duncan228
01-23-2010, 12:54 AM
Ginobili says he's not hurt (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Ginobili_says_hes_not_hurt.html)
Mike Monroe
Despite getting kicked in the right shin for the second straight game, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili swore he felt fine, physically, after Friday's 116-109 loss to the Houston Rockets at the AT&T Center.
Ginobili wore a padded sleeve to protect the shin, but the pad didn't help much when Aaron Brooks inadvertently hit him right in his sore spot in the waning seconds.
“I don't know if you've ever been kicked in the shin, but it hurts for the first one or two days, and then just goes away,” Ginobili said. “I'm not concerned about that at all.”
What does concern the ultra-competitive Spurs guard is the state of a team that opened the second half of the season with a second straight dispiriting loss.
The Spurs are off to an 0-2 start to the six-game homestand that precedes the annual rodeo road trip — an eight-game stretch sandwiched around the All-Star Game. A chance to gain pre-trip momentum instead feels like a wasted opportunity.
For Ginobili, the back-to-back home losses this week to Utah and Houston are the continuation of an alarming trend.
“We've been wasting opportunities for 42 games so far,” he said. “We've played tons of games at home and have let many opportunities get away.
“It's going to get uphill in the second half (of the season) because we're going to be playing on the road against good teams. We're definitely going to have to do it better if we want to keep our chances of being a contender or being up there in the Western Conference.”
Start him up: Forward Tim Duncan's 11th consecutive starting appearance in the All-Star Game, announced Thursday night, seemed entirely appropriate to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
“Timmy's had a wonderful season so far and has really earned that honor by taking care of himself on a year-around basis and making himself ready to perform, night after night,” he said.
Among active players, only Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has made more consecutive All-Star starts, 12. Duncan and Bryant both will be making their 12th consecutive All-Star appearances.
Haislip waived: The Spurs made a move Friday that enabled forward Marcus Haislip to make more money and the franchise to save some. After negotiating a buyout of his contract, the Spurs waived a player who had appeared in only 10 games this season.
A league source said the move saved $800,000 for the team. Haislip now is free to sign a lucrative deal with the Greek League's Panathinaikos.
“He wasn't going to play,” Popovich said. “Too many guys ahead of him. We're happy to allow him to be in a better situation.”
Mike Monroe
Despite getting kicked in the right shin for the second straight game, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili swore he felt fine, physically, after Friday's 116-109 loss to the Houston Rockets at the AT&T Center.
Ginobili wore a padded sleeve to protect the shin, but the pad didn't help much when Aaron Brooks inadvertently hit him right in his sore spot in the waning seconds.
“I don't know if you've ever been kicked in the shin, but it hurts for the first one or two days, and then just goes away,” Ginobili said. “I'm not concerned about that at all.”
What does concern the ultra-competitive Spurs guard is the state of a team that opened the second half of the season with a second straight dispiriting loss.
The Spurs are off to an 0-2 start to the six-game homestand that precedes the annual rodeo road trip — an eight-game stretch sandwiched around the All-Star Game. A chance to gain pre-trip momentum instead feels like a wasted opportunity.
For Ginobili, the back-to-back home losses this week to Utah and Houston are the continuation of an alarming trend.
“We've been wasting opportunities for 42 games so far,” he said. “We've played tons of games at home and have let many opportunities get away.
“It's going to get uphill in the second half (of the season) because we're going to be playing on the road against good teams. We're definitely going to have to do it better if we want to keep our chances of being a contender or being up there in the Western Conference.”
Start him up: Forward Tim Duncan's 11th consecutive starting appearance in the All-Star Game, announced Thursday night, seemed entirely appropriate to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
“Timmy's had a wonderful season so far and has really earned that honor by taking care of himself on a year-around basis and making himself ready to perform, night after night,” he said.
Among active players, only Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has made more consecutive All-Star starts, 12. Duncan and Bryant both will be making their 12th consecutive All-Star appearances.
Haislip waived: The Spurs made a move Friday that enabled forward Marcus Haislip to make more money and the franchise to save some. After negotiating a buyout of his contract, the Spurs waived a player who had appeared in only 10 games this season.
A league source said the move saved $800,000 for the team. Haislip now is free to sign a lucrative deal with the Greek League's Panathinaikos.
“He wasn't going to play,” Popovich said. “Too many guys ahead of him. We're happy to allow him to be in a better situation.”