Injuries Take Toll On Parker In Spurs’ Loss To Thunder

Apr 4, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) discusses a call with NBA official Haywoode Workman in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half in Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

If I told you that Tony Parker played 25 minutes, and only had two points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, what would you think the issue would of been?

Bad shooting night?  Tired (given that this is the teams fourth game in five nights, and second of another back-to-back)? Or worse, injury?

Watching this game, I posted on twitter that something just didn’t seem right about Parker during the game.  Come to find out, late in the fourth quarter, the every so “amazingly” dressed Craig Sager stated that Parker headed into the locker room with what appeared to be having troubles with his, neck, back and ankles.

Okay, okay.  That explains his statline.  After the game Gregg Popovich feared that Parker may have added a new injury to the list of others he is already suffering, an issue to his shins, first reported by Paul Garcia of Project Spurs.

“My feeling is tendinitis,” said Popovich after the game, “something in his shins or whatever.”

“I saw him come across half court actually limping at one time and said Tony, you’ve got to stop,” continued Popovich, “so we’ll figure out what it is.”

Different story in the locker room as according to NBA.Com’s Jeff Caplan he reported Parker did not want to talk about what is going on with him.

Tony Parker: “I’m not going to talk about all my stuff. I’ve got a lot of stuff going on. I just have to get healthy.”

— Jeff Caplan (@Caplan_NBA) April 5, 2013

Popovich continues on to state that what is going on with Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker “is really disappointing”.

“So to have those two guys in that situation now is really disappointing. But, you move on. Life is tough.”

If you were in Popovich’s shoes, would you rest Parker for the rest of the regular season so that he is healthy for the playoffs?  In my mind, there is really no question that we need him on the floor, full strength and healthy.