duncan228
12-08-2009, 01:02 AM
Spurs' Hairston back after wild 48 hours (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Spurs_Hairston_back_after_wild_48_hours.html)
Mike Monroe
SALT LAKE CITY When the Spurs arrived at their Salt Lake City hotel late Sunday afternoon, a familiar face was there to greet them.
I got there about noon, said swingman Malik Hairston, re-called from the Spurs' NBA Development League team, the Austin Toros, after Michael Finley sprained his left ankle in Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. We had played two games in Albuquerque. I had a shorter flight.
The Spurs had sent Hairston to the Toros on Friday so he could get some meaningful playing time, and he got plenty of that in two days.
I landed in Albuquerque on Friday and had a game about an hour later, he said. We played (the Albuquerque Thunder) again on Saturday, and then they called and said to get up to Utah.
It was a crazy 48 hours.
Hairston scored 23 and 27 points in the two D-League games.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said re-calling Hairston was an easy decision.
(Finley's) ankle was pretty swollen, he said. It looks like he'll miss several games.
Hairston said he was happy to be back on the Spurs' roster but sad about the circumstances.
No way am I happy about getting back here because Fin is hurt, Hairston said, but all I can do is be ready. If I'm called on, I'm just going to focus on defense and try to play smart.
Year by year: Popovich has been a fan of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's since Sloan was a hard-nosed player for the Chicago Bulls in the late 1960s and into the '70s. He was thrilled to see that Sloan, as is his annual practice, last week signed another one-year contract extension to remain on the Utah bench through the 2010-11 season.
My question is: Why doesn't he sign them five at a time, because he never leaves, Popovich said. He signs every year, like we're in suspense. We know he's going to stay there.
I hope he coaches there forever. He's great for the league, a fantastic coach. His teams are tough and good every single year. If he wasn't in the league, it would lose part of its personality.
I just love his consistency. It doesn't matter if it's Joe Blow or Karl Malone on the floor. They all react and execute the exact same way. That's a credit to him.
Mike Monroe
SALT LAKE CITY When the Spurs arrived at their Salt Lake City hotel late Sunday afternoon, a familiar face was there to greet them.
I got there about noon, said swingman Malik Hairston, re-called from the Spurs' NBA Development League team, the Austin Toros, after Michael Finley sprained his left ankle in Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. We had played two games in Albuquerque. I had a shorter flight.
The Spurs had sent Hairston to the Toros on Friday so he could get some meaningful playing time, and he got plenty of that in two days.
I landed in Albuquerque on Friday and had a game about an hour later, he said. We played (the Albuquerque Thunder) again on Saturday, and then they called and said to get up to Utah.
It was a crazy 48 hours.
Hairston scored 23 and 27 points in the two D-League games.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said re-calling Hairston was an easy decision.
(Finley's) ankle was pretty swollen, he said. It looks like he'll miss several games.
Hairston said he was happy to be back on the Spurs' roster but sad about the circumstances.
No way am I happy about getting back here because Fin is hurt, Hairston said, but all I can do is be ready. If I'm called on, I'm just going to focus on defense and try to play smart.
Year by year: Popovich has been a fan of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's since Sloan was a hard-nosed player for the Chicago Bulls in the late 1960s and into the '70s. He was thrilled to see that Sloan, as is his annual practice, last week signed another one-year contract extension to remain on the Utah bench through the 2010-11 season.
My question is: Why doesn't he sign them five at a time, because he never leaves, Popovich said. He signs every year, like we're in suspense. We know he's going to stay there.
I hope he coaches there forever. He's great for the league, a fantastic coach. His teams are tough and good every single year. If he wasn't in the league, it would lose part of its personality.
I just love his consistency. It doesn't matter if it's Joe Blow or Karl Malone on the floor. They all react and execute the exact same way. That's a credit to him.