tinysands
2007-04-11, 02:09 PM
Spurs' Horry aims for helpful return
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041107.01C.BKNspurs.horry.3a06334.html
Web Posted: 04/10/2007 11:48 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) were minutes from closing out their latest victory Monday night, and Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) had spent it just like he had the previous three: in a custom-made suit.
Well aware of this fact, Horry joked with coach Gregg Popovich that it might be in the best interest of the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to have him show off the rest of his wardrobe.
"I told Pop, 'You've been winning without me, I might as well stay suited and booted,'" Horry said. "I ain't going to be like one of those quarterbacks where the team is winning and you want to come back and take your spot.
"I told him, I don't want to mess up no flow."
Despite having won six of the seven games Horry has missed, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) appear ready to welcome back their elder statesman. After scrimmaging with the team Tuesday, Horry said he didn't have any problems with his abdominal contusion and hopes to play tonight against Sacramento.
"Actually, I feel a whole lot better," Horry said. "I'm happy in that sense. I got a chance to do a little contact, a chance to do a little moving around. I felt pretty good.
"No twinges here or there, so hopefully Pop will let me play."
With the playoffs beginning in 11 days, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) are trying to balance the need to preserve their health while also maintaining the rhythm they have developed in winning 23 of their past 26 games.
Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) tweaked his back in the first half of Monday's victory over Portland. He still had some tightness Tuesday and is questionable for tonight's game.
Brent Barry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/brent_barry), who has missed four games with back spasms, practiced Tuesday and said he felt better. Both he and Horry will be game-time decisions.
"Going out there and getting thrown in some different competition will be good for me," Horry said.
Horry has played 13 minutes since the Spurs' March 23 victory over Detroit. He was injured in the team's following game against Seattle while taking a charge from Chris Wilcox.
Horry sat out two games, then played nine minutes against Utah on March 30 before aggravating the injury. He's been sidelined ever since.
"It's just one of those weird things where you really couldn't do any treatment for it and you really couldn't diagnose it except as an (abdominal) contusion," Horry said. "A lot of people probably thought, 'Oh, that's just some kind of rest for the playoffs.' I haven't played enough this season to need a rest."
Popovich had already cut back Horry's playing time by frequently sitting him on the second night of back-to-back games. Matt Bonner (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner)'s return from a knee injury also has given the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) another option on those nights when Popovich thinks the team lacks energy.
Horry, however, is famed for being able to pick up his game during the playoffs, and the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) want to give him at least a little time to regain some of his consistency.
Before his injury, Horry had missed 13 of 15 3-pointers he took in March — though he was often limited to one attempt per game.
"The thing with me is I like to get in a nice little rhythm the last month," he said. "I hate to be injured because I thought it was right at that time where I was turning the corner and getting in great shape and ready for the playoffs.
"It's amazing how you do things at the end of your career that you wish you would have done at the beginning. I'm taking better care of my body, lifting more weights on the days I have off ... getting more shots up so I can keep my rhythm."
Horry has wondered whether he's about to begin his final playoff run. He's won six championships in 14 seasons and — just as impressively — has never failed to reach the playoffs' second round. His 211 postseason games are second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 237.
Horry still has one season remaining on his contract, but he talked in training camp about possibly retiring this summer. Any further discussion about his future, he said, will wait until the end of the season.
"There's three people I'm going to want to talk to: myself, Pop and then my son," Horry said. "I'm going to see how that goes.
"Well, basically, it's just one person. The body. I'm going to talk to my body."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041107.01C.BKNspurs.horry.3a06334.html
Web Posted: 04/10/2007 11:48 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) were minutes from closing out their latest victory Monday night, and Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) had spent it just like he had the previous three: in a custom-made suit.
Well aware of this fact, Horry joked with coach Gregg Popovich that it might be in the best interest of the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) to have him show off the rest of his wardrobe.
"I told Pop, 'You've been winning without me, I might as well stay suited and booted,'" Horry said. "I ain't going to be like one of those quarterbacks where the team is winning and you want to come back and take your spot.
"I told him, I don't want to mess up no flow."
Despite having won six of the seven games Horry has missed, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) appear ready to welcome back their elder statesman. After scrimmaging with the team Tuesday, Horry said he didn't have any problems with his abdominal contusion and hopes to play tonight against Sacramento.
"Actually, I feel a whole lot better," Horry said. "I'm happy in that sense. I got a chance to do a little contact, a chance to do a little moving around. I felt pretty good.
"No twinges here or there, so hopefully Pop will let me play."
With the playoffs beginning in 11 days, the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) are trying to balance the need to preserve their health while also maintaining the rhythm they have developed in winning 23 of their past 26 games.
Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) tweaked his back in the first half of Monday's victory over Portland. He still had some tightness Tuesday and is questionable for tonight's game.
Brent Barry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/brent_barry), who has missed four games with back spasms, practiced Tuesday and said he felt better. Both he and Horry will be game-time decisions.
"Going out there and getting thrown in some different competition will be good for me," Horry said.
Horry has played 13 minutes since the Spurs' March 23 victory over Detroit. He was injured in the team's following game against Seattle while taking a charge from Chris Wilcox.
Horry sat out two games, then played nine minutes against Utah on March 30 before aggravating the injury. He's been sidelined ever since.
"It's just one of those weird things where you really couldn't do any treatment for it and you really couldn't diagnose it except as an (abdominal) contusion," Horry said. "A lot of people probably thought, 'Oh, that's just some kind of rest for the playoffs.' I haven't played enough this season to need a rest."
Popovich had already cut back Horry's playing time by frequently sitting him on the second night of back-to-back games. Matt Bonner (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner)'s return from a knee injury also has given the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) another option on those nights when Popovich thinks the team lacks energy.
Horry, however, is famed for being able to pick up his game during the playoffs, and the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) want to give him at least a little time to regain some of his consistency.
Before his injury, Horry had missed 13 of 15 3-pointers he took in March — though he was often limited to one attempt per game.
"The thing with me is I like to get in a nice little rhythm the last month," he said. "I hate to be injured because I thought it was right at that time where I was turning the corner and getting in great shape and ready for the playoffs.
"It's amazing how you do things at the end of your career that you wish you would have done at the beginning. I'm taking better care of my body, lifting more weights on the days I have off ... getting more shots up so I can keep my rhythm."
Horry has wondered whether he's about to begin his final playoff run. He's won six championships in 14 seasons and — just as impressively — has never failed to reach the playoffs' second round. His 211 postseason games are second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 237.
Horry still has one season remaining on his contract, but he talked in training camp about possibly retiring this summer. Any further discussion about his future, he said, will wait until the end of the season.
"There's three people I'm going to want to talk to: myself, Pop and then my son," Horry said. "I'm going to see how that goes.
"Well, basically, it's just one person. The body. I'm going to talk to my body."