Spurs guard Manu Ginobili did not travel with the team to New York for tonight's game against the Knicks, opting instead to remain behind in San Antonio for testing on a sore right ankle that had been bothering him since before the All-Star break.
The San Antonio Spurs are a veteran team with a reputation for coasting through the first half of the season and using the second half as a springboard for playoff success.
That doesn't bode well for the New York Knicks, whom the Spurs have dominated regardless of timing in recent years.
In both teams' first game since the All-Star break, the Spurs look to continue their pursuit of another NBA title with their eighth straight win over the Knicks on Tuesday night when the clubs meet at Madison Square Garden.
San Antonio (35-16) has won three championships in the last six seasons in part because of momentum it's built with strong second-half play.
Beginning with 2002-03, the Spurs have put together post-All Star break records of 27-6, 22-7, 18-11, 23-7, 23-6 and 22-9. Combined, they have a league-best second-half winning percentage of .746 in that stretch.
San Antonio has been especially effective immediately after All-Star weekend over the last three seasons. The Spurs came back from the 2006 break to win their first seven games, then opened the second half with 11 straight wins in 2007 and nine in a row last season.
As hopeful contenders around the NBA clamor to make themselves better at the trade deadline, the San Antonio Spurs would gladly settle for an acquisition from within.
First, though, they'll need Manu Ginobili's ankle to comply.
The Spurs will likely be without their star guard for a second straight game when they look to avoid a third consecutive loss for the first time since early November on Thursday night against the reeling Detroit Pistons.
Ginobili has had a variety of minor injuries throughout his seven-year NBA career, missing at least five games in every season. Offseason surgery on his left ankle forced him to miss the first 12 games in 2008-09, and he began experiencing pain in his right ankle prior to the All-Star break.
The NBA's reigning sixth man of the year didn't travel to New York on Tuesday as the Spurs (35-17) continued their eight-game rodeo trip, staying in San Antonio to undergo tests on the ankle.
Even without one of their top players in the lineup, the San Antonio Spurs are in position to conclude their longest road stretch of the season with a winning record.
The Spurs can achieve that with a sixth straight victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
San Antonio (36-17) is 4-3 while spending all of February on the road, with only the recent All-Star break offering some down time. The Spurs, who are 18-10 away from home, host Dallas on Tuesday.
Regardless of Saturday's result, the road swing can be considered a success for the Spurs, who continue to overcome the loss of top reserve Manu Ginobili.
The seventh-year shooting guard missed the last two games and will be lost for an additional 2-3 weeks with a right ankle injury.
Ginobili, who missed the first 12 games of the season while recovering from left ankle surgery, is third on the team averaging 16.1 points per game.
The San Antonio Spurs have been without reigning sixth man of the year Manu Ginobili since the All-Star break, while the Dallas Mavericks have gone two weeks without their own star sub, Jason Terry.
Neither team, however, seemed to miss its top reserve in its last game.
The Spurs return to play at the AT&T Center for the first time this month as the Southwest Division rivals square off Tuesday night.
Ginobili, who missed San Antonio's first 12 games of 2008-09 following offseason surgery on his left ankle, is now expected to miss about two more weeks with a right ankle injury.
Terry, leading the league with 20.0 points per game off the bench, is also expected to miss several more weeks to recover from surgery on his left hand.
The Mavericks (33-22) got more than enough offense without Terry on Saturday night, when they routed Sacramento 116-95. They led 70-50 at halftime, enabling coach Rick Carlisle to turn to his bench early.
Manu Ginobili sat behind the Spurs bench in a black blazer. Tim Duncan remained behind the scenes, ostensibly because blazers have never fit his fashion sense.
The Spurs’ Big Three was reduced to a Big One on Tuesday night at the AT&T Center.
When that Big One is Tony Parker in the midst of a Minnesota flashback, it is more than enough.
Parker, the Spurs’ last star standing after Duncan sat out with a sore right knee, tossed in 37 points, doled out 12 assists and generally carried his team to a stunning 93-76 victory over Dallas.
“I love these opportunities,” Parker said. “I’m not saying I want to play every game like that. But if it’s one or two games, you show what you can do.”
At home for the first time since Jan. 31, the shorthanded Spurs (38-17) needed everything Parker could muster.
Ginobili missed his fourth straight game with a stress reaction in his right ankle. Duncan began experiencing pain in his right knee after warmups and was a late scratch as well. His status for tonight’s game against Portland is uncertain.
