duncan228
11-19-2009, 01:04 AM
Injury bug bites Spurs again (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Injury_bug_bites_Spurs_again.html)
Jeff McDonald
DALLAS The night began with news that Tony Parker would not be able to play against the Dallas Mavericks because of the recurrence of an ankle injury suffered 12 days earlier.
Not long after tipoff, the Spurs learned they would be without Manu Ginobili, too.
Ginobili earned his first start of the season, then left the floor 71/2 minutes later with a left groin strain.
And the Spurs, for the second time in a week, were left to face their Interstate-35 rivals without two of their Big Three.
Just a week earlier, Parker missed a victory over the Mavericks and a preceding victory over Toronto with the same injury. He aggravated it in his return Saturday against Oklahoma City and had been limited in practice ever since.
Parker, who averaged better than 30 points in four meetings against the Mavs last season, is day-to-day. He hopes to be able to play tonight at home against Utah.
It's nothing big, Parker said. I'll be fine.
Ginobili's status wasn't immediately known. Wednesday's game marked the second consecutive one he left early. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich opted to sit Ginobili for the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City after the guard's left hamstring tightened.
Gooden satisfied: Dallas center Drew Gooden started his third straight game in place of the ill Erick Dampier on Wednesday.
Had things broken differently during free agency, he might have been on the other bench at the American Airlines Center.
Gooden spent the final three months of last season with the Spurs, appearing in 23 games including playoffs. The Spurs talked to him about re-signing but made it clear other big-man targets took higher priority.
When the Spurs signed Antonio McDyess early in the free-agent process, Gooden knew his time with the Spurs was done.
(Popovich) came to me late in the season, more as a friend than a coach, and told me I ought to get the best deal I could get, Gooden said. It was a tough year for free agents. I kind of felt I wasn't in their plans.
Still, Gooden says he harbors no ill-will for the team that rescued him from Sacramento at the end of last season.
They did what they had to do, he said. I did what I had to do.
Popovich said Gooden did a good job for us.
Jeff McDonald
DALLAS The night began with news that Tony Parker would not be able to play against the Dallas Mavericks because of the recurrence of an ankle injury suffered 12 days earlier.
Not long after tipoff, the Spurs learned they would be without Manu Ginobili, too.
Ginobili earned his first start of the season, then left the floor 71/2 minutes later with a left groin strain.
And the Spurs, for the second time in a week, were left to face their Interstate-35 rivals without two of their Big Three.
Just a week earlier, Parker missed a victory over the Mavericks and a preceding victory over Toronto with the same injury. He aggravated it in his return Saturday against Oklahoma City and had been limited in practice ever since.
Parker, who averaged better than 30 points in four meetings against the Mavs last season, is day-to-day. He hopes to be able to play tonight at home against Utah.
It's nothing big, Parker said. I'll be fine.
Ginobili's status wasn't immediately known. Wednesday's game marked the second consecutive one he left early. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich opted to sit Ginobili for the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City after the guard's left hamstring tightened.
Gooden satisfied: Dallas center Drew Gooden started his third straight game in place of the ill Erick Dampier on Wednesday.
Had things broken differently during free agency, he might have been on the other bench at the American Airlines Center.
Gooden spent the final three months of last season with the Spurs, appearing in 23 games including playoffs. The Spurs talked to him about re-signing but made it clear other big-man targets took higher priority.
When the Spurs signed Antonio McDyess early in the free-agent process, Gooden knew his time with the Spurs was done.
(Popovich) came to me late in the season, more as a friend than a coach, and told me I ought to get the best deal I could get, Gooden said. It was a tough year for free agents. I kind of felt I wasn't in their plans.
Still, Gooden says he harbors no ill-will for the team that rescued him from Sacramento at the end of last season.
They did what they had to do, he said. I did what I had to do.
Popovich said Gooden did a good job for us.