Parker practicing with Spurs’ G League
Tony Parker is taking another step toward returning to the San Antonio lineup.
The Spurs’ point guard, who hasn’t played since rupturing a tendon in his left quadriceps during last season’s Western Conference semifinals, practiced Wednesday in San Antonio with the team’s G League affiliate.
The Austin Spurs are holding their training camp at the Spurs’ facility, which gave Parker the chance to get a workout.
It is unclear how many times Parker will practice with Austin. The Spurs, who formally assigned Parker to Austin on Wednesday, say he will work out with the G-League club again Friday.
“He wants to come back immediately,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Wednesday in Miami, where the Spurs are playing the Heat. “But he knows he’s got to be prepared for it, be 100 percent before he can come back. It’s not an injury where you can come back too soon.”
Parker has been able to play some 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 in recent days, but the team has not released any timetable for when they expect to get their longtime starter back on the floor.
Butler misses second consecutive game
Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game Wednesday night because of an upper respiratory infection.
Butler also sat out on Tuesday at home against Indiana, which blew out the Timberwolves 130-107.
Butler, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Chicago on draft night, has 40 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and six steals over his first three games with the Wolves while shooting 17 for 43 from the floor for 39.5 percent.
Shabazz Muhammad started in his place against the Pacers. Butler has played an entire season only once, in his second year in the NBA with the Bulls, in 2012-13.
Wade out with bruised knee for Cavs
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dwyane Wade has a bruised left knee and didn’t play Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets.
Wade came off the bench and scored 11 points in 19 minutes in Tuesday’s win over the Bulls. It was Wade’s first game with Cleveland’s second unit, and the 35-yearold added four assists and three rebounds as the Cavs’ reserves cut into Chicago’s early 14-point lead.
Earlier this week, Wade asked coach Tyronn Lue to take him out of the starting lineup because he thought it would benefit the team. Lue has been juggling his lineups and rotations while trying to blend new players and deal with injuries.
Starting point guard Derrick Rose missed his third straight game with a sprained ankle. LeBron James made a rare start at point guard and scored 34 points with 13 assists against the Nets.
Shoulder soreness will sideline Fultz
Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Markelle Fultz will miss the next three games with soreness in his right shoulder.
Fultz, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, has had problems with his shoulder all season that have greatly affected his free-throw mechanics. Fultz’s form has been widely mocked as his shots clanked off the backboard.
Fultz is shooting 33 percent, 50 percent from the free-throw line and has not attempted a 3-point shot all season.