Spurs notebook: Ginobili to miss Pistons game

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Spurs notebook: Ginobili to miss Pistons game

Web Posted: 12/24/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

If the Spurs are going to beat Detroit in Sunday's rematch of last season's NBA Finals, they will have to do it without Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili, who has missed the past seven games while waiting for his sprained right foot to heal, won't be ready to play on Christmas Day, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

The Spurs had planned to have Ginobili play one-on-one Friday, but he has continued to have some trouble pushing off with his right foot.

"There's still a little impingement on the top of his foot," Popovich said, "so we delayed his one-on-one contact."

If Ginobili does better today in his workout with the training staff, he might be cleared to play one-on-one Monday or Tuesday.
Because Ginobili will have been out at least two weeks when he returns, Popovich is considering whether it would be wiser to work him back slowly into the lineup by bringing him off the bench.
Rotate and balance: Popovich has altered his rotation the past two games, not only to cut back Tim Duncan's minutes, but also to reduce the wear and tear on Tony Parker.

Duncan now usually takes his first break midway through the first quarter. Parker, who used to play the entire first quarter, has exited with two or three minutes remaining the past two games.

Duncan's earlier departure allows Popovich to bring him back when Nick Van Exel replaces Parker. With Ginobili out, Popovich wants to make sure he has one of his top three players on the floor at all times.

"I know (Parker)'s young, but he is doing work people don't see," Popovich said. "He's guarding three-quarters court most of the game because we demand he sets that tone. He's driving all the time, getting hit all the time.

"I want him to run the show and be mentally sharp, and I want to make sure I have given him the environment to exhibit all those faculties down the stretch during a game."

Early release: Some of the Spurs have laughed at how much ABC has promoted Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat compared to their own against Detroit.

Duncan, however, is glad the Spurs are playing the earlier game.

"I just care about trying to get home," he said of the Christmas Day game.

Bonewitz honored: Popovich presented former East Central coach Stan Bonewitz with a No. 1 Spurs' jersey at halftime of Friday's game. Bonewitz, who retired this summer after 36 years of coaching, guided the Hornets to the 1995 Class 5A state title.

[SequSpur]

The Spurs are going to get blown out. Duncan is already worried about getting home.

[Kori Ellis]

The Spurs are going to get blown out. Duncan is already worried about getting home.

It's his first baby's first Christmas. Don't knock him for wanting to come home.

Spurs by 8.

[SequSpur]

It's his first baby's first Christmas. Don't knock him for wanting to come home.

Spurs by 8.


Dude makes millions playing a game and the NBA is putting the Spurs on front stage under the lights for the whole world to see....

He needs to recognize and frickin represent.

I bet he doesn't.

[Kori Ellis]

Dude makes millions playing a game and the NBA is putting the Spurs on front stage under the lights for the whole world to see....

He needs to recognize and frickin represent.

I bet he doesn't.


If he goes for 30, will you STFU?

[Solid D]

Manu decided not to play because it's not a TNT game. :smokin

[SequSpur]

If he goes for 30, will you STFU?

Sure.

:angel

[ajh18]

Dude makes millions playing a game and the NBA is putting the Spurs on front stage under the lights for the whole world to see....

He needs to recognize and frickin represent.

I bet he doesn't.

And as for recognizing and representing, I am proud that the Spurs have always seemed to have a broader perspective of what's important in the world vs basketball. If Tim recognizes that he is needed as much as a father as an NBA player, I'm proud to have him on my favorite team. The NBA is a business, it's Tim's job and profession, a sport which is part of the entertainment industry. Tim makes millions doing a job that very few people in the world can do as well as he can and that is in high demand by the public. That is why he is held to high professional standards, because it IS a business. But recognizing that family should be more important than a job, ANY job, does not mean you can't do that job equally as well as someone who makes work their top priority.

Yes, the Spurs may not be playing great right now. They may very well lose to Detroit too. But take the second best player off ANY team, and have the best playing injured, and NO ONE would have the record the Spurs do now. I'm proud of my team, and the players on it. We'll make our run, we'll finish with a great record, and we'll be having some great parties late into May/June.

[SequSpur]

ajh18,

I am proud of the Spurs too.

But they aren't representing themselves as a championship team by losing to the bottom shelf of the Eastern Conference. Tim Duncan isn't representing himself as an MVP either. One game he shows up, the next game he is thinking about changing diapers.

The Spurs are gonna lose games, I understand that, but lose the games that matter, don't pad your loss column and lose HCA by dropping games to shitty teams.

Represent.

[GoSpurs21]

The Spurs are going to get blown out. Duncan is already worried about getting home.you whiny little bitch...you're almost as bad as mouse, but then again you're not even that important. you are just a whiny little bitch in the history of the Spurs. Just a little geek who hopes somebody will pay attention too. Go back to the little sewer where you came from.

[SequSpur]

you whiny little bitch...you're almost as bad as mouse, but then again you're not even that important. you are just a whiny little bitch in the history of the Spurs. Just a little geek who hopes somebody will pay attention too. Go back to the little sewer where you came from.

