duncan228
02-23-2010, 12:11 AM
Parker's hip injury not serious (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Parkers_hip_injury_not_serious.html)
Jeff McDonald
Not long after returning from a mostly bad-news rodeo road trip Monday, the Spurs received a bit of good news in the form of Tony Parker's MRI results.
Parker's hip injury officially diagnosed as a mild strain of his left iliopsoas muscle was no worse than expected. He is officially listed as day-to-day and could be available when the Spurs host Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
The hip first began bothering Parker during a Feb. 8 loss against the L.A. Lakers. He didn't play again until Feb. 17 against Indiana a game in which he scored 28 points but the time off did little to quell the discomfort.
Parker, a three-time All-Star, missed three of the eight games on the Spurs' rodeo trip, including Sunday's trek-closing defeat at Detroit. He has sat out five of the past 10 games overall.
In addition to the hip injury, Parker has battled various sprained ankles and a case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Coming off an All-NBA season in 2008-09, Parker's numbers have dipped dramatically this season. He is averaging 16.8 points and 5.9 assists, while shooting 48.4 percent.
Lineups a-gogo: When the Spurs left for the start of their rodeo trip on Feb. 2, coach Gregg Popovich's goal was to solidify his rotation before the team returned.
Instead, he used three different starting lineups in the eight games, and his rotation seems as flexible as ever.
Some of it has been due to injury. Parker's in-again, out-again status has played havoc with Popovich's plans.
With Parker sidelined Sunday at Detroit, Popovich started small with George Hill at point, Roger Mason Jr. and Keith Bogans on the wings, Richard Jefferson at power forward and Tim Duncan at center.
It was the 18th new lineup Popovich had unveiled this season. For the second consecutive game, Popovich could not get steady production out of his first five.
Mason, Bogans and Jefferson combined to go 4 for 16, totaling 15 points between them. Meanwhile, Matt Bonner who had started at center the previous two games did not play at all.
Asked after the trip finale at Detroit if he is still wrestling with lineup decisions, Popovich said, Probably so.
Long-range breakdown: The Spurs' rodeo trip was characterized by a shooting slump from 3-point range.
In the eight games, the team shot 35.5 percent (55 of 155) from beyond the arc. In the final two games of the trip losses at Philadelphia and Detroit the Spurs made just 11 of 42 on 3-pointers.
Jeff McDonald
Not long after returning from a mostly bad-news rodeo road trip Monday, the Spurs received a bit of good news in the form of Tony Parker's MRI results.
Parker's hip injury officially diagnosed as a mild strain of his left iliopsoas muscle was no worse than expected. He is officially listed as day-to-day and could be available when the Spurs host Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
The hip first began bothering Parker during a Feb. 8 loss against the L.A. Lakers. He didn't play again until Feb. 17 against Indiana a game in which he scored 28 points but the time off did little to quell the discomfort.
Parker, a three-time All-Star, missed three of the eight games on the Spurs' rodeo trip, including Sunday's trek-closing defeat at Detroit. He has sat out five of the past 10 games overall.
In addition to the hip injury, Parker has battled various sprained ankles and a case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Coming off an All-NBA season in 2008-09, Parker's numbers have dipped dramatically this season. He is averaging 16.8 points and 5.9 assists, while shooting 48.4 percent.
Lineups a-gogo: When the Spurs left for the start of their rodeo trip on Feb. 2, coach Gregg Popovich's goal was to solidify his rotation before the team returned.
Instead, he used three different starting lineups in the eight games, and his rotation seems as flexible as ever.
Some of it has been due to injury. Parker's in-again, out-again status has played havoc with Popovich's plans.
With Parker sidelined Sunday at Detroit, Popovich started small with George Hill at point, Roger Mason Jr. and Keith Bogans on the wings, Richard Jefferson at power forward and Tim Duncan at center.
It was the 18th new lineup Popovich had unveiled this season. For the second consecutive game, Popovich could not get steady production out of his first five.
Mason, Bogans and Jefferson combined to go 4 for 16, totaling 15 points between them. Meanwhile, Matt Bonner who had started at center the previous two games did not play at all.
Asked after the trip finale at Detroit if he is still wrestling with lineup decisions, Popovich said, Probably so.
Long-range breakdown: The Spurs' rodeo trip was characterized by a shooting slump from 3-point range.
In the eight games, the team shot 35.5 percent (55 of 155) from beyond the arc. In the final two games of the trip losses at Philadelphia and Detroit the Spurs made just 11 of 42 on 3-pointers.