Notebook: Parker elbowed in the eye, but heel biggest worry

[timvp]

Notebook: Parker elbowed in the eye, but heel biggest worry
Mike Monroe
Express-News

Tony Parker had a shiner around his left eye Thursday night, a souvenir from a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the AT&T Center that got rough in a tense second half.

"I was trying to go hard to the basket," he said of the play that brought his eye in contact with Larry Hughes' elbow. "It didn't go my way tonight. Sometimes that happens."

The black eye will disappear soon enough.

It's that bone spur in his left heel that is starting to worry him. Going hard to the basket is what made Parker the MVP of the 2007 NBA Finals, and those drives haven't been going his way as often since the injury first surfaced after the Nov. 30 game at Minnesota.

Parker danced around questions about his health after the Cavs won 90-88 Thursday.

"We've been talking about that for a long time," he said. "There's nothing new. I just have to get some treatments and get some rest. Hopefully it will go away."

Asked a second time if he was all right, Parker paused a few seconds before answering.

"I'm playing," he said. "I've got no excuse. I'm just playing."

Parker wasn't the only Spur sporting a contusion after the game. Fabricio Oberto had a nasty red bruise in the middle of his chest where LeBron James had head-butted him on a drive to the basket that produced the Cavs' winning basket.

Angry fans: Arena security officials scrambled to try and identify a fan who threw a shirt at referees Mark Wunderlich, Mark Davis and Ed Malloy as they exited the court.

Spurs fans didn't like the way the game was called. Neither did Tim Duncan, who lingered for a while after the final buzzer to let the referees know how he felt.

"Yeah," Duncan said. "They had a bad night."

Bruce Bowen steered Duncan away from the refs to ensure a confrontation wouldn't ensue.

Barry returns: Brent Barry played for the first time in nine games and missed first four shots, all 3-point attempts. He made two key threes in the second half and said the torn muscle in his left calf seemed to be completely healed.

"The first shot was a little excited, but I felt fine," he said. "Missed a couple open ones and made a couple. But I felt fine.

"It feels good to be back. I've just got to work my back into better shape."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...k.2f711fb.html

[timvp]

It's that bone spur in his left heel that is starting to worry him. Going hard to the basket is what made Parker the MVP of the 2007 NBA Finals, and those drives haven't been going his way as often since the injury first surfaced after the Nov. 30 game at Minnesota.

This doesn't sound too promising. Parker hasn't looked right for a while. Hopefully this isn't a lingering injury or else the Spurs could be in trouble.

For the Spurs to be championship caliber, Parker has to play well. If he plays like he's playing now during the playoffs, it's going to be a long offseason.

[Pistons_In_7]

You know if the Spurs want to ditch Parker and get a real point guard, the Pistons would love to Bundle up Murray with Brezec and send him your way

[Bruno]

Damn, it really sucks.
I don't know the extent of Parker's injury but it could end up with a season ending surgery.

[Kobulingam]

Sounds like what Ray Allen had. Ended up getting surgery (after playing like crap with the bone spur).

[ancestron]

I'm usually not one to complain about officiating, but last nights game was one of the most poorly officiated games I've seen. When 2 guys have visible injuries from fouls that were not called, thats straight up BS.
Pardon my french, but I really hate that .

[loveforthegame]

Not good to read about Parker. I thought there was a recent article where he said he was healthy and the heal wasn't bothering him?

[ducks]

rest tp and get him well
sit him tell allstar break

[duncan228]

I'm glad we know.
We don't have to wonder why he hasn't been playing well.

The Spurs keep things under wraps, we didn't know about Duncan's Planter Fasciitis for a few months into the '05-'06 season.

I hope it's not serious and he can get rid of it. Nagging injuries the rest of the way will be hard to deal with.

Does anyone know why Duncan's wrist/thumb was wrapped last night? I hope that was proactive and there's not something brewing there too.

