fred33
06-09-2007, 12:36 AM
NBA Finals notebook: Parker's back, hip sore but he will play
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
One day after getting knocked hard to the floor in the opening game of the NBA Finals, Spurs guard Tony Parker said his back was "very sore" but he expects to play Sunday when the series resumes.
Parker was hurt in the first quarter when he was fouled by Cleveland guard Larry Hughes on a drive to the basket. Cavaliers guard Sasha Pavlovic crashed into Parker while he was in the air, dropping him onto the court with a thud.
Parker immediately grabbed his lower back and right hip before being helped to his feet.
The Spurs didn't practice Friday, but Parker received treatment on his hip.
"It hurts," Parker said, "but I think I'll be fine."
No mercy: Keeping up with the speedy Parker is a challenge for even the healthiest defender.
Imagine trying to do it with a sore foot.
Hughes has plantar fasciitis — the same injury that slowed the Spurs' Tim Duncan last season — in his left foot. Parker torched Hughes and Cleveland's other guards for a game-high 27 points in Game 1, most of which came inside the paint, in the Spurs' 85-76 victory.
"As a basketball player and a guy who wants to win all the time, I'd do the same," Hughes said of Parker taking advantage of the injury. "Anytime you have a guy who is down and you know he is down, you attack what is hurting."
The foot also hampered Hughes on the offensive end. He missed 3 of 4 shots from the field and finished with only 2 points, 12 below his season average.
"It is tough to not have the ability to take off and drive or get in the air and make a play," Hughes said. "But I'm in a position now where I have to figure out the best way I can help the team, bad foot or not."
Hughes opted to skip a pre-game injection, which helped ease his pain in the Eastern Conference finals.
"I'm pretty proud of myself for not taking (the injection) and dealing with the pain," Hughes said.
Thank you: The Spurs applauded coach Gregg Popovich's decision to give them the day off.
The players showed up for the league's mandatory media session at the AT&T Center, but that was it. After their 30 minutes with the media, the Cavs went through a full workout.
"Days off like this are really important for our squad because we have a lot of veterans," Brent Barry said. "We've done this all year. It would be different for us if we had to practice between games, and we don't want to deviate from what's been successful for us all year.
"And nobody is complaining. Who wants to go to work? If your boss tells you to take Thursday and Friday off, I don't think you'd mind."
Best of both: Robert Horry issued a warning to Spurs' fans: Don't relax on LeBron James just because he didn't have a field goal for nearly 2 1/2 quarters Thursday.
"He's trying to set us up for the okie-doke," Horry said.
Horry called James a combination of the Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Denver's Carmelo Anthony, the Nos. 1 and 2 scorers in the NBA this season.
"Yes, sir, big-time," Horry said. "He's stronger than Carmelo. (And) he's just as quick as Kobe and more explosive."
The Spurs' defensive scheme for Game 1, Horry said, combined the team's approaches to the two high-scoring stars.
Mentor of the mentors: Cavs coach Mike Brown drew a laugh from the media with this response after being asked who Cavs assistant Hank Egan is closer to — Brown or Popovich:
"Right now, since I helped negotiate his contract, he's probably closer to me," Brown said.
Egan coached both men in college and is a former Spurs assistant under Popovich.
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
One day after getting knocked hard to the floor in the opening game of the NBA Finals, Spurs guard Tony Parker said his back was "very sore" but he expects to play Sunday when the series resumes.
Parker was hurt in the first quarter when he was fouled by Cleveland guard Larry Hughes on a drive to the basket. Cavaliers guard Sasha Pavlovic crashed into Parker while he was in the air, dropping him onto the court with a thud.
Parker immediately grabbed his lower back and right hip before being helped to his feet.
The Spurs didn't practice Friday, but Parker received treatment on his hip.
"It hurts," Parker said, "but I think I'll be fine."
No mercy: Keeping up with the speedy Parker is a challenge for even the healthiest defender.
Imagine trying to do it with a sore foot.
Hughes has plantar fasciitis — the same injury that slowed the Spurs' Tim Duncan last season — in his left foot. Parker torched Hughes and Cleveland's other guards for a game-high 27 points in Game 1, most of which came inside the paint, in the Spurs' 85-76 victory.
"As a basketball player and a guy who wants to win all the time, I'd do the same," Hughes said of Parker taking advantage of the injury. "Anytime you have a guy who is down and you know he is down, you attack what is hurting."
The foot also hampered Hughes on the offensive end. He missed 3 of 4 shots from the field and finished with only 2 points, 12 below his season average.
"It is tough to not have the ability to take off and drive or get in the air and make a play," Hughes said. "But I'm in a position now where I have to figure out the best way I can help the team, bad foot or not."
Hughes opted to skip a pre-game injection, which helped ease his pain in the Eastern Conference finals.
"I'm pretty proud of myself for not taking (the injection) and dealing with the pain," Hughes said.
Thank you: The Spurs applauded coach Gregg Popovich's decision to give them the day off.
The players showed up for the league's mandatory media session at the AT&T Center, but that was it. After their 30 minutes with the media, the Cavs went through a full workout.
"Days off like this are really important for our squad because we have a lot of veterans," Brent Barry said. "We've done this all year. It would be different for us if we had to practice between games, and we don't want to deviate from what's been successful for us all year.
"And nobody is complaining. Who wants to go to work? If your boss tells you to take Thursday and Friday off, I don't think you'd mind."
Best of both: Robert Horry issued a warning to Spurs' fans: Don't relax on LeBron James just because he didn't have a field goal for nearly 2 1/2 quarters Thursday.
"He's trying to set us up for the okie-doke," Horry said.
Horry called James a combination of the Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Denver's Carmelo Anthony, the Nos. 1 and 2 scorers in the NBA this season.
"Yes, sir, big-time," Horry said. "He's stronger than Carmelo. (And) he's just as quick as Kobe and more explosive."
The Spurs' defensive scheme for Game 1, Horry said, combined the team's approaches to the two high-scoring stars.
Mentor of the mentors: Cavs coach Mike Brown drew a laugh from the media with this response after being asked who Cavs assistant Hank Egan is closer to — Brown or Popovich:
"Right now, since I helped negotiate his contract, he's probably closer to me," Brown said.
Egan coached both men in college and is a former Spurs assistant under Popovich.