duncan228
02-27-2009, 01:39 PM
Duncan a (surprise!) game-time decision (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/2009/02/duncan-a-surpri.html)
By Jeff McDonald
To the shock and awe of nobody, the Spurs medical staff is saying Tim Duncan's status for tonight's game against Cleveland will be a game-time decision.
Duncan has missed the past two games with pain in his right knee, which doctors have diagnosed as tendonosis. The docs -- not to mention coach Gregg Popovich -- will want to see how he responds to pregame warmups before making any definite decisions.
There are some signs, however, that Duncan could be good to go. He went through a full shootaround with the team this morning, and stayed late to take some extra shots. He was the last Spurs player to leave the court.
In fact, Duncan was still on the floor, headphones on and firing up jumpers, when the media left the building. To the untrained eye, he certainly looked like a man who could play against the Ben Wallace-less Cavaliers.
However, forward Kurt Thomas, who has filled Duncan's place in the starting lineup more than admirably the past two games, hinted that the Spurs' All-Star forward might be due one more night off.
"He definitely looked good, but I don't think Pop wants to rush anything," Thomas said after shootaround. "If we give him one more game, and he's able to come back and finish out the rest of the season strong, I think that would be the correct decision."
By Jeff McDonald
To the shock and awe of nobody, the Spurs medical staff is saying Tim Duncan's status for tonight's game against Cleveland will be a game-time decision.
Duncan has missed the past two games with pain in his right knee, which doctors have diagnosed as tendonosis. The docs -- not to mention coach Gregg Popovich -- will want to see how he responds to pregame warmups before making any definite decisions.
There are some signs, however, that Duncan could be good to go. He went through a full shootaround with the team this morning, and stayed late to take some extra shots. He was the last Spurs player to leave the court.
In fact, Duncan was still on the floor, headphones on and firing up jumpers, when the media left the building. To the untrained eye, he certainly looked like a man who could play against the Ben Wallace-less Cavaliers.
However, forward Kurt Thomas, who has filled Duncan's place in the starting lineup more than admirably the past two games, hinted that the Spurs' All-Star forward might be due one more night off.
"He definitely looked good, but I don't think Pop wants to rush anything," Thomas said after shootaround. "If we give him one more game, and he's able to come back and finish out the rest of the season strong, I think that would be the correct decision."