Mike Monroe: Looks like TD is a no-go

[Spurs Brazil]

Mike Monroe: Looks like TD is a no-go
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Spurs power forward Tim Duncan went from probable to doubtful for Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors in less than 24 hours.

Duncan missed the Spurs' games against the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz because of a sprained right ankle and a bruised right knee, injuries suffered in the Spurs' Dec. 2 victory over Portland.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, choosing to err on the side of caution, said that unless Duncan threatened him with bodily harm if he did not let him play he intended to tell him he preferred to hold him out of the game.

"This early in the season," Popovich said, "there's no reason to rush him back."

That made it interesting to watch Popovich stroll from one baseline to the other end of the basketball court at the chic health club that adjoins the hotel at which the Spurs billet in downtown San Francisco. Duncan was huddled at the far end of the court with athletic trainer Will Sevening and strength and conditioning coach Mike Brungardt.

A brief discussion ensued, but no punches were thrown.

Duncan then began a series of wind sprints and defensive slides under Brunardt's direction, with Popovich watching carefully.

Maybe the conditioning drills were intended to let Duncan prove to Popovich his ankle is sound enough to go tonight. It seems much more likely it was to get a good sweat up, since he won't be expending any energy at Oracle Arena against the Warriors.

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2007/12/mike_monroe_loo.html

[duncan228]

If he's not ready keep him out.
I'd hate to see him push and get hurt again. Or watch him play hesitantly because he's worried about his ankle.
Watching him in '05 with the bad ankles was hard.
I'd much rather do without him now than in March.

I hope Pop can keep him out if he wants him out.
It sounds like Duncan wants to play now.

[timvp]

Coming off any sort of layoff and jumping into a game against the Warriors isn't the greatest idea for a bigman. If it were me, I probably would have told Duncan to stay home and miss the two game road trip.

Since he's already on the trip, he could be useful against the Lakers. The Lakers have some bigs that would be tough to stop without Duncan.

[Russ]

I know this is an overreaction, but I keep remembering the Spurs listing Duncan as day-to-day in 2000 from the last few games of the season through the playoffs . . .

Nahhhhh. :spin

[K-State Spur]

waiting until he is ready...then sitting him out one game longer than that is a good strategy for any injuries this team encounters this regular
season.

[FromWayDowntown]

A decision to sit Duncan tonight is much easier with everyone else behind the Spurs losing games of late. I would agree that pushing Timmy to get up and down against the Warriors doesn't seem like a really good idea if he's not 100% and with there being some cushion to the pack now, giving him another night's rest seems like a sensible approach.

[Obstructed_View]

Pop's full of shit. He just wants all star weekend off, and if he can throw a W at Nellie, so much the better.

[exstatic]

If Tim is doing defensive slides on a random b-ball court in San Fran, he wants to play. He may just threaten Pop with that physical harm.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I'm actually enjoying the time off for Timmy. It sort of adds this feeling of being underdogs and having to fight to win every game. Of course, I'll enjoy it even more when Timmy comes back to pummel the league again :devil

[SenorSpur]

Tim is a wus. :lol

Seriously though, better safe than sorry.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I was expecting him to play tonight, but at least this loss makes him missed even more.