Spurs notebook:
Parker in peak form as he gets out of weight room and back on the court
Web Posted: 10/16/2007 11:21 PM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
The Spurs had a new point guard on the floor at training camp, working hard to beat out Manu Ginobili for the starting spot.
Tony Parker, the MVP of last season’s NBA Finals, participated in a full practice for the first time since camp opened Oct. 2.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had said Monday that Parker would not go through a full practice until later this week, but Parker held Popovich to the promise he had made before camp began that he would hold him out only for two weeks.
“I think Pop was going back and forth in his mind,” assistant coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He told Tony two weeks when training camp started, and today was two weeks. I think Tony was ready to go and talked to him about it. He wanted to play and practice and get after it.
“I think Pop was considering extending it an extra couple of days, but two weeks was two weeks, and Tony felt he was ready.”
Parker was very happy to be back on the court and out of the weight room, where strength and conditioning coach Mike Brungardt had been putting him through some grueling workouts.
“Definitely, it felt good to be back out there and be with the guys,” Parker said. “It felt good to get back in a rhythm and get some shots up and just get ready for the season. My last game was not too long ago, so I still felt I was in good shape.”
As far as getting back in the starting lineup, Parker is pretty sure he can beat out Ginobili, the shooting guard who has started the first two games of the preseason at the point and likely will do so again Thursday when the Spurs host the Golden State Warriors. Parker said it looked like Saturday’s game against the Detroit Pistons has been set for his return.
“It’s back to practice now and back to normal and then play, hopefully, on Saturday,” Parker said.
“Tony was back today with fresh legs,” said teammate Michael Finley, “very enthusiastic, and it was good to have him back.”
Budenholzer said the strength work Parker did for two weeks showed up in his first on-court session.
“It’s one of the most physical practices we’ve seen him play,” Budenholzer said. “I don’t know if he was really feeling strong from the weights, but he was really going to the hole. He’s stronger than people think, to begin with. Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen him in a while, but it seemed like he was really inviting contact and getting in the paint.”
Parker didn’t seem to have bulked up much, though.
“You’re not going to see it,” he said. “There’s not much to see.”
“He’s probably still going to be scrawny when he retires,” Budenholzer said.
Rhythm returning: Veteran guard Michael Finley, who has made only two of 13 shots in the first two preseason games, said his shooting rhythm is returning, “slowly, but surely.”
“I’m getting back acclimated to playing in games,” said Finley, 34, “and getting my jump shot legs back in working condition and getting back into the flow.”
Growing puns: Forward Matt Bonner, who showed up for camp with a scraggly, red beard he promised to shave off after camp ended, now says he is considering keeping the beard into the regular season.
“It’s starting to grow on me,” he said.