spurs' top scorer last season, he was their catalyst. He was also the Spurs' best closer, the player most likely to be handed the ball late in close games.
Certainly, he would have been useful on that final, frenetic fast break at Portland, which ended with Michael Finley missing a short jumper as time expired on a 100-99 victory for the Trail Blazers.
“That's one less person out there to make plays,” forward Ime Udoka said. “Manu was great last year, finishing games and taking big shots, so he was probably missed a little bit.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich doesn't believe the Spurs will be able to consistently recover the nearly 20 points per game Ginobili provides. As such, he says the Spurs should be prepared to attack the other side of the scoreboard equation.
“The defense can't slack,” Popovich said, and he believes it did in the 103-98 season-opening loss to Phoenix. “We miss Manu and his scoring and his steals and his game-changing shots. We can't go without our defense, too.”
Here, too, the Spurs' lesser-known Argentine might have helped.
Reflecting on life without Oberto, Duncan sounded like a man poised to pen one of those sappy, '80s-style power ballads.
“I guess you don't realize what you have until it's kind of gone,” Duncan said.
Oberto's ordeal began a week ago today. He was lifting weights, as per his daily routine, when he experienced a familiar unsettling sensation.
“Like my heart was in my neck,” Oberto said.
It was the same organs-out-of-place feeling he had two Aprils ago. To fix it then, Oberto had to undergo a procedure to essentially shock his heart back into time.
Last Tuesday night, he underwent the same procedure.
“It was pretty easy,” Oberto said, knowing no tinkering involving a human heart ever is.
A successful slew of daily exams led team doctors to clear Oberto to play against Dallas.
“I'm happy to be able to play, and try to help the team,” Oberto said.
No matter which Argentine had uttered the above sentence, the Spurs are confident he will.