Spurs-Kings notebook: Contusion won't keep Parker out
Web Posted: 05/04/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer Point guard Tony Parker was still limping slightly a day after bruising his right thigh, but he said he would play Friday when the Spurs' first-round series resumes in Sacramento.
Parker didn't participate in the team's light workout Wednesday, instead receiving hydro and massage therapy to relieve the knot on his leg.
"It was pretty tight," Parker said. "But I'll be all right."
Mike Bibby kneed Parker in the thigh in Tuesday's first quarter. The contusion bothered Parker for much of the game, but it particularly tightened after he cooled down while taking a break in the fourth quarter.
"I just had to hang in there," he said.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is glad the team has a two-day break before Friday's Game 7. Asked whether that would give Parker enough time to recover, Popovich said, "He'll go."
Sharing the load: The Spurs' center-by-committee strategy continued Tuesday when Popovich started Robert Horry.
Rasho Nesterovic started Game4 while Nazr Mohammed started the series' first three games.
Popovich hoped the threat Horry provides as a 3-point shooter would allow the Spurs to better spread the Kings' defense and open up lanes to the basket for Parker and Manu Ginobili.
With Horry on the floor "not everybody's in the paint, especially early in the game," Parker said. "I had a couple of layups early in the game. Manu had a couple of layups early in the game."
Horry said his rare start at center — he had previously started only once alongside Tim Duncan this season — "took me back to my old college days."
Will Horry start again Friday?
"I don't even know what our game plan is," he said. "I was kind of in a daze in the film session."
I'm a big fan: Kings forward Ron Artest expressed admiration for Popovich's willingness to make lineup changes during the playoffs.
"Pop is changing everything," Artest said. "He's coming in with different sets. He's doing an excellent job right now. That's good coaching. Pop is a compe or. He's trying to do anything he can.
"It's great that we're making them adjust. That's good. We're making them adjust, and we haven't adjusted yet."
Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said he would like Popovich to make some more changes to his starting lineup.
"He's not sitting the right guys down," Adelman said jokingly. "Really. I think Parker and Ginobili are better bench players. He's just not putting the right people on the bench to give them a spark."
Wells runs high: After watching Bonzi Wells score 38 points Tuesday, the Spurs have run out of ideas on how to contain him.
Wells had made only 10 3-pointers all season, so the Spurs focused their efforts on keeping him away from the rim, double-teaming him whenever he tried to post up. Wells, however, seemed all too happy to shoot from the outside Tuesday, making all three of his 3-point attempts.
"You can't get in a zone any more than that," Horry said. "He was phenomenal. Hopefully he'll have five good games and then run out of gas."
Horry said the last player he saw get a roll in the playoffs like the one Wells has enjoyed — he's averaging 24.4 points on 60.3 percent shooting — was former Houston center Hakeem Olajuwon.
"It's (Wells') contract year, too," Horry said. "That's going to help him out even more."
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I'm a big fan: Kings forward Ron Artest expressed admiration for Popovich's willingness to make lineup changes during the playoffs.
"Pop is changing everything," Artest said. "He's coming in with different sets. He's doing an excellent job right now. That's good coaching. Pop is a compe or. He's trying to do anything he can.
I wonder who knows basketball more, AHF or Ron Artest.
Lemme see ... Adleman, who has -0- WCF championships, let alone -0- NBA Championships, is telling Popovich, who has 3 NBA Championships, and I lost count on the number of WCF championships, what he needs to do? Yeah, right.Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said he would like Popovich to make some more changes to his starting lineup.
"He's not sitting the right guys down," Adelman said jokingly. "Really. I think Parker and Ginobili are better bench players. He's just not putting the right people on the bench to give them a spark."
I wonder who knows basketball more, AHF or Ron Artest.
Good one
I had thought I saw Tony limping.
Be healed!
He was being facetious...I thought that was obvious.
In hindsight, I guess you could be right.
BTW, shoulda took my play in game 5. You know the "Pound the Spurs" thread you said made no sense.
I have a self imposed moratorium on sports book gambling. I have come to find out that if you do it long enough, you can not win money, and if you do, you just lose it back(I won almost a 1000 on UT in Rose Bowl and then lost all of it and then some on NFL playoffs and SB).....but good luck to you.
Does this make Tony "Le Contusion"?I had thought I saw Tony limping.
Be healed!
no "la Contusion"
or "le (grand) bleu" "the big blue" bruise = blue mark
(also 1988 cult movie with Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette, Jean-Marc Bar)
Man I BEEPing hate Kings now for pushing the team to it's limits.
Friggin Detroit had stupid Buck's to just smack around...
And people calling Lebron a LEGEND for beating stupid Wizards! ..
Just worried about injuries with our tough schedule ...
Free Beno Movement Is Movin In :d
Tony is a tough er, easily one of the toughest and most durable PG's in the league.
He'll be right.
Those football-type thigh pads are working great for Manu; why don't they just put those on Tony, too? , put them on the whole dang team.
Tim, Tony, and Manu should all have thigh, knee, and shin pads, like soccer players.
This is never going to get old.
feminine instead of masculine? I'll tell Tony what you think of him!
the word "contusion" is feminine gender, not the bearer of the contusion.
How about winning game 6 and forgetting about #7. Oh wait Ludden either made a typo or forgot the next numerical number after 5. My bad.Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is glad the team has a two-day break before Friday's Game 7. Asked whether that would give Parker enough time to recover, Popovich said, "He'll go."
just pulling your chain.
Tony's young so he can afford these injuries right now. He isn't one to pussy foot around...didn't he play hurt through last year's postseason also?
If Rip Hamilton can still wear his mask cuz he feels safer in it, why not. Dont' see anything illegal bout' it.
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