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02-02-2010, 03:02 AM
Spurs Notebook: Parker will return on trip (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_Notebook_Parker_will_join_team_on_trip.html)
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News
When the Spurs board their charter plane this afternoon, bound for the opening game of this year's rodeo road trip Wednesday at Sacramento, point guard Tony Parker is expected to be with them.
When he might rejoin his teammates on the court, however, remains uncertain.
Team officials expect Parker, who has missed the past two games with his latest left ankle sprain, to play at some point on the trip, an eight-game trek that straddles the All-Star break and concludes Feb. 21 at Detroit. There is no specific game targeted for Parker's return, but the prevailing belief is he will be back sooner than later.
The Spurs are 1-1 during Parker's most recent absence and 3-3 overall. Parker, a three-time All-Star and an All-NBA selection last season, has been struggling with injuries this season, including a bout of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
He is averaging 16.9 points and 5.8 assists, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. All of those numbers represent a significant decline from last season.
Bonner looking for range: Matt Bonner freely admits his own return from injury hasn't gone smoothly. The Spurs' most accurate 3-point shooter at 40.6 percent, Bonner is 2 for 15 from beyond the arc in six games since coming back from a bone fracture in his shooting hand.
It is only the second significant injury Bonner has battled. He missed six weeks with an MCL tear in 2006-07, his first season with the Spurs.
“I've only had one injury in my basketball career up to this point,” Bonner said, knocking on the hardwood of the Spurs' practice facility for luck. “Coming back from injury isn't something I'm used to. In my head, I'm back, I'm canning threes, but that's just not reality. As frustrating as it is, I have to be patient.”
Bonner has played the past two games without the brace on his right hand that he'd been using for support. He said he felt better during Sunday's 1-for-4 performance from 3-point range in the loss to Denver than he had in earlier games.
“The game before, I felt really out of sync, like I hadn't played basketball before,” Bonner said. “Hopefully, (Sunday) is a sign I'll be back to normal soon.”
Rookie runner-up: DeJuan Blair's monster 28-point, 21-rebound game Jan. 13 at Oklahoma City wasn't enough to earn him his first Western Conference Rookie of the Month award.
That honor went to Golden State's Stephen Curry, who averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 assists and two steals during January. Blair, a 6-foot-7 center, averaged 7.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, numbers boosted by his 20-20 game against the Thunder.
That was the first 20-20 performance by a rookie since Tim Duncan in 1997-98.
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News
When the Spurs board their charter plane this afternoon, bound for the opening game of this year's rodeo road trip Wednesday at Sacramento, point guard Tony Parker is expected to be with them.
When he might rejoin his teammates on the court, however, remains uncertain.
Team officials expect Parker, who has missed the past two games with his latest left ankle sprain, to play at some point on the trip, an eight-game trek that straddles the All-Star break and concludes Feb. 21 at Detroit. There is no specific game targeted for Parker's return, but the prevailing belief is he will be back sooner than later.
The Spurs are 1-1 during Parker's most recent absence and 3-3 overall. Parker, a three-time All-Star and an All-NBA selection last season, has been struggling with injuries this season, including a bout of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
He is averaging 16.9 points and 5.8 assists, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field. All of those numbers represent a significant decline from last season.
Bonner looking for range: Matt Bonner freely admits his own return from injury hasn't gone smoothly. The Spurs' most accurate 3-point shooter at 40.6 percent, Bonner is 2 for 15 from beyond the arc in six games since coming back from a bone fracture in his shooting hand.
It is only the second significant injury Bonner has battled. He missed six weeks with an MCL tear in 2006-07, his first season with the Spurs.
“I've only had one injury in my basketball career up to this point,” Bonner said, knocking on the hardwood of the Spurs' practice facility for luck. “Coming back from injury isn't something I'm used to. In my head, I'm back, I'm canning threes, but that's just not reality. As frustrating as it is, I have to be patient.”
Bonner has played the past two games without the brace on his right hand that he'd been using for support. He said he felt better during Sunday's 1-for-4 performance from 3-point range in the loss to Denver than he had in earlier games.
“The game before, I felt really out of sync, like I hadn't played basketball before,” Bonner said. “Hopefully, (Sunday) is a sign I'll be back to normal soon.”
Rookie runner-up: DeJuan Blair's monster 28-point, 21-rebound game Jan. 13 at Oklahoma City wasn't enough to earn him his first Western Conference Rookie of the Month award.
That honor went to Golden State's Stephen Curry, who averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 assists and two steals during January. Blair, a 6-foot-7 center, averaged 7.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, numbers boosted by his 20-20 game against the Thunder.
That was the first 20-20 performance by a rookie since Tim Duncan in 1997-98.