Tipoff time for Tuesday's Spurs-Mavericks game at the AT&T Center was approaching, and as veteran power forward Kurt Thomas pulled on his game jersey, he looked across the Spurs' locker room and realized something was amiss.
Missing, in fact, was Tim Duncan, bothered by stiffness in his right knee to the point the team's medical staff decided he should sit out the game.
“He wasn't in his locker,” Thomas said, “so I figured something was going on.”
The Spurs won't know what is really going on inside Duncan's right knee until he visits team doctors today.
The two-time MVP and perennial All-Star power forward has been held out of two of the Spurs' last eight games. He also missed the team's Feb. 3 game at Denver.
Duncan had gone through his normal pregame warmup routine about 90 minutes before tipoff, and when he returned to the locker room, he appeared to be in a jovial mood, joking with reporters. But he rubbed the knee vigorously when he sat in his locker, then reported to head athletic trainer Will Sevenin
Playing their first home game in nearly a month, the San Antonio Spurs beat a division rival. The homecoming win was marred, however, by another injury to one of the team's star players.
The Spurs could be without Tim Duncan for a second consecutive game Wednesday night when they try for their 11th straight home win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Duncan was scratched a half-hour before tip-off Tuesday night because of a sore right knee, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the game he didn't know the severity of the injury. Popovich said Duncan would be evaluated by doctors Wednesday morning, putting his status for this game in doubt.
The coach also said his All-Star forward appeared fine Tuesday morning but was stiff and had trouble getting loose while warming up. Duncan, who was walking around the locker room before Tuesday's contest, was not on the bench during the game.
"It was strange," Popovich said. "He was good this morning, but this evening he couldn't move on it."
The Southwest Division-leading Spurs (38-17) were already without Manu Ginobili, who hasn't played since the All-Star break because of a stress reaction in his right ankle and is expected to miss at least two more weeks.
Tony Parker - the only healthy member of the trio that has led San Antonio to three championships in six years - stepped up Tuesday, scoring 37 points with a season-high 12 assists in a 93-76 win over Dallas.
"I love those opportunities," said Parker, whose point total was the third-highest of his eight-season career. "I'm not going to say I want to play every game like that, but you can show what you can do."
Over the course of the past week, the Spurs have learned more than they ever wanted to about human anatomy.
Thanks to Manu Ginobili, they learned where the distal fibula is. Thanks to Tim Duncan, they learned the difference between tendinitis and tendonosis.
They also learned something else: Tony Parker, with two healthy legs built for speed, can be a pretty good cure for whatever ails them.
With Duncan and Ginobili sidelined for the second-straight night Wednesday, Parker carried the Spurs to their second-straight victory, pumping in 39 points to help bury Portland 99-84 at the AT&T Center.
In that, it looked awfully similar to what happened one night earlier, when Parker scored 37 to beat Dallas.
“Tony Parker was a super stud again,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, repeating the moniker he'd given his All-Star point guard 24 hours before. “He was just fantastic.”
Ginobili missed his fifth game in a row with a stress reaction in his right distal fibula, a small bone on the top of the ankle. Duncan missed his second with what team doctors diagnosed as tendonosis in his right quad.
Behind Parker's encore, and another black-and-blue defensive effort, the Spurs (39-17) won anyway to push their winning streak to four games.
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 2 Mo Williams (6-1, 6th yr)
Past two games for Parker: 76 points, 32 of 59 from the field, 21 assists.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 13 Delonte West (6-3, 5th yr)
West playing well since return from fractured wrist, though it remains sore.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 23 LeBron James (6-8, 6th yr)
King James averaged 33 points in two games vs. Spurs last season.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 17 Anderson Varejao, (6-11, 5th yr)
Duncan's right knee will make him day-to-day for the foreseeable future.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 11 Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3, 11th yr)
Bonner has scored in double figures in four out of past five games.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
54 Pops Mensah-Bonsu, F, 6-10, 2nd yr
CAVALIERS RESERVES
1 Daniel Gibson, G, 6-2, 3rd yr
21 J.J. Hickson, F, 6-9, 1st yr
00 Darnell Jackson, F, 6-9, 1st yr
8 Tarence Kinsey, G, 6-6, 3rd yr
10 Wally Szczerbiak, G/F, 6-7, 10th yr
24 Trey Johnson, G/F, 6-5, 1st yr
55 Lorenzen Wright, F/C, 6-11, 13th yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Cavaliers: Mike Brown
INJURIES
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi (right ankle surgery) and Manu Ginobili (stress reaction, right ankle) are out. Tim Duncan (tendonosis, right quad) is day-to-day.
