If Manu is practicing, I'll assume that is good news![]()
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....bcddb953.html
Pro basketball: Parker held out of physical drills
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
With one exception, the Spurs sweated through a spirited practice Thursday morning, by unofficial count the longest of the entire season as they prepared for Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinal series against the Southwest Division champion New Orleans Hornets.
Tony Parker, who averaged 29.6 points and 36.6 minutes per game in a rugged first-round elimination of the Phoenix Suns, was at the team’s practice facility, but was held out of all physical drills.
After five games against the Suns, which included a memorable flooring by Suns center Shaquille O’Neal and a few dozen additional drives to the basket that required picking himself off the court, Parker had earned the rest.
None of his teammates begrudged Parker his day of ease. Tim Duncan said Parker’s play against the Suns had been on par with the performance that earned him distinction as MVP of last season’s NBA Finals.
Though he tweaked the sprained ankle that put him on the injured list for nearly three weeks in early February, Parker said the ankle wasn’t the reason he sat Thursday.
“I’ve got a sore everything,” he said. “It was just to try to make sure I take care of everything and be ready by Saturday night.”
The hardest part of the past two days for Parker?
Just getting out of bed in the morning.
“Once I get up, I try to get warm and get in the hot tub,” he said. “The hot tub’s my best friend right now.”
Feeling for AJ: Duncan called it “super unfortunate” that the Dallas Mavericks fired head coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday.
Johnson was Duncan’s teammate on the Spurs’ first championship team. He was NBA Coach of the Year in his first full season as Mavericks’ head coach, taking that team to the 2006 NBA Finals.
He was dismissed after the Mavericks suffered their second-straight first-round ouster, eliminated Tuesday by the Hornets.
“You just hate to see him blamed for that,” Duncan said. “Hopefully, he’s going to get another opportunity. He’s a very good coach. He’s proved it. He’s got a good system, and not long from now he’s going to have a happy landing somewhere else, and someone else is going to be thrilled to have him.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Johnson eventually will be better off for having been dismissed by the Mavericks.
“Avery’s one of the finest coaches in the league,” Popovich said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s committed. He’s a working fool. He loves it. Any team would be lucky to have him, and somebody will have him. So in a lot of ways, he’s going to be better for it.”
Popovich reminded Johnson in January, when his No. 6 Spurs jersey was retired, that he would always be part of the Spurs family.
If Manu is practicing, I'll assume that is good news![]()
actually I saw a really quick interview of Manu on channel eleven where he said he's not quite right yet (hey it sounded a little encouraging). He sounded depressed because he was talking about how good he felt all year and now this had to happen now during the playoffs. But anyways hopefully Tony gets some rest and continues to play like he has been playing because we're really going to need it.
Because he won't be working for Mark Cuban anymore
Sounds like normal May playoff soreness.
The three days off are gonna be a godsend for Tim, Tony, Manu, KT and Fin.
So Manu did practice? It can only be good news.
Oh and yeah, Duncan hates AJ.“You just hate to see him blamed for that,” Duncan said. “Hopefully, he’s going to get another opportunity. He’s a very good coach. He’s proved it. He’s got a good system, and not long from now he’s going to have a happy landing somewhere else, and someone else is going to be thrilled to have him.”
I'm just hoping AJ goes to the Eastern Conference for his next head coaching job.
A long practise is hopeful aimed at getting the team to go the full 48 minutes. We've really struggled in the 4th against them in the games we lost.
Not Duncan dude, the other two. They have no good memories with him, no history, just talking and disrespect from Avery.
Hey I don't see him begging for him to get a job for the Spurs...I don't think Duncan hates AJ even slightly, I just don't think Duncan wants to be coached by AJ. Duncan probably has all of the respect in the world for a fellow warrior in AJ, but to say that he wants a coach/ player relationship with AJ is a bit of a stretch from the quote.
So you didn't sense the scarcasm when he said it was "super unfortunate"?![]()
ginobili and TP should be sleeping in hyperbaric chamber bags like TO at this point.
I had a sore everything once. It sure ain't good.
When has Duncan ever said anything negative about anyone in the press, other than FIBA basketball officials?
Duncan won a Championship with Avery. My guess is he knows him better than we do. Knowing someone makes it a lot easier to understand and respect them.
Besides, it isn't Avery's fault that the idiot personified decided that he was happy being a very basic role player who smokes pot 24/7.
AJ had a few clashes with Spurs teammates and his 'gung ho' at ude (for lack of a better term) wears thin after awhile for some of them. I'm sure they all respect AJ but to be sure Tim doesn't hate AJ and he doesn't want to be coached by him.
I see everyone still believes the DG propaganda BS...
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)