The initial diagnosis on Manu Ginobili's wheel had him missing just a touch of the opening of the season. The San Antonio Express-News updates the damage: it will be more like two or three months before we see Manu in Spurs black.That puts about 15-20 games in jeopardy. Most of the November schedule for S.A. is light beyond the opening week: two Memphis games, Minnesota, Sacramento, New York, Miami, Milwaukee. The season does open with a Phoenix-Portland-Dallas gauntlet, and the Spurs meet Houston twice in November. All in all, it could be worse.
Could this be the season San Antonio slips to the bottom half of the Western playoff picture? New Orleans and Houston should be able to battle S.A. at the top of the division, and Dallas is still talented as all get out. Spotting any or all of those teams a few games could leave the Spurs battling for fifth or sixth in the conference. Handing the Lakers, Jazz or aforementioned Southwest foes home court advantage in the first round could definitely contribute to a swift end of the Spurs run of domination.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Your list of top teams in the West did not include Portland. I'm betting that Portland will be in the top 2 of the Western Conference.
Don't be so quick to count the Spurs out of another top spot in the playoffs. They have overcome injuries before, and always have had others to step up in time of need. Who's to say the injury bug might strike any of the other top teams as well? It's just a little early to write them off. They are renown for starting off the season slow also. Yes, Manu is important to the Spurs, but they have won games before without him, and they have some talented players to back him up. They always seem to be able to pull a diamond out of the rough, and there just may be another lurking this season! A healthy Manu in the second half of the season is what matters most anyway.