Ginobili unable to get on court; return on hold Ginobili unable to get on court; return on hold
By Mike Monroe
That two-to-three week projection for Manu Ginobili’s return from a stress reaction in his right ankle likely will be extended.
The injured Spurs star continues to be limited to off-the-court rehabilitation work, and it appears unlikely he will return until mid-March.
Thursday marked two weeks since the Spurs guard was diagnosed with the injury and told he would miss two to three weeks.
“He’s on the bike for the next three, four or five days,” coach Gregg Popovich said before the Spurs defeated the Washington Wizards 100-78, at the AT&T Center, “and we’ll see how that goes and test him along the way, see how sore he is and see how that feels. But he’s definitely not on the floor yet.”
Ginobili has not played since Feb. 11, when he scored 32 points in the Spurs’ final game before the All-Star break, a 91-89 loss at Toronto.
Taking a cautious approach: Popovich said new Spurs forward Drew Gooden, who was signed to a contract Thursday, won’t suit up for about a week to make certain his strained groin is fully healed.
“We want to make sure he’s in shape and solid that way,” Popovich said.
Gooden had declared himself ready to play when he met the media Thursday afternoon. He soon discovered the Spurs are one of the NBA’s more cautious teams when it comes to dealing with injuries.
“It’s a little bit of everything: getting acclimated and the injury,” Gooden said. “I’ve been on some teams where, when I’ve been traded to them, they wanted me to play right off the bat. I was always up for that, but I think the smart thing to do is take some time here and let me get really comfortable and test out this injury and get in shape with the team and see where I am then.”
Gooden tweaked his groin Feb. 25 against the Charlotte Bobcats. The injury occurred in the only game he played for the Sacramento Kings following a Feb. 18 trade from the Chicago Bulls.
“I feel a whole lot better than I did last week,” he said. “That’s a great sign. I’m looking forward to practice tomorrow as much as I can.”
Gooden enjoyed watching his new teammates in their easy victory over the Wizards.
“First time I’ve won by that amount in a long while,” he said. “When Timmy (Duncan) has the numbers he had tonight (five points and five rebounds), and you still win, that says something about your team.”
Popovich, finally breaking his silence about Gooden, gave his scouting report on his new player: “He brings us professionalism and good shooting. Obviously, he’s a good scorer. He’s got a good body and he’s not afraid to use it, so it gives us good added depth by playoff time.”