This article is cross-posted at Spurs Basketball
The San Antonio Spurs have outdid themselves during the first half of the season finishing with a 24-10 record, good for second-best in the West and TNT analyst Charles Barkley picked the Spurs over the weekend to win the Western Conference.
After missing 24 games this season, T.J. Ford might be able to play Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls.
But it doesn’t mean the team is letting their guards down.
“I saw that,” Tony Parker said. “ But we have a lot of work to do and we need Manu Ginobili at 100 percent.
It’s like I told everybody at the All-Star break. We’re not going anywhere without Manu at 100 percent.
“Oklahoma City is a very, very good team. The Clippers are a very, very good. Dallas is good, too. We need everybody ready to go and at full strength. If not, we aren’t going to go anywhere.”
There is some good news too, the Spurs’ injury situation appears to be getting a little better (via Spurs Nation).
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said reserve point guard T.J. Ford could return to the lineup for Wednesday’s game against Chicago.
Ford has missed the last 24 games with a torn left hamstring.
“I’m feeling good. It’s still a process,” Ford said after Tuesday’s practice. “It felt good to finally practice with these guys, get out there and get a little contact. Usually I’m out there working with the coaches, one on one, so it felt good today.”
“I think he’s going to dress. He may or may not get in,” Popovich said. “I’d like to get him a few minutes if I can.”
That step would be a big boost for Ford, who signed with the Spurs as a free agent in order to boost depth at point guard.
“It will feel good to be in a uniform,” Ford said. “If it’s just me shooting some layups in layup drill I’ll take that. Little baby steps.”
But Ford said he doesn’t expected he could play for an extended period.
“Short, short,” Ford said with a chuckle. ” Not too many long stretches.”
But any break would be a boost for Parker, who has played extended minutes and leads the team with an average of 34.3 minutes per game. It’s the most that Parker has logged since his third season in the NBA.
”Yeah, it looks like he’s ready to go,” Parker said. “He practiced well this morning. Hopefully we can get everybody and be full strength.”
Rookie forward Kawhi Leonard missed practice as he recovered from tightness in both calves that he sustained in the Spurs’ most recent game Thursday night. The injury kept him out of the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star weekend on the following day.
Popovich said that Gary Neal (hamstring) and Tiago Splitter (strained calf) will be gametime decisions against the Bulls. Ginobili (strained oblique muscle) is out and Popovich hinted that Leonard likely will not play Wednesday night.
The sooner Ford comes back, the better! Hopefully everybody gets healthy for the second half of the season. Go Spurs Go!
The Spurs have played well through injuries if they become healthy, I really believe that they compete for the title this year. Do you guys agree?
When everybody’s healthy, I think we can compete with anybody! Go Spurs Go!
I think we are still missing a big SpursFanHenry, but lets just wait and see how the WConference seeds play out. But I think our chances are much better than last year.
I just hope that TJ does not get reinjured by coming back to soon and then we have to take a flyer on a vet PG. Iam just happy that both TJ and Tiago are back cause we are going to need everyone against the bulls tonight.
Robby
This truncated 66 game schedule is taking its’ toll on a number of teams in the NBA . Hence the drop-off in the teams’ play and the worrisome and niggling injuries that are now cropping up . Hopefully by the end of March for the Spurs in particular the team and their play will be a whole lot healthier !
tophatal …………. .