Tim Duncan goes down with lower leg injury

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Apparently, Tim Duncan has a habit of getting hurt against the Warriors. Last time around he scared the greater San Antonio area when he went down with a knee injury during the Spurs’ January 24 win over Golden State.

In the first quarter of the Spurs’ game Monday night against the Warriors, Duncan hit a basket and landed awkwardly on the foot of Golden State’s Ekpe Udoh. Duncan held his foot and ankle area in pain as the teams went the other way, before the Spurs purposely fouled to stop play.

Spurs trainer Will Sevening checked on Duncan and Steve Novak helped support Duncan on the way to the locker room. Duncan wasn’t able to put much weight on his left leg as he left the floor.

[Update] According to the team, Duncan has a sprained left ankle and will not return.

[Update numero dos] Early word via Art Garcia via Sean Elliott, is that Duncan will be out about two weeks.

  • DorieStreet

    Not good-not good at all.

  • Chris Guan

    by “will not return”….you mean in this game, eh?

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    @Chris

    Yes.

  • andy

    splitter with the double-double!

    as much as you hate to see duncan go down, nice to see pop forced to play splitter due to blair being out too. hopefully tim and dejuan get better soon, but it’s nice to see the depth on full display.

  • Titletown99030507d

    Well Tiago stepped up his game. But I don’t understand why after the 1st quarter they just abandoned Tiago’s roll to the rim. Seems like they forgot what they were doing so well and now all you see is Manu, and everybody else throwing up bricks from deep out, as well as Tony trying to force the issue by himself in the lane. Midway to the third and I’m seeing Jefferson being the focus as to the one going to the rim. Hey team why did you stop feeding the 7 footer? GHEEEZ!

  • junierizzle

    Word, Titletown.

    I don’t think his teammates have looked out for him all year. He is always open on the roll. Say what you want about TIAGO being “lost” on offense but his teammates could have helped his cause.
    Having said that he still has a double-double. Oh what could have been or what might still be.

    HOPE TD IS OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Titletown99030507d

    @Tim Varner,

    Any way we can get a game chat on this blog?
    I had a bad experience with the one on that other site.

  • ribanez1

    Report is that TD will be out 2 weeks!

  • DorieStreet

    I see a barnburner of a debate when this season ends on our ‘old rookie’, #22.
    Maybe the injuries provide opportunities for different combos/looks/schemes for starters & reserves that will become intangibles come playoff time.
    These next 2 games are going to be a mutha!

  • Spur4Life

    hopefully it looks worse than what it is for Duncan.

  • LPspursFan

    Timmy’s injury could turn into a blessing in disguise based on how Tiago plays and the team’s record while TD is out.
    I think the dynamic would have been different in terms of pressure and expectations had the team sat TD in order to rest him. This way Tiago knows he’s gonna get minutes due to the injury and be counted on to keep putting up Ws.
    I’m excited and looking forward to see how he does. I’d be ecstatic if he averaged what he put up tonight.

  • Titletown99030507d

    It’s not as bad as it looked for Timmy. The MRI is negatory. And when he comes back I’d like to see a satire skit of Timmy doing Forest Gump with braces from the ankles up to his knees on both legs running on to the court as the braces are falling off. GO Spurs GO! Get well soon Timmy!

    PS: Nice game Tiago!

  • Bruno

    OMG, why POP put TD today????????????????Why don’t keep off, this was a easy game(like Bobcats). What crap Pop!!!

  • Hobson13

    Here’s the problem I see with Duncan going down. We still haven’t clinched HCA throughout AND we have a hell of a schedule for the next 5 games. If we lose 3 or 4 of the next 5 games, the HCA race could become much tighter forcing us to play Manu and Tony the last few games of the season instead of resting them. So my question is do we play them (Manu and Tony)hard for the next 5 games in an attempt to seal the deal early or do we let things play out with the possibility of them having to play hard for the last 3 or 4 regular season games going into the playoffs? Pop faces an interesting dilemma.

    P.S. Looks like Splitter had a hell of a game. He played only 27 min and had 10pts, 14 rebs, 3stls, and 2 assts. All this and only 1 TO is not a bad night for the rook. Duncan being out could be a blessing in disguise if it forces Pop to give TS some time. I wish someone would have told Pop to play Splitter earlier in the season…….oh wait, nevermind. That’s what many have been screaming for 3 months.

  • junierizzle

    WHOA! I think they’ll be fine. Time for Splitter to do something.

  • junierizzle

    I think they’ll be fine because all season they have been winning with TD having a diminished roll. But yeah these next five games are going to be tough.

  • SpurredOn

    He had a worse sprain near the end of the 2005 season (March 20) after suffering a mild sprain two weeks earlier. He missed twelve games over three weeks, returning for the final four regular season games. Expect TD to again return for the final few games. That post-season turned out alright.

  • Nima K.

    Assuming TD’s injury doesn’t turn out to be serious, he’ll probably be back for the Celtics game. Until then, we have 4 games. We can win at least 2 of those without TD, assuming a conservative prediction.

