Horry eyeing return to lineup
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA020706.1D.spurs.12a01fc.html
Web Posted: 02/07/2006 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
Three weeks of rest have robbed Robert Horry of his timing, as well as some of his wind. He hopes to regain both soon enough, provided the pain from his abdominal strain doesn’t also return.
Horry survived his second day of practice Monday. If he doesn’t have any soreness after this morning’s short workout, he should be available to play Wednesday in Toronto.
“I’ve had two days of running, twisting and turning,” he said, “and I feel pretty good.”
Horry has missed eight of the past nine games. His lone appearance during that time — Jan. 28 against Minnesota — lasted slightly more than one half. He had trouble getting loose in the third quarter against the Timberwolves.
Horry still had some discomfort the next morning, so the team decided to put him back on the inactive list. He has spent most of the past three weeks trying to strengthen his core muscles.
“You feel good some days, and all of a sudden you wake up, and it’s sore,” Horry said. "You just try to take it day-to-day.
“A lot of times when you feel good, you forget to do (the core exercises), and the injury jumps back on you. I’m just trying to keep the work going and hopefully get stronger.”
Horry hasn’t missed this much time because of one injury since he sprained his left knee after Phoenix traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the 1996-97 season.
In each of Horry’s three seasons with the Spurs, coach Gregg Popovich has tried to conserve him as much as possible for the playoffs. Popovich planned to further scale back Horry’s minutes this season as well as give him the occasional night off — but has needed him to help counter the small lineups more teams are using.
Horry’s injury provided the team an easy excuse to rest him as long as possible.
“When I first got here, I was very frustrated,” said Horry, who turned 35 in August. "My next year, I understood what was going on. I think my body adapted to it very well, and I was very appreciative of how (Popovich) was doing it.
“In your mind, you think you can go out there and play 25, 30, 40 minutes a game, but when June rolls around, you feel it.”
Horry thinks he suffered his abdominal strain early in the season and continued to play before aggravating the injury Jan.16 in Memphis.
“I could go back and look at all the tapes and still probably couldn’t tell you (when the injury first occurred),” he said.
Fabricio Oberto, who has been sidelined since spraining his left ankle in Portland on Thursday, and Sean Marks have helped fill in for Horry. The Spurs have gone 8-1 during his absence.
While Horry is nearing his return and Oberto’s injury doesn’t appear serious, Nick Van Exel had his left elbow re-examined Monday. The team will know more today after speaking with the doctors.
The Spurs would like to return to full health before too long.
“We’re on the back end of the season,” Horry said. “It’s a crucial time for us to try to get a rotation and let guys get some rhythm.”