:lol

We'll see.

[Budkin]

Man why does this game have to be on at 11:30am? I'm going to want to snooze after all the early morning Christmas craziness with the little ones. Thank God for DVR! :lol

[Carrera_4S]

:lol

We'll see.

Yes, we most certainly will.
Pistons by 12-15

[ducks]

Because Ginobili will have been out at least two weeks when he returns, Popovich is considering whether it would be wiser to work him back slowly into the lineup by bringing him off the bench.
hummmm

[ducks]

ajh18,

I am proud of the Spurs too.

But they aren't representing themselves as a championship team by losing to the bottom shelf of the Eastern Conference. Tim Duncan isn't representing himself as an MVP either. One game he shows up, the next game he is thinking about changing diapers.

The Spurs are gonna lose games, I understand that, but lose the games that matter, don't pad your loss column and lose HCA by dropping games to shitty teams.

Represent.

would you rather lose to the contenders and let them have a mental edge on you or a non contender team

[td4mvp21]

He will score his usual 12 or 13 points...

30 I don't think so!

Lol I love it when the naive fans haven't experienced a true Duncan owning yet....

[spurschick]

Because Ginobili will have been out at least two weeks when he returns, Popovich is considering whether it would be wiser to work him back slowly into the lineup by bringing him off the bench.

I think it's a great idea. It doesn't make sense to throw him back out there after all of this time off. I think that one of the reasons why the Spurs are losing is that they have become too predictable. Manu always changes the face of the game when he comes in. He has obviously earned his starting role, but it will be very interesting to see what happens when he temporarily returns to his spark-off-the-bench duties.

[Kori Ellis]

I think it's a great idea. It doesn't make sense to throw him back out there after all of this time off. I think that one of the reasons why the Spurs are losing is that they have become too predictable. Manu always changes the face of the game when he comes in. He has obviously earned his starting role, but it will be very interesting to see what happens when he temporarily returns to his spark-off-the-bench duties.

True.

And it will be interesting how temporary it is.

[spurschick]

True.

And it will be interesting how temporary it is.

I've thought about that. Since he's been so injury prone this year, and with Finley finding his rhythm, it might not be such a bad idea to let Manu get his minutes off the bench. I know that won't be popular with the mafia, but it might be in both Manu's and the team's best interests.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

I hate to say it, but Detroit is going to slaughter the Spurs tomorrow. Going into Detroit without our best player- against the league's hottest team?

Not gonna pretty. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[infinite styles]

The Spurs are gonna lose games, I understand that, but lose the games that matter, don't pad your loss column and lose HCA by dropping games to shitty teams.

Represent.

OMG, did you just say lose the important games that matter? :lol Let me get a wiff of what your smoking on :smokin . I mean really think about what your saying...if they lost the games that mattered would you be bitching more or less?

[bdubya]

I hate to say it, but Detroit is going to slaughter the Spurs tomorrow. Going into Detroit without our best player- against the league's hottest team?

No, don't tell me Duncan's hurt TOO? Hell, I won't even watch...

[2centsworth]

You think Rasheed is gonna want the Championship Belts back after the game?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

no ginobili = spurs lose badly

[ducks]

yeah because spurs have never won a game without manu

[Cant_Be_Faded]

not against the pistons...

[2centsworth]

yeah because spurs have never won a game without manu
this is not a game, it's against the Pistons the second best team in the NBA.

[td4mvp21]

no ginobili = spurs lose badly

Lol, I'm sorry but I think you are forgetting HOW WE WON SIXTY GAMES IN 2002-2003 WITH HIM ONLY AVERAGING TEN MINUTES.

[td4mvp21]

I hate to say it, but Detroit is going to slaughter the Spurs tomorrow. Going into Detroit without our best player- against the league's hottest team?

Not gonna pretty. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Duncan's not gonna play tomorrow? Where have you heard that?

[TwoHandJam]

I think our chances of winning in Detroit the way we have been playing right now are pretty low. Add to that the fact that we won't have Manu and the odds go down even more.

Detroit will also want retribution for game 7 last year. It'll depend what Spurs team shows up but I don't like our chances right now. I'll be happy if we compete and at least give ourselves a chance to win.

[ducks]

this is not a game, it's against the Pistons the second best team in the NBA.


I am sorry any nba team can beat any nba team any night
in a 7 game series the better team always wins

ps the pistons have lost this year

ps ps the pistons have lost more then one game this year and so teams worse then them have beat them because you say they are the second best team

[ChumpDumper]

Because Ginobili will have been out at least two weeks when he returns, Popovich is considering whether it would be wiser to work him back slowly into the lineup by bringing him off the bench. No rumors of wars from the Argies yet?

[pawe]

This is the reason why we got fin and nick so if ginobili and parker went down, we gonna have scoring options. duncan will probably not play extra special coz its the pistons, heck he's gonna have 8 games more to play against them.