[thispego]

I'll say it again: IF PARKER EVER CHOSES TO PLAY FOR HIS NATIONAL TEAM IN THE OFFSEASON AGAIN DURING THE MIDDLE OF OUR ING DYNASTY WE NEED TO CUT/TRADE HIS ASS IMMEDIATELY. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

[Southwest Texas Fan]

My wife's uncle who a heal spur and is taking medication to help dissolve it. Maybe those are the treatments he mentioned. I also have a heal spur which bothers me on occasion and a co-worker had surgery and was out two to three weeks, of course she does not play any compe ive sports. Playing on it is not helping and I don't know if the treatments would work without adequate rest.

[dbreiden83080]

Geez this is not GOOD, injuries are killing the Spurs this year. They may have to just go most of this year not right, win about 50 games and hopefully be 100% for the playoffs and make a run at the le. If this keeps up i don't see how they have any shot at a good seeding.

[m33p0]

I'll say it again: IF PARKER EVER CHOSES TO PLAY FOR HIS NATIONAL TEAM IN THE OFFSEASON AGAIN DURING THE MIDDLE OF OUR ING DYNASTY WE NEED TO CUT/TRADE HIS ASS IMMEDIATELY. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

i second that.

[Kori Ellis]

i second that.

Isn't Manu playing for his national team soon?

Are you guys just upset with Parker or do you want to cut anyone who plays for their national team?

[Sweetey]

I'll say it again: IF PARKER EVER CHOSES TO PLAY FOR HIS NATIONAL TEAM IN THE OFFSEASON AGAIN DURING THE MIDDLE OF OUR ING DYNASTY WE NEED TO CUT/TRADE HIS ASS IMMEDIATELY. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

I have to agree with this. But I still feel he's got personal problems that are affecting home more than his left foot. He needs to be benched until he gets his act together. He is pulling down the team.

[tinysands]

That's a bad news.

The AP reports: Seattle SuperSonics' All-Star guard Ray Allen will miss the rest of the regular season after deciding to undergo surgery for bone spurs in his left ankle.

Allen did this surgery last March and miss the rest of the regular season. It took him exactly 4 months to be 100% healthy.

Just hope Parker's injury is not that serious.

[thispego]

Isn't Manu playing for his national team soon?

Are you guys just upset with Parker or do you want to cut anyone who plays for their national team?

cut anyone who isn't serious about winning as many championships as possible during our dynasty. If manu or parker are concerned about personal and national glory then they can go play full time in Argentina or France.

[Kori Ellis]

I have to agree with this. But I still feel he's got personal problems that are affecting home more than his left foot.

You better know him personally to say something like that. That's ridiculous. How would you possible be able to weigh his so-called personal problems against his health? Did you examine his heel?

[thispego]

yeah i don't know where sweetey is getting that. is she another person who gave the parker-longoria marriage no more than 6 months?

[ClingingMars]

Classy Spurs Fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the referees were ed up. shut the up.

-Mars

[mbass]

Classy Spurs Fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least the fans don't throw glass bottles like some other fans.

[1Parker1]

If Parker doesn't get healthy...even 95% and continues to play at the level he's been at, Spurs won't repeat

[BonnerDynasty]

The Spurs are ing champions. Don't about the refs one night, and then not say anything when they give your team the "right" calls another night :read:

It's the system not just one game. Refs' calls are so inconsistent they don't know how to call games like these when they don't have any consistency in calls from the start.

Refs have so much pull on the outcome of games it is sick. All this bull about giving the all-stars more room to be more "physical" and then call something on the next play to even out the missed call before. Jesus Christ.

[ploto]

Spurs fans didn't like the way the game was called. Neither did Tim Duncan, who lingered for a while after the final buzzer to let the referees know how he felt... Bruce Bowen steered Duncan away from the refs to ensure a confrontation wouldn't ensue.

I saw this and wondered if there could be some problems for TD for not leaving the court after the game in a timely manner.

[Que Gee]

This doesn't sound too promising. Parker hasn't looked right for a while. Hopefully this isn't a lingering injury or else the Spurs could be in trouble.

For the Spurs to be championship caliber, Parker has to play well. If he plays like he's playing now during the playoffs, it's going to be a long offseason.

I think even more disturbing is that Parker has looked like he has been sleep walking for over a month now. There is no enthusiasm, no excitment or emotion be shown be him at all. In the bigger picture the whole team is sleepwalking. They are going to have to make a move. And they are going to have to get a backup PG.