Kori Ellis
04-03-2005, 03:42 AM
Spurs notebook: L.A.'s Bryant feels Duncan's sprain
Web Posted: 04/03/2005 12:00 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Los Angeles Lakers All-Star guard Kobe Bryant saw a TV replay of Spurs All-Star forward Tim Duncan rolling his ankle nearly 90 degrees in a March 20 game in Detroit and had to look away.
Like most athletes who have suffered a bad ankle sprain, Bryant knew, instantly, Duncan would be out for quite a while.
"Yeah, I saw it," said Bryant, who missed 14 games after suffering a Grade 3 (most severe) sprain of his right ankle on Jan. 14. "It was nasty. Hopefully, he won't be out as long as I was. Hopefully, it wasn't as severe as mine. I tore some things in there. I still feel the effects. That was the worst injury I ever had. It was real, real serious."
Bryant was out for four weeks, during which the Lakers went 6-8. He has struggled occasionally since returning, and said it will be some time this summer before he feels back to normal. He twisted the ankle slightly on a drive to the basket with 1.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter and sat out the first 2:14 of the fourth period of Saturday night's 95-94 Spurs victory.
"I still feel it right now," Bryant said before the game at the SBC Center. "At the end of the season, I'll just get off it for a little bit. It doesn't surprise me it's taken this long to heal, because it was bad. Don't get me wrong. It feels much better, but during games, it just gets real stiff if I sit out for a couple minutes. It will tighten up and get really, really stiff. I knew (when I did it) it was going to be a long time."
Good company: Gregg Popovich became the fifth-fastest coach in NBA history to reach 450 victories.
Popovich picked up No. 450 in his 679th game. Only Phil Jackson (615), Pat Riley (617), K.C. Jones (637) and Billy Cunningham (642) did it faster.
Welcome back: Spurs guard Devin Brown was feeling good enough to join his teammates on the bench for Saturday's game.
Brown has watched previous games from home because his back was too sore to allow him to sit in a chair. The second round of steroid injections has reduced the pain so he can now stand straight.
"He certainly looks more positive than he has in a while," Popovich said.
Briefly: Two weeks after being ejected from the Spurs' victory over Minnesota, the Coyote was presented with an official pardon from Gov. Rick Perry. Veteran referee Jess Kersey ejected the Spurs' mascot from the March 16 game after he pretended he was going to fight Timberwolves guard Wally Szczerbiak. ... The Spurs had a moment of silence prior to the game in memory of Pope John Paul II.
Calm before the storm: The Spurs will take the next three days to recharge, knowing they won't get much of an opportunity to rest after they return to the floor Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Beginning with the Clippers, the Spurs will play three sets of back-to-back games in eight days.
Web Posted: 04/03/2005 12:00 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
Los Angeles Lakers All-Star guard Kobe Bryant saw a TV replay of Spurs All-Star forward Tim Duncan rolling his ankle nearly 90 degrees in a March 20 game in Detroit and had to look away.
Like most athletes who have suffered a bad ankle sprain, Bryant knew, instantly, Duncan would be out for quite a while.
"Yeah, I saw it," said Bryant, who missed 14 games after suffering a Grade 3 (most severe) sprain of his right ankle on Jan. 14. "It was nasty. Hopefully, he won't be out as long as I was. Hopefully, it wasn't as severe as mine. I tore some things in there. I still feel the effects. That was the worst injury I ever had. It was real, real serious."
Bryant was out for four weeks, during which the Lakers went 6-8. He has struggled occasionally since returning, and said it will be some time this summer before he feels back to normal. He twisted the ankle slightly on a drive to the basket with 1.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter and sat out the first 2:14 of the fourth period of Saturday night's 95-94 Spurs victory.
"I still feel it right now," Bryant said before the game at the SBC Center. "At the end of the season, I'll just get off it for a little bit. It doesn't surprise me it's taken this long to heal, because it was bad. Don't get me wrong. It feels much better, but during games, it just gets real stiff if I sit out for a couple minutes. It will tighten up and get really, really stiff. I knew (when I did it) it was going to be a long time."
Good company: Gregg Popovich became the fifth-fastest coach in NBA history to reach 450 victories.
Popovich picked up No. 450 in his 679th game. Only Phil Jackson (615), Pat Riley (617), K.C. Jones (637) and Billy Cunningham (642) did it faster.
Welcome back: Spurs guard Devin Brown was feeling good enough to join his teammates on the bench for Saturday's game.
Brown has watched previous games from home because his back was too sore to allow him to sit in a chair. The second round of steroid injections has reduced the pain so he can now stand straight.
"He certainly looks more positive than he has in a while," Popovich said.
Briefly: Two weeks after being ejected from the Spurs' victory over Minnesota, the Coyote was presented with an official pardon from Gov. Rick Perry. Veteran referee Jess Kersey ejected the Spurs' mascot from the March 16 game after he pretended he was going to fight Timberwolves guard Wally Szczerbiak. ... The Spurs had a moment of silence prior to the game in memory of Pope John Paul II.
Calm before the storm: The Spurs will take the next three days to recharge, knowing they won't get much of an opportunity to rest after they return to the floor Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Beginning with the Clippers, the Spurs will play three sets of back-to-back games in eight days.