I wasn't sure if this should go in the big thread. Please merge if it belongs there.
Spurs' Parker breaks shooting hand
Jeff McDonald
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The hour was late. Time was running out. Nothing anyone tried seemed to be working.
So Gregg Popovich stood up in the middle of the Spurs' malfunctioning charter plane around midnight Saturday morning and announced perhaps his most popular coaching decision of the season.
“I said, ‘Everybody go home and get some sleep,'” Popovich said. “Players were out of there in a millisecond. They didn't even ask questions.”
Their Friday travel plans delayed by a broken light on the plane's wing, the Spurs — rested, refreshed but a little bit rushed — arrived in Memphis about six hours before tipoff Saturday.
That proved just enough time to dust off the Grizzlies 102-92 at the FedEx Forum, extend their winning streak to four games and provide a springboard into Monday's contest at Cleveland.
The victory, however, came at a high cost for the Spurs. Tony Parker would have been better off had the team's Saturday flight been canceled, too.
Parker fractured his right hand scrambling for a loose ball in the final seconds of the first half and could miss the remainder of the regular season.
Shortly after a win that should have been celebrated — the Spurs (36-24) haven't had a streak this long since the end of December — Manu Ginobili talked in somber tones about the loss of the team's All-Star point guard.
“It's devastating,” Ginobili said. “I'm not saying we were turning the corner, but if we had a chance, it was with the whole team healthy.”
Spotted a 10-point lead at the half with Parker in the lineup, the Spurs held on to win by the same margin without him. Their bench did most of the heavy lifting, outscoring Memphis' 66-15.
Richard Jefferson led with 18 points, Ginobili had 15 of his 17 in the second half, and Matt Bonner scored 13 points, made 4 of 7 on 3-pointers and played surprisingly pesky defense against Memphis All-Star Zach Randolph.
Randolph came in averaging 20.9 points and 11.9 rebounds but finished with 15 points and seven boards.
“Matt Bonner was fantastic,” Popovich said. “He showed really good poise and good patience playing someone who really is one of the best scorers in the league. I was really proud of him.”
It was another strange night in a strange season for the Grizzlies (32-31), who followed an 11-game home winning streak by losing eight straight.
The Spurs' day began in stranger fashion. Scheduled to fly from San Antonio after Friday's home win over New Orleans, the Spurs arrived at the airport to find their plane grounded.
Lest his team wind up spending the night on the tarmac, as it did in New Orleans after Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals in 2008, Popovich made the snap decision to send everybody home.
The new flight time: 11 a.m. Saturday.
“We figured it'd be better to let them go to bed, instead of waiting there until 2 in the morning for them to say we couldn't go,” Popovich said.
To a man, Popovich's players agreed with the decision. Still, Ginobili said the change in routine affected him.
“It took me three quarters to start feeling a little bit ready,” Ginobili said.
A mini-Manu run in the third quarter helped beat back one Memphis charge, and his fingerprints were all over the Spurs' final push. In the last 5:53, Ginobili twice forced his way to the line, found Tim Duncan for a basket and tossed in a 20-footer.
Ginobili's only regret was the same as many of his teammates'. They only wished Parker had been around to help them finish the game.
Now, the Spurs move forward, in the midst of a tight Western Conference race, hoping to do again what they did Saturday — win without their starting point guard.
“Nobody's going to do for us what he does, “but we're going to have to get it done,” Duncan said.
That is a quote of a man that has his spirits down.I wasn't sure if this should go in the big thread. Please merge if it belongs there.
Spurs' Parker breaks shooting hand
Jeff McDonald
“It's devastating,” Ginobili said. “I'm not saying we were turning the corner, but if we had a chance, it was with the whole team healthy.”
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Thanks for posting. We've got a class team and a tough challenge. But Tim's right they just got to get it done.
He is already talking in past tense. "If we HAD a chance..."
I think the team was turning the corner. Not the legit contender corner, but the if things fall the right way corner.
Manu was right when he said to the reporters "don't say we turned the corner." now that tp is hurt, we're back to square one.
However, I feel more confident about this group going into the playoffs this year than last year. Last year we had no Manu, a hobbled Tim, TP and some role players. I don't know how far we'll get, but I'm hoping for a push. This will make me confident for next year.
I hope Tony's injury doesn't destroy the team's morale.
yeah hope tony's injury doesn't hurt the teams spirit
Well, if you think Manu's the heart of the team...
The only thing to hope is that Parker can somehow return before the end of the regular season. If that's the case, TP usually finds his rhythm pretty darn fast so he could theoretically be near 100% for the playoffs.
It's not about a championship anymore, it's about figuring out what to do with the team going forward. If Parker doesn't play again this season, there will be even more questions and it'll be difficult to know whether to try again next year or blow everything up.
if there was ever a chance to get tony rested for a playoff run its obviously now, bring on the beast that is george hill
Manu is alright.
I said the same thing as he did, but I am not really dejected because like TimTonyManu just said we are a bit more healthier overall than we were last season. This could help a lot of players get their games going and the rest should help TP out too. If he gets back before the playoffs we still have a chance.
The things that have to fall into place just for the Spurs to have a chance at winning the West is pretty daunting, to say the least.
George Hill needs to up his defense because he has been getting destroyed by most of the elite PGs this season and also some scrubs PGs have lit him up too.if there was ever a chance to get tony rested for a playoff run its obviously now, bring on the beast that is george hill
That is what I am looking at right now from George better consistency in his defense.
Hill has been bringing it all season long.
The guy that needs to step up his game right now is Jefferson. He's the guy the Spurs brought in during the offseason to push through a situation like this.
For RJ, it's put up or shut up time.
You only blow it up if Tim asks for a trade. The Spurs owe him that.
I wonder if tears would be shed in the meeting room if that meeting took place.
His defense has slipped a bit if you ask me. I thought TP was bad earlier, but that is because he's had injuries with PF, ankle sprain and just fatigued.
George has been absolutely used by some of the better PGs in the league.
TP when healthy doesn't normally get destroyed like Hill has at times this season.
So yes, he definitely needs to get back to playing better more consistent defense. I think George can definitely play better D, he just has to lock in even more and do it.
I'm afraid the Spurs may back into the playoffs and be either #7 or #8. If Tony got healthy and everyone else gets to the finish line in April, maybe the Spurs can win a game or two.
I don't think they're serious contenders now.
At least Tony didn't some kind of serious leg injury. With a big dose of rest, TP can come back and actually be the best player on the floor for the Spurs in the future. He is still only 27 going on 28.
spurs owe tim nothing
they are paying him to stay there
I wouldn't say nothing. He did choose to re-sign in 2000 and the Spurs have 3 les to show for his loyalty. Is it that hard to show a little gra ude?
My opinion has always been that a teams health is the no. 1 priority for success in the season and in the playoffs. If you look at it most teams are one player's injury from falling out of the picture. losing Tony is tough but this team can still get make some noise in the playoffs if they can jell and play defense like they have the last 3 games.
Yep, it's not like he took lesser pay so they could pay guys like Tony more money to go get injured playing national team ball....
humm
tim played nationally ball to
it just happened to be for the usa
No, he took less money for next year because the Spurs were supposed to sign a big free agent "Chris Bosh" with that money... then Jefferson happened !!!
So the money will be for Manu (I hope), not Tony.
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