Spurs' Parker learns to live with pain
Jeff McDonald
LOS ANGELES — In the midst of the most injury addled season of his career, Tony Parker considers himself lucky. Since September, the Spurs' point guard has suffered three sprained ankles and one nasty bout of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
“If I can finish the year with only this nagging stuff, I'll sign right away,” Parker said.
In Thursday's loss at Portland, Parker returned from his latest layoff — a three-game absence necessitated by a mild left ankle sprain — and emerged intact and ready to face the Clippers tonight.
He scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half before tiring in the second. That continued a string of solid games for Parker, who had scored at least 20 in four straight games before he was injured Jan. 23 against Atlanta.
Parker logged 30 minutes, 34 seconds against Portland, less than his season average but more than coach Gregg Popovich meant for him to play.
“He didn't want to play me 30 minutes my first game back,” Parker said.
It has been a mostly frustrating season for Parker, who has often lacked his trademark explosion to the basket and lift on his jump shot. His numbers have dipped to 16.9 points and 5.8 assists per game, on 48.7 percent shooting.
Injuries are mostly to blame. They began in September, when he slightly sprained his right ankle while playing for the French national team.
He sprained the left ankle in a game Nov. 6 at Portland, then again last month. He also developed a case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
“Obviously, I'd rather be healthy and 100 percent,” Parker said. “I think during a career, everybody has those years where they're a little bit hurt. This is just one of those years.”
Ill-timed turnovers: The final box score says the Spurs were careful with the ball in the 96-93 loss to Portland. They committed just six turnovers, well below their average of 13.7.
Those miscues, however, surfaced at the most inopportune times. Half the turnovers came in the fourth quarter with the Spurs struggling in vain to hold onto a 10-point lead.
DeJuan Blair threw a ball out of bounds, Manu Ginobili threw one to the Trail Blazers' Juwan Howard and Tim Duncan got stripped by Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge.
“Handled the ball well all night then turned it over down the stretch and didn't shoot well,” Popovich said. “The combination of poor shooting and the turnovers down the stretch gave us the loss.”
With the victory, Portland polished off a 3-0 sweep of the Spurs, its first since 1996-97.
Sujet: Spurs' Parker learns to live with pain 
Sam 6 Fév - 11:50
