Spurs' Thomas might play during two-game trip

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_Thomas_might_play_during_two-game_trip.html

Web Posted: 10/14/2008 12:00 CDT
By Mike Monroe - Express-News


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Spurs brought their full complement of 20 players on their only extended road trip of the preseason, including injured players who won't see any action.

The trip begins here tonight with a game at Van Anden Arena against the Detroit Pistons.

The good news: One of the players who was held out of the first two games, forward-center Kurt Thomas, may see some action, most likely in Thursday's game against the Cavaliers in Cleveland.

Thomas, who has been nursing a strained left hamstring suffered the first day of training camp, participated in all of the team's practice activities in a brief session on Monday, and a club spokesman said he may available for game action this week.

Salim Stoudamire, the combo guard who has yet to play because of a strained right groin, also will make the trip. But he has yet to be cleared for full practice activity, so he is less likely to play.

Guard Manu Ginobili, expected to miss the first 20-25 games of the regular season, and second-year forward-center Ian Mahinmi, likely to miss the entire preseason, also accompanied the team on the trip.

Higher hops? Veteran swingman Michael Finley, who reported to camp 20 pounds lighter than he ended the 2007-08 season, showed off what looked to be an increased vertical jump resulting from having to get fewer pounds off the ground.

At the end of his typical post-practice shooting drill, Finley stood, flat-footed, under the basket and jumped for a two-handed reverse dunk.

Has his vertical leap increased?

“I don't know,” he said. “We'll see. That's yet to be discovered, but hopefully, it works that way.”

Finley has played slightly more than 12 minutes in the first two preseason games — he did not even suit up for the first game — but looked very sharp in his brief stint in Friday's game against the Hornets, making 2 of 3 from 3-point range and 3 of 6 shots overall.

Preseason playing time, he said, is nothing a veteran worries about.

“The coaching staff has a gameplan, not just for me, but all the veteran guys,” he said. “You just have to play the cards you're dealt. Whether you get a lot of minutes, or limited minutes, you have to make the most of them. I'm always going to come in and put my work in before practice, and after practice and stay in tip-top shape. Then, when the regular season does roll around, I'll be ready to go.

“I feel good. With extra practice, my game should be coming around. I'm on pace. Hopefully, I can keep this going.”

Added playing time awaits Spurs' Oberto

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Added_playing_time_awaits_Spurs_Oberto.html

Web Posted: 10/14/2008 12:00 CDT
By Mike Monroe - Express-News

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — At age 33, and after a busy summer playing for Argentina's national team, Spurs starting center Fabricio Oberto understands he may play a slightly greater role at the start of the regular season if the team is a little short-handed on the front line.

The Spurs did get some good news Monday on the injury front — it appears veteran big man Kurt Thomas will suit up for at least one of the two games on the preseason road trip that begins here tonight against the Detroit Pistons. But second-year big man Ian Mahinmi is still expected to miss all of the preseason.

“That's why we've got a team,” said Oberto, who helped Argentina to the bronze medal in the Bejing Olympics. “Sometimes you have to take more responsibility. Different guys may be out, when you're talking about the big guys, but also Manu (Ginobili), and then the other guys on the team have to take that responsibility.”

Oberto was a 30-year-old rookie with the Spurs in 2005-06, playing limited minutes in only 59 games. But the past two seasons he has become one of the most reliable of the Spurs. He and swingman Michael Finley last season were the only Spurs to play in all 82 regular-season games. He logged a career-high 20.1 minutes a game, and had career highs in rebounds (5.2) and points (4.8).

Oberto returned to Argentina from Beijing after the Olympics and took nearly a month away from basketball. But he kept himself in condition, and said he feels better at the start of camp than in his previous three seasons with the Spurs.

“I feel great,” he said after the team's Monday morning practice. “I try to keep improving my game and give a little more help for Tim (Duncan) than the last couple of years.”

Oberto wryly observed the tug-of-war between the Spurs and the Argentine national team about Ginobili's availability for the Olympic tournament. He understood the Spurs' fears, now realized, about the potential for another injury to Ginobili's already-sore ankle. But if he was even moderately concerned that nobody suggested he, too, might benefit from a summer away from international competition, he hid it well.

“Injuries can happen anywhere, even on the national team,” he said. “But each time you play, year by year, I know it's a little more miles on your body. But for me, I feel pretty good. I came back in good shape after about 31/2 weeks off. But you have to keep doing something, even with a little break. Even overseas, you take off four or five days, and start playing again.”

This week, Oberto looks forward to getting more preseason playing time and seeing Thomas' return to the rotation.

“It's always good to have more veteran guys,” he said. “It's such a tough league. Every night you face guys like Yao (Ming), Shaq (O'Neal), (Amare) Stoudemire and, now, (Greg) Oden, up in Portland. So every night is a battle. You've got to play them as a team. Those guys are really tough.”

Popovich, Spurs saddened by death of his aide's wife

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Popovich_Spurs_saddened_by_death_of_his_aides_wife.html

Web Posted: 10/14/2008 12:00 CDT
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News

Simone Newman, wife of Spurs assistant coach Don Newman, died Saturday due to complications from kidney failure, the team said Monday. She was 48.

“We are all heartbroken,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said in a statement. “Simone was a wonderful person. She was full of energy, love and passion. She always had a smile on her face and truly lived her life to the fullest.

“Don and Simone were a perfect match, the love they shared was special. Our thoughts and our prayers are with their family. All of us will miss her greatly.”

Newman, who joined the Spurs' coaching staff in 2004, was not on the bench for either of the team's first two preseason games. He will not travel with the Spurs this week on their two-game exhibition trip to face Detroit and Cleveland.

Simone Newman is survived by five daughters.

In lieu of flowers, the Newman family requests a donation to the Spurs Foundation in Simone Newman's name. For details, call (210) 444-5862 or e-mail Florelisa Gonzalez at fgonzalez@attcenter.com