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This is the first good Spurs news in while. Hopefully Pop will be able to figure out how to play Brown and Barry so both can flourish.
Pain-free Brown closer to his return
Web Posted: 04/04/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...1a2665de4.html
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
Devin Brown awoke Saturday morning and immediately realized something was missing.
He stretched his legs. No pain. He stood up straight. Still nothing.
For the first time in almost two weeks, Brown felt normal. The pain in his lower back, a constant companion every time he left the comfort of his bed or recliner, was gone.
"I can't tell you how huge it is," Brown said, "I'm actually standing up straight and walking."
Brown felt good enough to watch most of Saturday's victory over the Los Angeles Lakers from a seat behind the Spurs' bench. It was the first tangible progress he's made since March 23, when an MRI revealed he had a herniated disk in his lower back.
"I couldn't even keep my legs straight, so you definitely start to worry," Brown said. "Now I'm finally starting to see it's getting better."
Brown said he is aiming to return April 12, the same day team officials hope to get Tim Duncan back. Both players, however, will have to improve considerably to meet that target date.
Brown ran on an underwater treadmill Saturday, did some free-throw and spot shooting and rode a stationary bike. If he continues to feel better, he will increase his activity level.
For the previous two weeks, Brown hadn't been able to do much. He first felt his back pop while warming up in Detroit on March 20.
Brown played against the Pistons and again the next night in New York but had to go to the locker room for treatment after being pushed in the back in the second half. Though he returned and finished with 22 points, he had trouble walking after the game.
After Brown was unable to sleep that night because his right leg was numb, the team opted to send him home for tests.
"It was a pain I never want again," he said.
Brown received a steroid injection to try to relieve the inflammation around a nerve root in his back, but his condition failed to improve much. Coach Gregg Popovich said the 26-year-old guard was walking "like an old man who'd been injured a couple of times."
It wasn't until after Brown received a second injection Wednesday that he started to feel better.
Former Spurs center David Robinson had a similar problem late in his career that occasionally caused one of his legs to go numb. Unlike Brown, however, Robinson had a floating disk fragment to blame for his pain.
"The weird thing is, normally every year, I'll go through a stint for four or five games where my back is bothering me and I'm trying to get adjusted on the bench, but I just put heat on it," Brown said. "It was never this bad where I couldn't stand up straight and I had to miss games."
At the time of his injury, Brown had become the team's most dependable reserve, averaging 15 points and 5.9 rebounds in his last eight games. Brent Barry has played well in his absence, scoring 17, 23, 17 and 20 points in four of the past six games, but Brown's defense was especially valued when Bruce Bowen needed a rest.
Brown also figures to command a nice raise when his contract expires this summer. A back injury — if it proves serious — will lessen his leverage in negotiations.
"I'm hoping this is something that passes on through," he said. "There's a lot of basketball to be played, not only this year, but the next 10-11 years. I wouldn't want this kind of injury to set that back at all."
A year ago, Brown also was in danger of missing the postseason when he injured his ribs while wrestling with Kevin Willis in the locker room.
Brown sat out the first playoff game, then averaged 8.5 points on 54.5 percent shooting against the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
"I was thinking how it's weird I'm kind of in the exact same situation," Brown said. "I bounced back well from that one. Hopefully, I'll be able to do the same thing."
This is the first good Spurs news in while. Hopefully Pop will be able to figure out how to play Brown and Barry so both can flourish.
Spurs can't win in the playoffs with both Devin and Manu playing at 75% or less. I still think the Spurs should have hung onto Stephen Jackson. Hedo and Barry have been busts.
maybe Brown and Barry can play a lot of the minutes while Manu gets some rest before the playoffs start.
hmm... i wonder if this will make it a little easier for the spurs to resign Brown in the off-season.
How is going with Timmy?
God! Wouldn't you hope? That poor little guy (Manu) is beginning to look as though he's playing on his last legs - sheer willpower is keeping him going. What the would we do without his bursts of energy, or his reputation for quirkiness that keeps other teams somewhat uneasy?maybe Brown and Barry can play a lot of the minutes while Manu gets some rest before the playoffs start
If we have nothing else going for us, without Tim in the lineup, we have the odd and random brilliance of Parker, Barry, Horry and Manu. No one knows when this crazy bunch will suddenly blaze in a flurry of hot shots. We fans always hope that they will; opposing teams always fear that they will.
