Spurs Brazil
01-19-2008, 11:23 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA.01192008.Spurs_notebook.EN.25f16aa.html
Oberto OK after LeBron head-butt
Web Posted: 01/18/2008 09:43 PM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer
Spurs center Fabricio Oberto arrived at practice Friday morning no worse for wear after taking LeBron James' head to his chest in the closing stages of a loss to Cleveland the night before.
Given Oberto's history of heart trouble, he admits he could have come away from the game with something worse than a bull's-eye of a bruise on his sternum.
Just before the start of the playoffs last season, Oberto had to undergo a minor heart procedure after an elbow to the neck from Dallas' DeSagana Diop triggered an arrhythmia.
"When it happened last year, I got hit in the neck, in the jugular," Oberto said. "It was a freak thing. This time, it was just the chest. I am OK."
Oberto reported no ill effects after Friday's workout, held just before the team boarded its charter flight to Houston.
He earned his latest bruise on what turned out to be the winning play in Cleveland's 90-88 victory.
Finding the lane clogged, James ducked his head and barreled into the 6-foot-10 Oberto to create space. James' floater from 3 feet broke an 88-88 tie with 33.6 seconds to play.
Many Spurs argued that James should have been called for an offensive foul.
"I was surprised," Oberto said. "He just lowered his head and came in there like a bull."
On the road again: If the Spurs are going to break out of their current funk, which has dropped them to sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race, the catalyst is probably going to have to come on the road.
Beginning with tonight's game at Houston, 12 of the Spurs' next 14 games — and 13 of the next 16 — will be played away from the AT&T Center.
The Spurs are 6-8 this season on the road, where they have dropped five of their last six.
At least they will hit the pavement relatively healthy, after the incident-free return of reserve guard Brent Barry from injury Thursday.
"It's not that one game is going to turn it around, or one player coming back is going to turn it around," Barry said. "We just have to get back to playing well, and slowly work our way back to playing the type of basketball Coach (Gregg Popovich) will be happy with us playing."
Mahinmi update: Ian Mahinmi, the Spurs' first-round draft pick in 2006, is enjoying a robust year in the NBA Developmental League, averaging 18.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and shooting 64.3 percent from the field for the Austin Toros.
Still, the Spurs have no plans to call him up this season.
A 6-foot-11 center, Mahinmi, 21, is playing in his first season in the United States.
In order to hone his game, the Spurs would prefer Mahinmi remain in Austin and log at least 30 minutes a night.
"The best thing for him is to be down there, getting to play," Popovich said. "We want to keep him down there."
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Oberto OK after LeBron head-butt
Web Posted: 01/18/2008 09:43 PM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer
Spurs center Fabricio Oberto arrived at practice Friday morning no worse for wear after taking LeBron James' head to his chest in the closing stages of a loss to Cleveland the night before.
Given Oberto's history of heart trouble, he admits he could have come away from the game with something worse than a bull's-eye of a bruise on his sternum.
Just before the start of the playoffs last season, Oberto had to undergo a minor heart procedure after an elbow to the neck from Dallas' DeSagana Diop triggered an arrhythmia.
"When it happened last year, I got hit in the neck, in the jugular," Oberto said. "It was a freak thing. This time, it was just the chest. I am OK."
Oberto reported no ill effects after Friday's workout, held just before the team boarded its charter flight to Houston.
He earned his latest bruise on what turned out to be the winning play in Cleveland's 90-88 victory.
Finding the lane clogged, James ducked his head and barreled into the 6-foot-10 Oberto to create space. James' floater from 3 feet broke an 88-88 tie with 33.6 seconds to play.
Many Spurs argued that James should have been called for an offensive foul.
"I was surprised," Oberto said. "He just lowered his head and came in there like a bull."
On the road again: If the Spurs are going to break out of their current funk, which has dropped them to sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race, the catalyst is probably going to have to come on the road.
Beginning with tonight's game at Houston, 12 of the Spurs' next 14 games — and 13 of the next 16 — will be played away from the AT&T Center.
The Spurs are 6-8 this season on the road, where they have dropped five of their last six.
At least they will hit the pavement relatively healthy, after the incident-free return of reserve guard Brent Barry from injury Thursday.
"It's not that one game is going to turn it around, or one player coming back is going to turn it around," Barry said. "We just have to get back to playing well, and slowly work our way back to playing the type of basketball Coach (Gregg Popovich) will be happy with us playing."
Mahinmi update: Ian Mahinmi, the Spurs' first-round draft pick in 2006, is enjoying a robust year in the NBA Developmental League, averaging 18.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and shooting 64.3 percent from the field for the Austin Toros.
Still, the Spurs have no plans to call him up this season.
A 6-foot-11 center, Mahinmi, 21, is playing in his first season in the United States.
In order to hone his game, the Spurs would prefer Mahinmi remain in Austin and log at least 30 minutes a night.
"The best thing for him is to be down there, getting to play," Popovich said. "We want to keep him down there."
[email protected]