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Ominous sign when Pop uses the word persistence. That means he will keep trying to pound the round peg into a square hole with his small ball infatuation.
Spurs out to salvage homestand
Jeff McDonald
The NBA schedule makers did the Spurs few favors this season, handing them a second-half slate that looks as if it might be a sadistic prank. Twenty-four of the Spurs' final 36 games are on the road, beginning with the eight-game rodeo trip that opens in February.
The schedulers, however, did cut the Spurs one break: a six-game homestand leading into that rodeo sojourn.
So far, however, the Spurs haven't been able to take advantage, dropping the first two games to Utah and Houston. That casts tonight's visit from 20-22 Chicago into must-win territory.
“It's another great test, and hopefully we bounce back,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. “We've made too many mistakes already. We can't afford to make another one.”
Losers of four of the past five, the Spurs enter tonight's game at 25-17, hovering in the middle of the Western Conference's projected playoff bracket. Asked to give his team a mid-term mark, Professor Ginobili graded on a tough curve.
“If we look at the standings, we are not that bad,” he said. “But considering the potential we have, how good we can be, I would give us a six or a seven. We've got to get to that 10.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's prescription for getting there is simple.
“Persistence,” he said. “That's your only choice. You keep on pushing. You keep trying to improve. You understand what you have to improve, and you work at it.”
Contusion for El Contusión: Ginobili said before Sunday's practice his doubly bruised right shin felt much better, but he will continue to wear extra padding on the lower leg for now.
“I just want a little more protection,” Ginobili said. “I don't want to get kicked again, because it hurts a lot.”
Either way, don't expect a little thing like a bruised shin to affect the player Brent Barry once nicknamed El Contusión.
“Nothing to worry about,” Ginobili said. “I've had millions of those in my career.”
Gimme a new 5: The Spurs' starting five in the loss to Houston — Tony Parker, George Hill, Richard Jefferson, Tim Duncan and DeJuan Blair — was the 12th new lineup Popovich has used this season.
Technically, Jefferson replaced Keith Bogans, though the real wild card is Hill, who until recently had been a starter only when Parker was out with injury.
“I don't really worry about starting or coming off the bench,” Hill said. “I just like to try to help us win basketball games.”
Ominous sign when Pop uses the word persistence. That means he will keep trying to pound the round peg into a square hole with his small ball infatuation.
Manu gets injuries because he plays hard and sacrifies his body even when he makes a mistake he tries to make it up somehow
Probably when the journalists stop asking him about them?
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