Cavaliers: Ben Wallace (broken right leg), Sasha Pavlovic (high ankle sprain) and Eric Snow (sore left knee) are out.
NOTABLE
After dispatching Dallas and Portland, Spurs aim for sweep of three-game homestand, possibly without Duncan and Ginobili for all games. ... Spurs and Cavs have split two meetings since 2007 Finals, with both teams winning on the others' home floor. ... Spurs have held three consecutive opponents to less than 40 percent shooting, and four consecutive opponents to less than 85 points.
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 2 Steve Blake (6-3, 6th yr)
Parker had 39 points, 9 assists in win over Blazers on Wednesday.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 7 Brandon Roy (6-6, 3rd yr)
Roy leads Blazers in scoring, averaging 22.6 points per game.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 88 Nicolas Batum (6-8, 1st yr)
Finley led Spurs in rebounding in Friday night loss to Cleveland, with seven.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 12 LaMarcus Aldridge (6-10, 3rd yr)
Duncan has been cleared to play, but will be game-time decision.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 10 Joel Przybilla (7-1, 9th yr)
Though starting only 19 games, Przybilla is Blazers’ top rebounder, at 8.1 per game.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, 6-7, 13th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
54 Pops Mensah-Bonsu, F, 6-8, 2nd yr
TRAIL BLAZERS RESERVES
4 Jerryd Bayless, G, 6-3, 1st yr
5 Rudy Fernandez, G/F, 6-6, 1st yr
44 Channing Frye, F, 6-11, 4th yr
25 Travis Outlaw, F, 6-9, 6th yr
42 Shavlik Randolph, F, 6-10, 4th yr
11 Sergio Rodriguez, G, 6-3, 3rd yr
51 Michael Ruffin, G/F, 6-8, 9th yr
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 1 Baron Davis (6-3, 10th yr)
Davis has led Clippers in assists In 38 of 46 games he has played.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 2 Fred Jones (6-4, 7th yr)
Mason’s 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds left beat Clippers on Nov. 17.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 25 Mardy Collins (6-6, 3rd yr)
Finley entered game in Portland having made 13 of previous 21 3-pt. attempts.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 50 Zach Randolph (6-9, 8th yr)
Randolph scored 30, had go-ahead basket with 19.4 remaining in win over Celtics.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 23 Marcus Camby (6-11, 13th yr)
Camby faces Spurs for first time since trade deadline, when they tried to get him.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
54 Pops Mensah-Bonsu, F, 6-8, 2nd yr
CLIPPERS RESERVES
3 Alex Acker, G, 6-5, 2nd yr
31 Ricky Davis, G/F, 6-1, 11th yr
10 Eric Gordon, G, 6-3, 1st yr
9 DeAndre Jordan, C, 6-11, 1st yr
35 Chris Kaman, C, 6-11, 6th yr
20 Steve Novak, F, 6-10, 3rd yr
8 Brian Skinner, F, 6-9, 11th yr
4 Mike Taylor, G, 6-2, 1st yr
12 Al Thornton, F, 6-8, 2nd yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Clippers: Mike Dunleavy
PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 2 Jason Kidd (6-4, 15th yr)
Parker scorched the Mavs for 37 points and 11 assists on Feb. 24.
SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 21 Antoine Wright (6-7, 4th yr)
Mason went 1 for 9 from field in Monday's game vs. Mavericks.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 5 Josh Howard (6-7, 6th yr)
Finley made 3-pointers on three straight possessions in third quarter Monday.
PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 41 Dirk Nowitzki (7-0, 11th yr)
Nowitzki is one of seven players making at least 90 percent of free throws.
C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 25 Erick Dampier (6-11, 13th yr)
Dampier played only nine minutes in Feb. 24 game vs. Spurs in San Antonio.
SPURS RESERVES
12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 1st yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr
11 Jacque Vaughn, G, 6-1, 12th yr
54 Pops Mensah-Bonsu, F, 6-10, 2nd yr
MAVERICKS RESERVES
11 J.J. Barea, G, 6-0, 3rd yr
32 Brandon Bass, F, 6-8, 4th yr
13 Matt Carroll, G, 6-6, 6th yr
40 Devean George, F, 6-8, 10th yr
1 Ryan Hollins, C, 7-0, 3rd yr
33 James Singleton, F, 6-8, 5th yr
31 Jason Terry, G, 6-2, 10th yr
8 Gerald Green, G, 6-8, 4th yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Mavericks: Rick Carlisle
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