tinysands
2007-01-01, 03:11 PM
Parker was rare player who didn't loathe synthetic ball
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA010107.08D.BKNspurs.notebook.2e6855d.html
Web Posted: 12/31/2006 11:51 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) played their final game with the NBA's microfiber basketball Sunday and most weren't shedding tears over its dismissal.
The NBA will begin using leather balls again today. The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) play their first game with the new-old ball Tuesday in Cleveland.
Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) was one of the few players in the league who didn't dislike the synthetic ball. In his final game with it, he scored 27 points to help the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) beat the Atlanta Hawks.
"I like it, to be honest with you," Parker said. "But it doesn't matter to me. I played with the old ball for five years, so it will be OK."
Elson on the mend: Center Francisco Elson, who has missed the past two games with a right shoulder injury, remains on schedule to return next week, Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich said.
After Elson suffered a small tear to his right rotator cuff in Tuesday's loss to Milwaukee, team officials said they expected him to be out for two weeks. That would get him back on the court for either the Jan. 9 game against Portland or the next night's game in Denver.
"He's on schedule," Popovich said. "They said it would be a couple weeks and I haven't heard anything differently from that.
"He's doing his rehab and just getting a little bit better each day and getting his shoulder stronger."
White shines: Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) rookie guard James White scored 23 points Saturday for the Developmental League Austin Toros.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) sent a large contingent — Elson, assistant general manager Sam Presti, director of pro player personnel Dell Demps and assistant strength coach Chris White — to watch James White, who also had six rebounds and six steals. In four games for the Toros, White is averaging 17.3 points while shooting 47.9 percent.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) recalled White last week when Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili), Matt Bonner (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner) and Brent Barry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/brent_barry) were sick, but reassigned him to Austin on Friday.
Popovich believes White is benefiting more from playing for the Toros than merely watching during Spurs' games.
"I'd love to get him on the court and see how he plays," Popovich said, "but we've got so many guys ahead of him right now. That's why we sent him down to Austin, so he could get some playing time.
"We just want him to get as much experience there as we can and get him to understand what we'd like him to improve on. We'll just see what transpires as the year progresses."
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) want to see how White develops as a defender.
"What a guy does defensively is of much greater concern to me than what he does in any offensive system," Popovich said. "We want him to learn how to play individual and team defense, and no matter what system anybody is using, those situations exist and you evaluate."
Briefly: Bruce Bowen (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/bruce_bowen) banged his right knee in a collision with Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) on the final play of the first half, but returned. Popovich used Jacque Vaughn (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/jacque_vaughn) to back up Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) in the first half. But after Vaughn (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/jacque_vaughn) went 0 for 4 in the half, Popovich called on Beno Udrih in the third quarter. Udrih had two points and an assist in eight minutes.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA010107.08D.BKNspurs.notebook.2e6855d.html
Web Posted: 12/31/2006 11:51 PM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) played their final game with the NBA's microfiber basketball Sunday and most weren't shedding tears over its dismissal.
The NBA will begin using leather balls again today. The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) play their first game with the new-old ball Tuesday in Cleveland.
Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) was one of the few players in the league who didn't dislike the synthetic ball. In his final game with it, he scored 27 points to help the Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) beat the Atlanta Hawks.
"I like it, to be honest with you," Parker said. "But it doesn't matter to me. I played with the old ball for five years, so it will be OK."
Elson on the mend: Center Francisco Elson, who has missed the past two games with a right shoulder injury, remains on schedule to return next week, Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) coach Gregg Popovich said.
After Elson suffered a small tear to his right rotator cuff in Tuesday's loss to Milwaukee, team officials said they expected him to be out for two weeks. That would get him back on the court for either the Jan. 9 game against Portland or the next night's game in Denver.
"He's on schedule," Popovich said. "They said it would be a couple weeks and I haven't heard anything differently from that.
"He's doing his rehab and just getting a little bit better each day and getting his shoulder stronger."
White shines: Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) rookie guard James White scored 23 points Saturday for the Developmental League Austin Toros.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) sent a large contingent — Elson, assistant general manager Sam Presti, director of pro player personnel Dell Demps and assistant strength coach Chris White — to watch James White, who also had six rebounds and six steals. In four games for the Toros, White is averaging 17.3 points while shooting 47.9 percent.
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) recalled White last week when Manu Ginobili (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/manu_ginobili), Matt Bonner (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/matt_bonner) and Brent Barry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/brent_barry) were sick, but reassigned him to Austin on Friday.
Popovich believes White is benefiting more from playing for the Toros than merely watching during Spurs' games.
"I'd love to get him on the court and see how he plays," Popovich said, "but we've got so many guys ahead of him right now. That's why we sent him down to Austin, so he could get some playing time.
"We just want him to get as much experience there as we can and get him to understand what we'd like him to improve on. We'll just see what transpires as the year progresses."
The Spurs (http://www.chinaspurs.com) want to see how White develops as a defender.
"What a guy does defensively is of much greater concern to me than what he does in any offensive system," Popovich said. "We want him to learn how to play individual and team defense, and no matter what system anybody is using, those situations exist and you evaluate."
Briefly: Bruce Bowen (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/bruce_bowen) banged his right knee in a collision with Robert Horry (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/robert_horry) on the final play of the first half, but returned. Popovich used Jacque Vaughn (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/jacque_vaughn) to back up Tony Parker (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/tony_parker) in the first half. But after Vaughn (http://www.chinaspurs.com/players/jacque_vaughn) went 0 for 4 in the half, Popovich called on Beno Udrih in the third quarter. Udrih had two points and an assist in eight minutes.