duncan228
12-11-2007, 11:25 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121107.05D.Spursnotebook.en.28b130c.html
Spurs notebook: Duncan a game-time decision
Two days off benefit Parker's sore ankles
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
Tim Duncan's sprained right ankle endured another full practice session without incident Monday, clearing the way for the Spurs' All-Star forward to play tonight at Golden State.
Officially, the team has deemed Duncan's availability to be a game-time decision. The Spurs will wait to see how he responds at this morning's shootaround in Oakland before making a final call.
If Duncan does indeed make his return against the Warriors, it will have been nine days since he injured his ankle in a Dec. 2 victory over Portland. He has missed just two games in that span.
Without him, the Spurs managed to beat a pair of Western Conference challengers — Dallas and Utah — and extend their franchise-record start to 17-3.
Those two Duncan-less victories — made possible by back-to-back 37-point nights from Manu Ginobili — gave rise to facetious speculation that maybe, just maybe, the Spurs don't need their two-time league MVP in order to succeed.
"No matter what you media guys say, I'm not jumping on that wagon," forward Bruce Bowen said Monday, playing along with the joke.
Through the first 18 games, Duncan averaged 17.6 points and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds. He is typically the centerpiece of the Spurs' offensive and defensive systems — coach Gregg Popovich typically refers to him as the team's "quarterback."
All kidding aside, Duncan's teammates are happily anticipating his return to uniform.
"That would be nice," point guard Tony Parker said. "He's been looking good in practice, so hopefully he can play."
Parker cools heels: The two days the Spurs took off since beating Utah on Friday seem to have done Parker's pair of sore ankles some good.
Though he wouldn't go so far as to declare himself 100 percent, Parker said he felt better Monday than when the Spurs last played.
Despite some lingering soreness, Parker says he's looking forward to tonight's game against the Warriors, one of the league's most up-tempo teams.
"That's why I'm happy for the two days off," he said, "because it's going to be a lot of running."
Check back in June: The Spurs are off to the best start in club history, winning 17 of their first 20 games. Twelve of those victories have come by a double-digit margin, and two of them have come with their best player, Duncan, sidelined.
Forgive the Spurs, however, if they aren't planning another river parade just yet.
"We've had bad starts in the past, and we've had good starts in the past," Popovich said. "Neither one is indicative of whether we won a championship."
Spurs notebook: Duncan a game-time decision
Two days off benefit Parker's sore ankles
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
Tim Duncan's sprained right ankle endured another full practice session without incident Monday, clearing the way for the Spurs' All-Star forward to play tonight at Golden State.
Officially, the team has deemed Duncan's availability to be a game-time decision. The Spurs will wait to see how he responds at this morning's shootaround in Oakland before making a final call.
If Duncan does indeed make his return against the Warriors, it will have been nine days since he injured his ankle in a Dec. 2 victory over Portland. He has missed just two games in that span.
Without him, the Spurs managed to beat a pair of Western Conference challengers — Dallas and Utah — and extend their franchise-record start to 17-3.
Those two Duncan-less victories — made possible by back-to-back 37-point nights from Manu Ginobili — gave rise to facetious speculation that maybe, just maybe, the Spurs don't need their two-time league MVP in order to succeed.
"No matter what you media guys say, I'm not jumping on that wagon," forward Bruce Bowen said Monday, playing along with the joke.
Through the first 18 games, Duncan averaged 17.6 points and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds. He is typically the centerpiece of the Spurs' offensive and defensive systems — coach Gregg Popovich typically refers to him as the team's "quarterback."
All kidding aside, Duncan's teammates are happily anticipating his return to uniform.
"That would be nice," point guard Tony Parker said. "He's been looking good in practice, so hopefully he can play."
Parker cools heels: The two days the Spurs took off since beating Utah on Friday seem to have done Parker's pair of sore ankles some good.
Though he wouldn't go so far as to declare himself 100 percent, Parker said he felt better Monday than when the Spurs last played.
Despite some lingering soreness, Parker says he's looking forward to tonight's game against the Warriors, one of the league's most up-tempo teams.
"That's why I'm happy for the two days off," he said, "because it's going to be a lot of running."
Check back in June: The Spurs are off to the best start in club history, winning 17 of their first 20 games. Twelve of those victories have come by a double-digit margin, and two of them have come with their best player, Duncan, sidelined.
Forgive the Spurs, however, if they aren't planning another river parade just yet.
"We've had bad starts in the past, and we've had good starts in the past," Popovich said. "Neither one is indicative of whether we won a championship."