Duncan unwilling to sit out despite foot injury

[emmo]

I haven't seen this posted here. If so please delete.


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Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

The Spurs don't know how Tim Duncan's right foot will respond night to night until he steps on the court. After that, it usually doesn't take coach Gregg Popovich long to figure out how his star forward is feeling.


"Once he makes a move and has to pivot in the post or change direction on the court, you can see," Popovich said. "If he has to gather himself too much or he's not fluid, if he can't bend or put the force into his (foot), he'll get stiff-legged. That's usually what I'm looking for."

Duncan has been bothered by plantar fasciitis in his foot since training camp. It has particularly limited him when the Spurs play on consecutive nights, when he doesn't have enough time to recover between games.

Though rest is usually the best prescription for the injury, Duncan has continued to play through the pain.

"Like David (Robinson), he feels a responsibility to the club like he almost doesn't have a right to take a break on any night," Popovich said. "But (trainer) Will Sevening watches him very closely. Between he and the docs, I'm confident if Timmy was in a situation where he was going to harm it by playing, we'd stop him."

Duncan should get some time to rest next month. In addition to the All-Star break, the Spurs have five days off between games in their annual rodeo road trip from Feb. 3-7.

"You don't really like it, but we try to use it to our advantage," Popovich said. "This year, one way we'll use it is to rest Timmy."

Moving on up: Duncan has moved ahead of Minnesota's Kevin Garnett in the race for the second starting forward spot on the Western Conference All-Star team.

Houston's Tracy McGrady leads all West forwards with 1,421,456 votes. Duncan is second with 1,071,115 followed by Garnett's 1,064,512.

Manu Ginobili is a distant third among Western Conference guards, trailing the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Phoenix's Steve Nash. Tony Parker is fifth.

Fan balloting ends Jan. 22. The league's head coaches will select the reserves for their respective conferences.

Duncan was selected as a reserve for 1998 All-Star Game as a rookie but has started every game since.

Keep your mouth shut: Beno Udrih was in uniform Thursday after missing the previous three games with the flu.

The Spurs were careful to make sure he didn't infect the rest of the team.

"We told him not to talk to anybody," Popovich said.

Bowen update: The recent suggestion that Spurs forward Bruce Bowen deserves to be considered for a spot on the team that will represent the United States in the World Championships this summer, as well as the 2008 Olympics, has been well received by Bowen.

Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo, in charge of selecting the team, has not contacted Bowen as of yet, however.

Colangelo is asking NBA players to commit three years to the next national team. His aim is to have a core of 25 to 30 players from which to choose the teams from that will represent the U.S.

"We were just in Phoenix, too," said Bowen, aware that Colangelo received word from Duncan that he had not changed his mind about declining an invitation to participate on the team again. "If I'd thought about it, I would have run past Colangelo and hollered, 'Love to ... love to.'

"I really would love to do it. I think it would be a great honor to represent your country. I would have no problem making a three-year commitment, either."

A first-team All-Defensive selection and runner-up to Detroit's Ben Wallace for Defensive Player of the Year last season, Bowen also leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage this season.

[emmo]

I don't know that much about plantar fasciitis. How did he get this injury? I heard one way was to wear shoes that didn't fit well.

Also, what amount of rest would Duncan need to heal completely?

It is apparent that he is not his dominant self. At what point do you force the guy to sit?

[polandprzem]

Keep your mouth shut: Beno Udrih was in uniform Thursday after missing the previous three games with the flu.

The Spurs were careful to make sure he didn't infect the rest of the team.

"We told him not to talk to anybody," Popovich said.

But seriously _ I'm waiting for that February break since December detroit game. But sitting this injury won't help that much unfortunatly