I predicted 61 wins for the Spurs this year. I'll be happy with that, if it all comes together in the post-season. It may not look that way to some observers, but all in all I think the Spurs are
Probably about as well as can be expected, but ankle injuries of this type can be the plaguey type until the player spends a month or two off his feet. Of course, the Spurs nor Duncan have that kind of luxary.How is going with Timmy?
As a doc, I see no sense in bringing Devin back until playoffs and would not let Duncan touch floor in regular season if any continued swelling or discomfort at all. I could see a thuggish move in particularily the Wolves game vs. Duncan. Why take the risk?
this is good news, i'm more afraid of barry going back to his old form than anything.....as much as i love dev, i'm all for keeping his and beno's minutes limited if it keeps barry in his aggressive mindset....is there room for everybody on the roster?
td
bruce
manu
tp
rasho
brent
horry
devin
udrih
nazr
marks
mass
wilks
glover
who will be shown the door?
i like glover and wilks D.
the bigs will come in handy vs detroit/miami though....what to do?
has Pop decided already?
Glover can't be on the playoff roster anyway right?
You never know but sometimes having the main player go out provides an opportunity for other guys to figure out their own boundaries and proficiencies. Going from being one of the guys to compliment Tim, to being a meaningful option...even a go-to guy in crunchtime.
That happened for Devin to some degree last season.
This may have happened for Brent Barry. Having a play run for him, down by one, in the closing seconds of a game has got to change his mindset and confidence.
Wrong. Since he did NOT play in the NBA before SA signed him this year, there is no limitations on him being on a post season roster. Those rules are mainly to prevent team A from helping out team B by "dumping" a player that team B could use for the stretch run and playoffs, if team A is already out of the running.Glover can't be on the playoff roster anyway right?
was that play run for him Solid? i just ask cuz i remember reading in the paper that barry was thinking he better make that shot or Pop would be pissed at Rasho for giving him the ball....that was a scary play....glad barry made it and glad for the ref swallowing the whistle....
Look at how the Pacers have adjusted to being with JO. Grizz beat Suns without Pau, Stromile, and Bonzi. Look at how the Spurs adjusted to being without Tim last season. More running, more offensive flow, Tim as "just another option", until Pop shut that down vs Lakers and blew 4 straight games.
The Tim-less Spurs results this year haven't been so positive, sucking badly in give-away losses to Knicks, Pacers, and Nuggets, and then very luckily escaping from the cratering, lottery Lakers @SBC.
Plenty of Tim-less/Devin-less games left for everybody else to step up, CONSISTENTLY, which includes ON THE FRICKING ROAD!!
oh cool. thanks for the info ex. so I wonder who Pop leaves off then...
I predicted that TD would be back for the Portland game, and once again, it looks like I was right. I really amaze myself sometimes.
It's just an estimate Jim, don't pat yourself on the back just yet...lol
Ok, but I am starting to stretch a little.
You forgot to mention the win against the Hawks, and the great wins against the Rockets and Seattle. Pulling out the 1 point win against the lakers is still a very good thing. It teaches the team how to gut out the win in crunch time. The spurs did not have enough of that early in the season.
If they both come back by that game, I'd shut Manu down for the last five, and let Barry, Devin, and Dion handle the 2 guard chores. That would be 8 days rest, plus there is usually a 3-5 day runup before the high seeds play their first game.
At the very least, I would not have Manu play the second games of the three back to backs. Dallas and Seattle both lost again, lead looks safe over both. Manu makes such a difference on the court that he has to be rested or it won't matter.
I would play him 20 min/game tops
Jim, that wouldn't do any good. They've tried to manage his minutes so far this year, and he's still spent from playing for 20 months straight. If you're not going to shut him down, then just play him as usual. A 10-12 day rest would give his body a chance to recuperate and regenerate.
Having Manu or not having Manu is not as important if Tim and Devin are back. Having a fresher and more rested Manu could be HUGE in the playoffs. I think the 2 seed is pretty much where the Spurs will wind up, meaning they won't likely be playing for seeding during the "last five".
If TD come back before the Playoff i think he must try to play a little outside the paint than he always play
I know what you are saying, but it would kill him to sit out for 10 days, and he would get rusty as well.
I think if they can just play him 10 mins in 1st Q and 10 in 3rd or 4th, he will not put any more wear and tear on his body, yet he will maintain a feeling of being part of the team down the stretch drive.
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