Update: ankle surgery for Manu

[Ballings7]

The Spurs’ Manu Ginobili told Spanish-speaking reporters that his problematic ankle gave him no problems during Argentina’s tournament-opening loss to Lithuania on Sunday.

“The ankle was perfect, just fine,” he said. “There was little stiffness for a few minutes, but when I got warmed up, it was fine.”

Ginobili led Argentina with 19 points but missed a shot in the final minute of the defending gold medalists’ 79-75 loss.

“We’ll be fine,” he said of the loss, which came in the first of five pool-play contests. “We’ve had similar games to these before. We just have to keep working, play hard in the next one, with more pressure, the ways we’ve won before. I’ve got to cut down on my mistakes.”

Four of the six teams in the pools will advance to a single-elimination tournament, with the medal games scheduled for Aug. 24, the last day of the Games.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spur ... _fine.html

Good news, let's keep it like that

[lukeridenour]

glad to hear gl to manu for the rest of the games.

[Blame Rasho]

I just don't want him to run out of gas during the season. Good luck to him... he will need it given that team USA is looking good.

[Magz50]

Great, he resprained it vs the US today.

[coyotes_geek]

Bad news. Fortunately there's still 2+ months before the regular season. Time to get Manu back to San Antonio for some full-time rehab.

[Ballings7]

Obviously bad

But ultimately not worried because there's a lot of time for him to recover, even when the season starts if he doesn't play much or at all in pre-season. To play his way in for a bit.

[Blame Rasho]

Great, he resprained it vs the US today.

Well maybe that means he doesn't play for the bronze, but knowing him he will go balls out and play even if he is 50%.

[lukeridenour]

glad he got to rest and watch his brothers get the medal. i hope he heals 100% even if that means he'll miss part of the season.

[Ballings7]

San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili admitted on Friday morning that the only way his ankle will fully recovery is if he has surgery, according to SpursReport.

"I had imaging studies done on my ankle and basically, the studies indicate that the ligament is just as it was two months ago, when I had the first resonance," Ginobili said in an interview with Argentina's Spanish language newspaper, La Nacion. "It is not worse, that's important. Now the issue is that it's not better either and it seems that the only way to recovery fully is to have surgery."

No date has been set for the surgery, and he doesn't even know who will perform the procedure at this point.

"Today, I am not hurt the ankle while walking," explains Ginobili, "but when I try to run or jump it does."

He expects the recovery time to be six-to-eight weeks, but he could end up missing the first few games of the 2008-09 season.

"I understand the frustration," says Ginobili. "I understand that I may miss some games, but participating in the Olympic Games was very important. Any athlete who has the possibility to experience the Olympic Games should not reject it. There will be people who understands you and other people who do not."

It is what it is... he'll probably miss a little bit of the early season.

Absolutely fine with me, not going to kill us or something, just get solid again, Manu. Just will probably effect him to a degree, for a stretch of time as he gets into form and rhythm.

As far as the Olympics stuff goes, it's just a mixed bag for me. With his ankle, I would of preferred he did not play. Without it, though? I'm indifferent.

[Black_Jack21]

Well Manu had a fantastic season after the last Olympics, I think playing for Argentina re-energises him.
Have a rest Manu, heal up and have a strong charge at the end of the season when we need you the most.
The good thing about this is that we have more minutes to get Mason Jr into the system and possibly play around with Hill at the 2 in some situations (it is his natural position).
Could end up being very good for us, provided Manu heals up nicely.

[C_Money]

I'm suprised you guys aren't mad. Manu is a huge part of your team and looking at how close the west was last year, you need every win you can get. It also takes a while for players to get into the groove once they've missed training camp and the whole pre season. I think you guys are just used to winning so much that you don't even consider that your team might start off with a losing record.

[Ballings7]

I don't think pre-season is as much of a factor for this team as others in certain ways, considering the experience and continuity that's around.

As far as the individual-shape factor, of course that's going to take some time.

[HarlemHeat37]

doesn't scare me in the season..

Denver is gonna be worse without Camby(even though he's overrated)..Golden State is done..Portland is still a huge ?, all depending on Oden..the Clippers aren't good..

I don't see 8 teams that will be better..

[Black_Jack21]

TD and Tony, along with the pieces we already have will keep us afloat until Manu gets back into the swing of things.
Even without Manu we still are a playoff team.
Til he returns Mason gets more minutes to find his spot in the lineup. We'll be ok so long as we don't have an injury plagued start to the season.

[HarlemHeat37]

if Mason gives us what he gave the Wizards while he was replacing Arenas, we won't lose much..

[bgassassin]

Just heard Manu is out till December. Will that hurt you guys much? I ask only because I've predicted the Spurs to win it this season.