Kori Ellis
03-08-2005, 02:34 AM
Duncan on mend again
Web Posted: 03/08/2005 12:41 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA030805.1D.spurs.117717d5b.html
A little more than 15 hours after limping off the SBC Center floor, dragging his right leg, as well as the Spurs' championship hopes with him, Tim Duncan was back on the court Monday morning.
Running.
By the time Duncan was done with practice, more than one observer wondered whether he had been hurt at all.
The right ankle he supposedly sprained in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over Utah? The one that supposedly hurt so bad, he had to lean on teammate Sean Marks just to get to the locker room?
"It was my feeble attempt to steal the spotlight from Sean Elliott," Duncan deadpanned. "Everybody was saying, 'Sean's retiring, his jersey is in the rafters, he's a great guy ...' I honestly felt left out.
"So I felt at some point, I should do something to refocus ... on me."
Though Duncan isn't sure whether he will play tonight against New Jersey, the Spurs were happy he felt good enough to joke about his injury. The pain and swelling he awoke to Monday morning were less than he expected.
Duncan ran during the brief practice but did not jump or cut sharply. He will be re-evaluated this morning before coach Gregg Popovich decides whether he's fit to play.
"I'm a lot better than I thought I would be this morning," Duncan said. "This is something I can deal with. I'm actually happy it is what it is."
Duncan might have plenty of company on the bench if he doesn't play. Rasho Nesterovic is suffering from flu-like symptoms and didn't attend Monday's practice. Nazr Mohammed, Nesterovic's backup, has missed the past two games with a groin strain and probably won't play again tonight.
"He doesn't like that a whole lot, but I think it's the best thing to do," Popovich said of Mohammed. "With that groin, if he aggravates it again, we're going to lose him for another week and a half or two."
In the meantime, Robert Horry and Tony Massenburg will fill in where needed. Horry, who missed time last month with a slight crack in his right fibula, has played well the past three games while trying to regain his rhythm. Massenburg has practiced some at power forward since Malik Rose was traded for Mohammed, but he could end up starting at center tonight depending on who is available.
The Spurs also can activate Marks from the injured list because they have only 11 players on their active roster. Team officials have considered working out a few minor-league players but so far haven't found anyone worthy of adding.
Well, they did find someone ...
"I think there's probably a 90 percent chance," Popovich said, "David (Robinson) will suit up tomorrow."
Robinson excluded, the Spurs wouldn't mind getting some help from another long-lost teammate. Linton Johnson III, sidelined all season with a stress fracture in his left foot, could play power forward against Phoenix's Shawn Marion and Seattle's Rashard Lewis when those teams go small.
Though a recent CT scan showed the bone in Johnson's left foot has healed, he has looked tentative in workouts, leaving team officials to wonder if he'll be able to contribute at all this season.
"At the beginning of the year, we really thought he would be one of the 12 guys," Popovich said. "But whether he's going to be ready in time to have a chance to be on the playoff roster, I don't know."
Duncan was the only big man on the floor when the Spurs overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Phoenix on Jan. 21. The team would prefer to have him in uniform when it returns to America West Arena on Wednesday, but only if he's healthy.
Duncan missed two games a month ago when he sprained the same ankle in practice.
"It's been unfortunate because he's tweaked (his ankle) every week or so and hasn't been able to get back to full strength," Popovich said.
Duncan thinks his previous sprain contributed to the pain he felt Sunday because the ligaments in his right ankle were weaker than normal. After landing on Nesterovic's foot, he fell to the floor and immediately grabbed his foot with both hands. He continued to squeeze it as trainer Will Sevening attended to him.
"I'm an award-winning actor," Duncan said. "A quick healer, too."
Web Posted: 03/08/2005 12:41 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA030805.1D.spurs.117717d5b.html
A little more than 15 hours after limping off the SBC Center floor, dragging his right leg, as well as the Spurs' championship hopes with him, Tim Duncan was back on the court Monday morning.
Running.
By the time Duncan was done with practice, more than one observer wondered whether he had been hurt at all.
The right ankle he supposedly sprained in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over Utah? The one that supposedly hurt so bad, he had to lean on teammate Sean Marks just to get to the locker room?
"It was my feeble attempt to steal the spotlight from Sean Elliott," Duncan deadpanned. "Everybody was saying, 'Sean's retiring, his jersey is in the rafters, he's a great guy ...' I honestly felt left out.
"So I felt at some point, I should do something to refocus ... on me."
Though Duncan isn't sure whether he will play tonight against New Jersey, the Spurs were happy he felt good enough to joke about his injury. The pain and swelling he awoke to Monday morning were less than he expected.
Duncan ran during the brief practice but did not jump or cut sharply. He will be re-evaluated this morning before coach Gregg Popovich decides whether he's fit to play.
"I'm a lot better than I thought I would be this morning," Duncan said. "This is something I can deal with. I'm actually happy it is what it is."
Duncan might have plenty of company on the bench if he doesn't play. Rasho Nesterovic is suffering from flu-like symptoms and didn't attend Monday's practice. Nazr Mohammed, Nesterovic's backup, has missed the past two games with a groin strain and probably won't play again tonight.
"He doesn't like that a whole lot, but I think it's the best thing to do," Popovich said of Mohammed. "With that groin, if he aggravates it again, we're going to lose him for another week and a half or two."
In the meantime, Robert Horry and Tony Massenburg will fill in where needed. Horry, who missed time last month with a slight crack in his right fibula, has played well the past three games while trying to regain his rhythm. Massenburg has practiced some at power forward since Malik Rose was traded for Mohammed, but he could end up starting at center tonight depending on who is available.
The Spurs also can activate Marks from the injured list because they have only 11 players on their active roster. Team officials have considered working out a few minor-league players but so far haven't found anyone worthy of adding.
Well, they did find someone ...
"I think there's probably a 90 percent chance," Popovich said, "David (Robinson) will suit up tomorrow."
Robinson excluded, the Spurs wouldn't mind getting some help from another long-lost teammate. Linton Johnson III, sidelined all season with a stress fracture in his left foot, could play power forward against Phoenix's Shawn Marion and Seattle's Rashard Lewis when those teams go small.
Though a recent CT scan showed the bone in Johnson's left foot has healed, he has looked tentative in workouts, leaving team officials to wonder if he'll be able to contribute at all this season.
"At the beginning of the year, we really thought he would be one of the 12 guys," Popovich said. "But whether he's going to be ready in time to have a chance to be on the playoff roster, I don't know."
Duncan was the only big man on the floor when the Spurs overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Phoenix on Jan. 21. The team would prefer to have him in uniform when it returns to America West Arena on Wednesday, but only if he's healthy.
Duncan missed two games a month ago when he sprained the same ankle in practice.
"It's been unfortunate because he's tweaked (his ankle) every week or so and hasn't been able to get back to full strength," Popovich said.
Duncan thinks his previous sprain contributed to the pain he felt Sunday because the ligaments in his right ankle were weaker than normal. After landing on Nesterovic's foot, he fell to the floor and immediately grabbed his foot with both hands. He continued to squeeze it as trainer Will Sevening attended to him.
"I'm an award-winning actor," Duncan said. "A quick healer, too."