sonic21
02-24-2009, 08:41 AM
Shelved Ginobili tests Spurs again (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Shelved_Ginobili_tests_Spurs_again.html)
Jeff McDonald
The ballots have been cast. The results have been tabulated. No need for a recount.
When it comes to the issue of whether the Spurs would rather play with or without Manu Ginobili, the outcome is unanimous.
“We'd prefer to have Manu,” Tony Parker said. “That's a no-brainer.”
The latest problem for the Spurs seems to be that distal fibulas have no regard for the democratic process. A rogue bone in Ginobili's right ankle has shut him down for the near future, robbing the Spurs of their third-leading scorer and flouting the will of the people.
If there's any consolation for the Spurs, it's that they have been here before.
Ginobili was sidelined for the first 12 games of the season after offseason surgery to repair a ligament issue in his left ankle. The Spurs won half of those games, an impressive feat given Parker missed seven of them dealing with an ankle injury of his own.
Now, in February, the Spurs find themselves flashing back to October. Welcome to Life Without Manu, Part 2. It is not the life they would have chosen, if offered a choice.
“We know when the playoffs come, we need our horse back,” said guard Roger Mason Jr., the prime beneficiary of Ginobili's dalliances with the training room. “Nobody wants injuries to happen. We just have to turn it into a positive.”
It's a good thing Ginobili isn't a horse. Otherwise, there would be a more dire fate awaiting him than the injured list.
Tonight's game against Dallas will be the Spurs' fourth in a row without Ginobili, and it kicks off a rigorous stretch in which the league's reigning Sixth Man of the Year might come in handy.
If nothing else, the Spurs have learned to tread water with Ginobili out of the lineup.
They survived the first three games of Ginobili's second stay on the injured list, going 2-1 to close their rodeo road trip. Overall, the Spurs are 8-8 this season without him.
Most likely, Ginobili's latest injury dashes any remaining hope of catching the Lakers in the Western Conference. However, if the Spurs can win at a .500 clip until he returns again, they should still be in good shape for the stretch run.
“Whoever is available, that's who plays,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Everybody has injuries from time to time, and you deal with it. It's not something you dwell on.”
After struggling with inconsistency to start the season, Ginobili had just been getting his groove back when he hit the shelf again.
In his last seven games, Ginobili averaged 22.7 points. His last game was a 32-point outing in a loss at Toronto on Feb. 11.
The Spurs, however, know the situation could have been worse had the team not elected to shut Ginobili down when it did.
“Had it been a stress fracture, where it went all the way through the bone, we might have lost him for the season,” Popovich said. “We were lucky in that respect, so it's a big relief.”
Ginobili's first extended stay on the injured list this season seems to have given the Spurs ammunition to survive his second stint.
With Ginobili out to start the season, Mason and rookie George Hill were offered extra time and extra shots in the Spurs' backcourt and quickly assimilated into the system. Mason, an offseason free-agent signee, topped double digits in nine of his first dozen games.
“Usually when guys come in, it takes a year or so to adjust,” Parker said. “I think it accelerated his adjustment with our team. It made him feel comfortable.”
With Ginobili out again, Mason has rediscovered that comfort zone. He has three 20-point games during February, all of them with Ginobili shelved.
“We've had success without him before,” Mason said. “In the long run, we know we're a much better team when Manu is out there.”
There's no way of knowing for sure exactly how long the Spurs will be without Ginobili this time. Doctors prescribed two-to-three weeks of rest, but the distal fibula can be a fickle tyrant.
The Spurs get no vote in the matter.
“We're going to do the best job we can the next two weeks,” Parker said, “and hopefully he will be back soon.”
Jeff McDonald
The ballots have been cast. The results have been tabulated. No need for a recount.
When it comes to the issue of whether the Spurs would rather play with or without Manu Ginobili, the outcome is unanimous.
“We'd prefer to have Manu,” Tony Parker said. “That's a no-brainer.”
The latest problem for the Spurs seems to be that distal fibulas have no regard for the democratic process. A rogue bone in Ginobili's right ankle has shut him down for the near future, robbing the Spurs of their third-leading scorer and flouting the will of the people.
If there's any consolation for the Spurs, it's that they have been here before.
Ginobili was sidelined for the first 12 games of the season after offseason surgery to repair a ligament issue in his left ankle. The Spurs won half of those games, an impressive feat given Parker missed seven of them dealing with an ankle injury of his own.
Now, in February, the Spurs find themselves flashing back to October. Welcome to Life Without Manu, Part 2. It is not the life they would have chosen, if offered a choice.
“We know when the playoffs come, we need our horse back,” said guard Roger Mason Jr., the prime beneficiary of Ginobili's dalliances with the training room. “Nobody wants injuries to happen. We just have to turn it into a positive.”
It's a good thing Ginobili isn't a horse. Otherwise, there would be a more dire fate awaiting him than the injured list.
Tonight's game against Dallas will be the Spurs' fourth in a row without Ginobili, and it kicks off a rigorous stretch in which the league's reigning Sixth Man of the Year might come in handy.
If nothing else, the Spurs have learned to tread water with Ginobili out of the lineup.
They survived the first three games of Ginobili's second stay on the injured list, going 2-1 to close their rodeo road trip. Overall, the Spurs are 8-8 this season without him.
Most likely, Ginobili's latest injury dashes any remaining hope of catching the Lakers in the Western Conference. However, if the Spurs can win at a .500 clip until he returns again, they should still be in good shape for the stretch run.
“Whoever is available, that's who plays,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “Everybody has injuries from time to time, and you deal with it. It's not something you dwell on.”
After struggling with inconsistency to start the season, Ginobili had just been getting his groove back when he hit the shelf again.
In his last seven games, Ginobili averaged 22.7 points. His last game was a 32-point outing in a loss at Toronto on Feb. 11.
The Spurs, however, know the situation could have been worse had the team not elected to shut Ginobili down when it did.
“Had it been a stress fracture, where it went all the way through the bone, we might have lost him for the season,” Popovich said. “We were lucky in that respect, so it's a big relief.”
Ginobili's first extended stay on the injured list this season seems to have given the Spurs ammunition to survive his second stint.
With Ginobili out to start the season, Mason and rookie George Hill were offered extra time and extra shots in the Spurs' backcourt and quickly assimilated into the system. Mason, an offseason free-agent signee, topped double digits in nine of his first dozen games.
“Usually when guys come in, it takes a year or so to adjust,” Parker said. “I think it accelerated his adjustment with our team. It made him feel comfortable.”
With Ginobili out again, Mason has rediscovered that comfort zone. He has three 20-point games during February, all of them with Ginobili shelved.
“We've had success without him before,” Mason said. “In the long run, we know we're a much better team when Manu is out there.”
There's no way of knowing for sure exactly how long the Spurs will be without Ginobili this time. Doctors prescribed two-to-three weeks of rest, but the distal fibula can be a fickle tyrant.
The Spurs get no vote in the matter.
“We're going to do the best job we can the next two weeks,” Parker said, “and hopefully he will be back soon.”