timvp
10-05-2007, 01:02 AM
Notebook: Udrih to miss camp after breaking finger
Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer
Coming into training camp, the Spurs had planned to take a good, hard look at backup point guard Beno Udrih.
Turns out, the only place they'll get to see him for the next three to four weeks is on the sideline.
Udrih broke the index finger on his left (shooting) hand during Thursday morning's practice and is likely to miss the rest of the preseason.
Udrih's timing couldn't have been worse. With Tony Parker taking camp easy after a wearisome summer playing for the French national team, Udrih, who is in the final year of his contract, seemed to have an opportunity to earn playing time in the Spurs' backcourt.
Now, he'll watch the rest of the preseason in much the same manner he did Thursday morning's practice — in street clothes with a cast around his left hand.
"It's really bad for him, because we'd talked about getting him minutes," coach Gregg Popovich said. "Tony was going to start out kind of slow, so it was an opportunity for (Udrih) to get some minutes. So this is a tough break for him, no pun intended."
It marks the second season in a row that Udrih's October has been marred by injury. Last season, a sore hamstring kept him out of much of training camp.
As a result, Udrih lost his spot in the rotation to Jacque Vaughn and never regained it. Now, his bid to take minutes from Vaughn this season is off to an equally inauspicious beginning.
"Usually, broken bones set people back to some degree," Popovich noted.
New role for Udoka: Talk about a change in job description.
Last season, Ime Udoka started 75 games at forward for Portland. After signing a two-year deal with the Spurs in August, he is now set to come off a crowded bench for a team that returned 12 players from last year's NBA champions.
Forgive Udoka if doesn't seem daunted by the prospect of fighting for playing time. He is a former undrafted free agent who scrapped his way to the NBA from the developmental league.
"I don't have a problem coming in and competing," he said. "That's the way I've always been."
Downplaying a dynasty: Much has been made of whether the Spurs, after winning four championships in nine years but none back-to-back, are a latter-day NBA dynasty. Put Tim Duncan in the camp of "Who cares?"
"It doesn't matter in the least," Duncan said. "It's just hearsay and speculation. We've got four championships, and nobody can take that away from us no matter what the label is."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA100507.spurs_notebook.en.33bbd33.html
Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer
Coming into training camp, the Spurs had planned to take a good, hard look at backup point guard Beno Udrih.
Turns out, the only place they'll get to see him for the next three to four weeks is on the sideline.
Udrih broke the index finger on his left (shooting) hand during Thursday morning's practice and is likely to miss the rest of the preseason.
Udrih's timing couldn't have been worse. With Tony Parker taking camp easy after a wearisome summer playing for the French national team, Udrih, who is in the final year of his contract, seemed to have an opportunity to earn playing time in the Spurs' backcourt.
Now, he'll watch the rest of the preseason in much the same manner he did Thursday morning's practice — in street clothes with a cast around his left hand.
"It's really bad for him, because we'd talked about getting him minutes," coach Gregg Popovich said. "Tony was going to start out kind of slow, so it was an opportunity for (Udrih) to get some minutes. So this is a tough break for him, no pun intended."
It marks the second season in a row that Udrih's October has been marred by injury. Last season, a sore hamstring kept him out of much of training camp.
As a result, Udrih lost his spot in the rotation to Jacque Vaughn and never regained it. Now, his bid to take minutes from Vaughn this season is off to an equally inauspicious beginning.
"Usually, broken bones set people back to some degree," Popovich noted.
New role for Udoka: Talk about a change in job description.
Last season, Ime Udoka started 75 games at forward for Portland. After signing a two-year deal with the Spurs in August, he is now set to come off a crowded bench for a team that returned 12 players from last year's NBA champions.
Forgive Udoka if doesn't seem daunted by the prospect of fighting for playing time. He is a former undrafted free agent who scrapped his way to the NBA from the developmental league.
"I don't have a problem coming in and competing," he said. "That's the way I've always been."
Downplaying a dynasty: Much has been made of whether the Spurs, after winning four championships in nine years but none back-to-back, are a latter-day NBA dynasty. Put Tim Duncan in the camp of "Who cares?"
"It doesn't matter in the least," Duncan said. "It's just hearsay and speculation. We've got four championships, and nobody can take that away from us no matter what the label is."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA100507.spurs_notebook.en.33bbd33.html