duncan228
11-15-2009, 12:53 AM
Hamstring strain means no Ginobili in fourth (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Hamstring_strain_means_no_Ginobili_in_fourth.html)
Mike Monroe
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he chose to be conservative with the long-term health of star guard Manu Ginobili in the second half of Saturday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the AT&T Center.
Fearful that a left hamstring strain that kept Ginobili out of practice sessions on Thursday and Friday had re-tightened, Popovich held Ginobili out of the fourth quarter of a tight game.
Ginobili also banged knees with Thunder rookie James Harden in the first half, staying on the floor for several seconds after a collision.
I didn't keep him out because of his knee, Popovich said. I kept him out because of a hamstring that's been tight. I just thought it would be best to be conservative than to have that hamstring be worse and lose him for a long period.
The ultra-competitive Ginobili disagreed with his coach.
Of course, I always want to play in the fourth quarter, but Pop made a decision and stuck with it, he said. (The hamstring) is not worse than the game before. It's actually better.
Popovich knew Ginobili was unhappy with the decision but stuck by it.
It's a close call, he said, but I would do the same thing again and sit him with that tight hamstring, for sure.
Ankle updates: Tim Duncan said his sprained left ankle is not yet 100 percent but was happy to come out of Saturday's game, his first all week, without re-injuring it.
I had a pretty good night, he said. I didn't re-injure it and came out pretty unscathed. I've still got some healing to do, and it's not 100 percent, but it feels pretty good.
Tony Parker, who missed two games after spraining his left ankle on Nov. 6 in Portland, said his ankle felt close to 100 percent.
I didn't feel totally free, he said. I was hurting a little bit, especially in the second half, but overall I felt pretty good.
Jazzy Ginobilis? Ginobili announced this week that his wife, Many, is pregnant with twins, expected next spring.
Would Popovich, in his 13th season on the bench, consider sticking around long enough to coach the Ginobili twins?
I hope I'm smart enough not to even try to do something like that, he said. I think they might play for Jerry Sloan, though.
Sloan, 67, is in his 22nd season as head coach of the Utah Jazz.
Mike Monroe
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he chose to be conservative with the long-term health of star guard Manu Ginobili in the second half of Saturday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the AT&T Center.
Fearful that a left hamstring strain that kept Ginobili out of practice sessions on Thursday and Friday had re-tightened, Popovich held Ginobili out of the fourth quarter of a tight game.
Ginobili also banged knees with Thunder rookie James Harden in the first half, staying on the floor for several seconds after a collision.
I didn't keep him out because of his knee, Popovich said. I kept him out because of a hamstring that's been tight. I just thought it would be best to be conservative than to have that hamstring be worse and lose him for a long period.
The ultra-competitive Ginobili disagreed with his coach.
Of course, I always want to play in the fourth quarter, but Pop made a decision and stuck with it, he said. (The hamstring) is not worse than the game before. It's actually better.
Popovich knew Ginobili was unhappy with the decision but stuck by it.
It's a close call, he said, but I would do the same thing again and sit him with that tight hamstring, for sure.
Ankle updates: Tim Duncan said his sprained left ankle is not yet 100 percent but was happy to come out of Saturday's game, his first all week, without re-injuring it.
I had a pretty good night, he said. I didn't re-injure it and came out pretty unscathed. I've still got some healing to do, and it's not 100 percent, but it feels pretty good.
Tony Parker, who missed two games after spraining his left ankle on Nov. 6 in Portland, said his ankle felt close to 100 percent.
I didn't feel totally free, he said. I was hurting a little bit, especially in the second half, but overall I felt pretty good.
Jazzy Ginobilis? Ginobili announced this week that his wife, Many, is pregnant with twins, expected next spring.
Would Popovich, in his 13th season on the bench, consider sticking around long enough to coach the Ginobili twins?
I hope I'm smart enough not to even try to do something like that, he said. I think they might play for Jerry Sloan, though.
Sloan, 67, is in his 22nd season as head coach of the Utah Jazz.