    My point: we don’t have a tough schedule until we meet Boston on the 31st. And our good record is already cementing. So I think TD’s injury is a blessing: it gives him some mandatory rest, and it gives Splitter, Novak, et al the opportunity to show everyone what they’re really made of on a more average basis.

    I’ll be anxious to see how our depth takes advantage of this opportunity.

  • DorieStreet

    @Hobson13

    To paraprhase Daffy Duck- “Shoot him now!”= Tony & Manu play on in regular rotations-keep a 4-game cushion through next 10 games, then the backcourt can don street clothes in last 2 games on the road.

  • grego

    Remember that Elliot said 2 weeks. That’s a good guess, but he also factored in Pop being cautious.

    Now also keep in mind that Duncan has been fairly fresh the full season and has kept away from the usual nagging injuries. This will likely help in Duncan’s recovery.

    He’ll probably miss the road trip, but I think he’ll be back in less than 2 weeks unless Pop plays it very safe. It really didn’t look too bad compared to other ankle injuries I’ve seen recently.

  • b1gdon

    KSAT reports dreaded high ankle sprain. Two weeks is the minimum with lingering pain. Let’s hope that it’s really really really mild.

  • SpurredOn

    @NimaK. - Our guys are heading to Denver, Portland, Memphis, then back home on a b2b to face Portland again. That’s a tough schedule. Hottest team in the West fighting to still win their division, plus two teams trying to assure a playoff spot and as high a seed as possible. Also, even if TD is ready in ten days, I bet Pop rests him for a few more. It’s too easy to re-injure an ankle.

  • Titletown99030507d

    Good game Tiago! Its your time to shine! Also pick up a case of 5hr energy on your way home. You might need it. No more staying up late and drink lots of water. Good luck big fella!

  • Titletown99030507d

    Nix the 5hr energy - bad stuff too much caffeine. Not a good combination loosing fluids and ridiculous levels of caffeine. Wear the patch like Timmy did.

  • DorieStreet

    @NimaK.

    In addition to SpurredOn’s info- 13, 16 point losses to POR, MEM last time out on the road; DEN 28-7 in their house, and the Spurs 3 previous wins were during the melodrama.
    That Celtics game you mentioned is the 1st of an H/A BTB, with the 2nd tilt again @ the pesky Rockets (who are 4-0 since the loss to the Spurs) and who seem bound & determine to get that last playoff spot- in the last month HOU has gone from 4 games below .500 to 3 games up (10-3).
    And in that same amount of time hollywood has gone 12-1 (TD sprain=smelling blood).

  • Nima K.

    SpurredOn & Dorie

    It’s tough. But not that tough. I think we can handle a +2/4 (i.e until the Celts game) without any significant costs. No?

    If we can’t, then we don’t deserve a place in the finals. TD’s absence for 3 weeks shouldnt have that big of an effect, especially since we’re used to him having limited minutes anyway. What makes us great is our ability to function as a cohesive team, not an ensemble of nonreplaceable players. So I think we can remain optimistic. HCA isn’t that far around the corner, IF we don’t lose focus.

  • Nima K.

    I saw the 1st quarter. Splitter did well. I hope he keeps excelling.

    Haven’t seen Quinn active for a while. Hope he jumps back into the pool as well.

  • hassan

    @ Nima k.

    Man it’s a tough schedule & we can easily go 1 out of 5 in next 5 and be in a fight for HCA esp we if we do not show some defensive intensity without Duncan who is our Defensive Ace.. I was hoping to see our defense getting back to championship level or close by playoffs..

    Well it’s time for the guys(Blair, McDyess & Splitter) to step up, show some heart & protect the rim… Splitter was great today..keep it up big guy..

    Would be great to have Duncan back for the Celtics game to see how we matchup with our Finals foe…hahahaha..

    Drive for 5….Go Spurs Go…

  • Nima K.

    Although TD is a key player no doubt, but I’d be very worried if it were Manu or Tony that had been injured. We can cover the hole from Timmy’s absence, IMO, without sustaining too much damage, until TD returns.

    Godspeed and good luck to Splitter and Novak.

  • Tim in Surrey

    @Hobson et al — Are you guys crazy?! We’re six games ahead in the loss column over Boston & Chicago, with only 12 games left to play. Even if one of those teams won each of their remaining 13 games we only have to play about .500 ball to claim HCA. Boston has gone 9-4 over their last 13 and still has to play @San Antonio, @Chicago, and @Miami. Chicago has a better chance, as they’ve gone 11-2 over their last 13. But even if they managed to repeat that (a very big if), we would still only need to go 5-7 to surpass them. And they would still likely have to make it through Miami and Boston to reach us.

    We’re going to have HCA throughout the playoffs.

  • SpurredOn

    @NimaK. - I think our team can handle the upcoming schedule but I also know that they’ve lost to those teams on the road already. I also know that our team is not playing with the same urgency as other teams because they don’t have to. And I expect Pop to cut minutes in certain games for Manu and Tony. This will likely lead to some losses, especially with TD not playing. I do not expect them to finish the season on a 12-0 run (fifteen consecutive counting the three already won).

    At a minimum I’d expect even a resting Spurs team to be .500 in these final twelve games which would clinch the best overall record. Their record in these games has no bearing on their ability to make the Finals.

