Spurs guard Manu Ginobili suffered a strained muscle in his left groin in Wednesday's home loss to the Phoenix Suns and won't play when the Spurs meet the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday night at the AT&T Center.
Ginobili's status for Sunday's game against the Lakers, in Los Angeles, also is in question.
"I don't know how long he will be out," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the Spurs' practice, "but he definitely will be out tomorrow (Friday)."
Popovich said Ginobili suffered the injury immediately after checking into Wednesday's game with 6:40 left in the first quarter. Though he played through some discomfort and returned to the game in the second half, Popovich held him out of the bulk of the fourth quarter when it became apparent the injury was affecting his play.
"He felt something on his very first play of the game last night," Popovich said. "He tried to play on it. The doctors checked him at half and didn't think there was a defect -- just a little bit tight. That's why we started him in the third quarter, while he was still somewhat loose.
"It didn't really get any worse, didn't get any better, so I opted not to play him at all after I took him out early in the fourth quarter."
With the playoffs to begin next weekend, the Spurs will take no chances with Ginobili's health, regardless of the effect his absence might have on the team's potential playoff positioning in the closest Western Conference race in NBA history.
"It's pretty tight," Popovich said, "and I just don't want to take any chances with him."
http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/c ... e_gro.html
Okay... that does explain his struggles last night. At least a significant part of it.
Depending when he returns, if it'd be early in the playoffs, him possibly having to get his rhythm back. Regardless, time for Finley to step up and play like he's capable of, and has numerous times this season.
As far as the rest of the schedule? Well, I think we'll win at least two games, and maybe three.
