Kori Ellis
04-25-2005, 01:29 AM
Notebook: Injured Spurs suit up for show of strength
Web Posted: 04/25/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042505.8D.BKNspurs.notebook.20ef7b3b0.html
Devin Brown and Rasho Nesterovic were in uniform Sunday even though coach Gregg Popovich didn't intend to play either of them.
"Just to show it looks like we have more guys," Popovich said. "I'm sure (Denver coach) George (Karl) will be scared."
Nesterovic, who missed the final six games of the regular season with a sprained left ankle, was available for emergency duty if the team's other big men ran into foul trouble.
"It is playoff time," Popovich said. "If there's a need for a body out there for three or four minutes, he says he's ready to go."
While Nesterovic said he is hopeful of contributing more in Game 2, Popovich said he doesn't think Brown will play Wednesday.
French connection: Tony Parker had a surprise visitor at Sunday's game. In addition to Eva Longoria.
Atlanta Hawks guard Boris Diaw, who played with Parker when the two grew up in France, showed up Friday to support his friend.
Diaw called Parker's brother, T.J., who is in town preparing to begin his own professional career, to tell him he was coming. Neither of them said anything about the visit to Parker.
"He told me he was going back to France," Parker said. "He had a lot of appearances to make and he moved everything to come. It was very nice for him."
Najera held in reserve: Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera, who played at San Antonio's Cornerstone Christian Academy, keeps a removable cast on his fractured right hand when he isn't playing.
He suited up for Game 1 with just a protective wrap, covering a pad over the fracture. Karl said he intended to give him some time in Game 1, but changed his mind because of the rhythm of the game.
"It will be fine," Najera said of his hand. "Obviously, they want to protect it during the game."
Of his return to San Antonio for the playoffs, Najera said it felt like coming full circle.
"You can say that my journey began here," he said. "I'm happy to be back."
Remembering Roberto: Karl, who grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., sported a vintage Pittsburgh Pirates hat at his team's morning shootaround, homage to the late Pirates great Roberto Clemente.
"When I was a kid, growing up, he was the guy I thought I wanted to be," Karl said of Clemente. "I shook hands with Clemente as an awed eighth-grader, but never talked to him.
"I told my team they should thank someone in their past, because it's an exciting moment for you, but there's probably someone in your past who, if you gave them a phone call to talk about the series, it would be exciting for them, too."
Politically incorrect: Karl was quoted in Denver's Rocky Mountain News on Saturday as saying he presumed that Popovich had voted in the presidential election for George W. Bush.
Popovich doesn't talk publicly about his political views, but Karl clearly had been corrected about his erroneous presumption.
"I guess Pop voted for Kerry, eh?" Karl said Sunday morning. "I should have known better."
Web Posted: 04/25/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042505.8D.BKNspurs.notebook.20ef7b3b0.html
Devin Brown and Rasho Nesterovic were in uniform Sunday even though coach Gregg Popovich didn't intend to play either of them.
"Just to show it looks like we have more guys," Popovich said. "I'm sure (Denver coach) George (Karl) will be scared."
Nesterovic, who missed the final six games of the regular season with a sprained left ankle, was available for emergency duty if the team's other big men ran into foul trouble.
"It is playoff time," Popovich said. "If there's a need for a body out there for three or four minutes, he says he's ready to go."
While Nesterovic said he is hopeful of contributing more in Game 2, Popovich said he doesn't think Brown will play Wednesday.
French connection: Tony Parker had a surprise visitor at Sunday's game. In addition to Eva Longoria.
Atlanta Hawks guard Boris Diaw, who played with Parker when the two grew up in France, showed up Friday to support his friend.
Diaw called Parker's brother, T.J., who is in town preparing to begin his own professional career, to tell him he was coming. Neither of them said anything about the visit to Parker.
"He told me he was going back to France," Parker said. "He had a lot of appearances to make and he moved everything to come. It was very nice for him."
Najera held in reserve: Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera, who played at San Antonio's Cornerstone Christian Academy, keeps a removable cast on his fractured right hand when he isn't playing.
He suited up for Game 1 with just a protective wrap, covering a pad over the fracture. Karl said he intended to give him some time in Game 1, but changed his mind because of the rhythm of the game.
"It will be fine," Najera said of his hand. "Obviously, they want to protect it during the game."
Of his return to San Antonio for the playoffs, Najera said it felt like coming full circle.
"You can say that my journey began here," he said. "I'm happy to be back."
Remembering Roberto: Karl, who grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa., sported a vintage Pittsburgh Pirates hat at his team's morning shootaround, homage to the late Pirates great Roberto Clemente.
"When I was a kid, growing up, he was the guy I thought I wanted to be," Karl said of Clemente. "I shook hands with Clemente as an awed eighth-grader, but never talked to him.
"I told my team they should thank someone in their past, because it's an exciting moment for you, but there's probably someone in your past who, if you gave them a phone call to talk about the series, it would be exciting for them, too."
Politically incorrect: Karl was quoted in Denver's Rocky Mountain News on Saturday as saying he presumed that Popovich had voted in the presidential election for George W. Bush.
Popovich doesn't talk publicly about his political views, but Karl clearly had been corrected about his erroneous presumption.
"I guess Pop voted for Kerry, eh?" Karl said Sunday morning. "I should have known better."