Injured Parker out of playoffs
One of Gregg Popovich’s top priorities in the final weeks of the regular season was making sure the San Antonio Spurs got veteran point guard Tony Parker healthy and in rhythm for the playoff push.
More than seeding or homecourt advantage, Popovich said, the Spurs needed Parker in order to stay competitive against the other heavyweights in the Western Conference playoffs.
Now that Parker will miss the rest of the postseason with a leg injury, the Spurs will be tested like they rarely have been before.
The Spurs said Thursday that Parker has a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his left leg. The injury likely will require surgery to repair, meaning the Spurs will have to go through the rest of the postseason without their floor leader.
Next up is Game 3 of their tied second-round series with the Rockets on Friday night in Houston.
“If he’s not right or he can’t play, we’re going to have a tough time staying with the big boys,” Popovich told The Associated Press in a late March interview. “When he’s been healthy we’ve had a rhythm, he gets into it defensively and has set a tone on the perimeter for us along with Kawhi (Leonard). His organization of the team is really important, understanding time and score, what’s going on on the court.
“He’s a great source for me to read what we’re doing that night in that game and what might be needed.”
While the 34-year-old Parker is not the dynamic playmaker he was in his younger days, he is still hugely important to the team. After the Spurs were blown out in Game 1, Parker responded with 18 points in 25 minutes before getting injured.
He appeared to land awkwardly while taking a shot with 8:34 to play Wednesday night and crumpled to the court. The Frenchman needed to be carried off the floor by teammates, casting a pall over San Antonio’s victory.
Popovich said after the game that it didn’t look good, and the Spurs’ fears were confirmed after an MRI on Thursday. The team said there is no timetable yet for his recovery.
“What he brings to their team, I don’t know how you replace that,” Rockets forward Trevor Ariza told reporters in Houston. “Not saying they don’t have good enough players to step in. But what he brought to that team, I think it’s unmatched.”