duncan228
11-22-2009, 01:00 AM
They edited the headline to just: Parker's convincing night
A Washington lobby: Parker's convincing night (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/A_Washington_lobby_Parkers_convincing_night.html)
Mike Monroe
Before he could get on the AT&T Center floor for a head-to-head battle against Washington's Gilbert Arenas on Saturday, Spurs guard Tony Parker had to win a battle against his coach.
Convincing Gregg Popovich his sore left ankle was sound enough to allow him to play his All-NBA-caliber game was the more difficult fight.
“Like always,” Parker said, “he wanted me to rest for another two weeks. I was, like, ‘Too long.' After two games, I was already tired of being on the bench.”
Parker missed four of the previous five games with a sprained left ankle. His re-entry in the Spurs' starting lineup produced 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
“Tony surprised me,” Popovich said. “He had more athleticism on that ankle (than I expected). He said he was ready to go, and everybody else said he was ready. I didn't want to bring him back too early, but he had his quickness, and I thought he did a fine job out there.”
Heavenly days: Former Spurs center Fabricio Oberto was back in uniform for the Wizards for Saturday's game.
Popovich, for one, was delighted to see him.
“He's one of those guys you're around, and you know he's going to heaven, and you're going to hell,” Popovich said. “I don't know what to say, aside from that. He's just a great human being; somebody everybody falls in love with. Everybody enjoys being around him. He's so kind to everybody, you just miss seeing him.”
What does Oberto miss most about the Spurs?
“I miss the chemistry, and the friends, like Manu (Ginobili),” Oberto said. “We're still in touch a lot. We call each other, but it's kind of hard. But this is a great experience, also, just trying to adapt myself to another team, trying to learn a new way to play. It's different.”
Oberto, who wore No. 7 in San Antonio, took No. 21 for his Wizards uniform, explaining it was an homage to his former Spurs teammate, Tim Duncan.
Tip your servers: Wizards coach Flip Saunders, incensed at a blocking foul called on Oberto in the second quarter, responded to a subsequent miss by Spurs center Theo Ratliff by yelling, “ball don't lie,” the sarcastic line made infamous by Rasheed Wallace, who Saunders coached with the Pistons.
Referee Derrick Stafford, who had made the call, turned to Saunders and retorted: “Hey, Flip, if you want to be a comedian, go ahead, because I can be funny, too.”
A Washington lobby: Parker's convincing night (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/A_Washington_lobby_Parkers_convincing_night.html)
Mike Monroe
Before he could get on the AT&T Center floor for a head-to-head battle against Washington's Gilbert Arenas on Saturday, Spurs guard Tony Parker had to win a battle against his coach.
Convincing Gregg Popovich his sore left ankle was sound enough to allow him to play his All-NBA-caliber game was the more difficult fight.
“Like always,” Parker said, “he wanted me to rest for another two weeks. I was, like, ‘Too long.' After two games, I was already tired of being on the bench.”
Parker missed four of the previous five games with a sprained left ankle. His re-entry in the Spurs' starting lineup produced 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
“Tony surprised me,” Popovich said. “He had more athleticism on that ankle (than I expected). He said he was ready to go, and everybody else said he was ready. I didn't want to bring him back too early, but he had his quickness, and I thought he did a fine job out there.”
Heavenly days: Former Spurs center Fabricio Oberto was back in uniform for the Wizards for Saturday's game.
Popovich, for one, was delighted to see him.
“He's one of those guys you're around, and you know he's going to heaven, and you're going to hell,” Popovich said. “I don't know what to say, aside from that. He's just a great human being; somebody everybody falls in love with. Everybody enjoys being around him. He's so kind to everybody, you just miss seeing him.”
What does Oberto miss most about the Spurs?
“I miss the chemistry, and the friends, like Manu (Ginobili),” Oberto said. “We're still in touch a lot. We call each other, but it's kind of hard. But this is a great experience, also, just trying to adapt myself to another team, trying to learn a new way to play. It's different.”
Oberto, who wore No. 7 in San Antonio, took No. 21 for his Wizards uniform, explaining it was an homage to his former Spurs teammate, Tim Duncan.
Tip your servers: Wizards coach Flip Saunders, incensed at a blocking foul called on Oberto in the second quarter, responded to a subsequent miss by Spurs center Theo Ratliff by yelling, “ball don't lie,” the sarcastic line made infamous by Rasheed Wallace, who Saunders coached with the Pistons.
Referee Derrick Stafford, who had made the call, turned to Saunders and retorted: “Hey, Flip, if you want to be a comedian, go ahead, because I can be funny, too.”