  • Hobson13

    Tim in Surrey
    March 21st, 2011 at 10:41 pm

    Probability says that you are right. However, by the same token, we can’t back into the playoffs playing .500 basketball. The team has to go on without Duncan and WIN games, not simply endure them. This year, every round in the West is going to be tough. Even the first round presents the possibility of going 6 games if we play Memphis or (God forbid) Portland. (We could easily win in 5 games if we play NO). The point is that we have to be playing well WITHOUT Duncan and then simply insert him back into a well oiled machine when he is healed up.

  • grego

    @hobson13,

    Spurs can play .500 ball and still be playing better than their record indicates. It’s not whether they necessarily win the games, but the hustle/fight that they put into them.

    You can win badly and you can also lose well. Heck, the winning badly gets nearly as much complaining as just losing on the message boards….

  • Pop-a-vich

    Time for some TP magic - “truffles and foie gras”

    Hope it works. :)

  • mikrobass3

    i agree with others here-tiago was open on rolls to the basket all night, but they moved away from that after the 1rst quarter. not sure why-maybe pop told them to? tiago finished well at the rim several times. i look forward to more of that the next few games.

    also, tiago looked much better on the court running with the first teamers!

    i wonder if timmy will be playing the mcdyess role next year…i.e., basically sit out the first 2/3 of the season…

    time for rj to step up and shine again like he did early this season.

  • http://www.bpifanconnect.com Alix Babaie

    Well, Pop said it best….he was waiting for the other shoe to drop and it did, right under Duncan’s ankle!

    But, having said that, this gives the Spurs the opportunity to work Novak, Blair and Splitter even more to give our team that depth that many of the teams in West will sorely lack.

    I am not sure if I am alone in feeling this but Novak is a clutch, double nutted stud! That guy was hitting his shots at an awesome clip.

    I can even foresee some moments when you can have Bonner and Novak out on the court at once, raining threes. Novak had some good moments on D and Bonner has definitely picked up his defensive efforts.

    This team will be able to use its full arsenal these next couple of weeks to give the aforementioned some competition against quality playoff opponents in Denver, Portland and Memphis.

    Splitter was a rebounding fool last night! I am looking forward to seeing Splitter, Blair, Novak and the crew wrecking shop and showing the NBA how deep the best TEAM in the NBA is and that it is not a fluke that the Spurs have a 57-13 record!

    Gottlieb and Golic had a “fact or fiction” segment this morning talking about “Now that Duncan is injured if this is DEFINITELY the Lakers conference to lose”?

    Figures, the only time the national pundits can talk about the Spurs is to prop up the fucking Lakers.

    Will be so glad when the Spurs take their ass apart in the WCF!

  • Hobson13

    grego
    March 22nd, 2011 at 12:02 am

    I understand what you are saying. We could go 6-6 throughout the rest of the schedule having lost all 6 games by 5pts or less and be playing great ball. However, I find that unlikely. A teams record is usually a great indicator on how a team is playing. We’ll see what happens. I have a gut feeling that the Spurs may surprise us with Duncan out. It sure would be a huge confidence boost for the team to go 9-3 or even 8-4 over this tough stretch.

  • Sarge

    It’s not like Duncan’s out for the season. And they’re already talking about how it’s the Lakers conference to lose? Good Lord.

    Besides, doesn’t Kobe have a bit of an injury himself? What happens to that team if he goes down…

    …actually, I’ll answer my own question. I suspect that the Lakers would be more consistent, but not as good. Kobe tends to either shoot his team into games our out of games. These days, it’s kind of a crapshoot. But he does make them better. The mean is higher for that team with Kobe, but so is the standard deviation.

  • Colin

    Sarge

    Don’t talk yourself out of the Lakers being “not as good.” They are playing scary good right now and are looking like they should have all season. If Bynum shows up like he has, we will be in for a very, very tough series of which we will be underdogs.

    Kobe Bryant defies the laws of all statistics that you stated. He is an outlier whom the mean and standard deviation don’t apply when given a 7 game playoff series. They might be taken to 7 games unexpectedly such as Houston ’09 or OKC ’10, but he simply is the difference maker.

    The Lakers have him and the other teams don’t.

  • Sarge

    @Colin:

    That’s effectively what I’m saying, though. If Bryant goes down, they would be a more consistent team, but not as good. If he’s in there, there are nights where they could have been better, and then they have nights where they’re unbeatable because of what he brings.

    No question that, even without Bryant, the Lakers would be a tough out. That frontline is stout.

  • http://48minutesofhell.com midwestfan

    Why is everyone saying this is a blessing its never good when your franchise player goes down. Even if it opens up time for Splitter Beims and I am too was one of the ones who wanted to see what he can do. But not at this cost Timmy is not a spring chicken. May be and thats a big maybe if this happen when he was 25 not 35 I would then call it a blessing. Tim may be hobbled the whole playoffs. Is that want we really want

  • tradetp…not right now

    Does anyone with REAL information know the status and timetable on Tim?

    It is what it is. Negatives are obvious. Tim has been playing great all year. We dont want it to be psychological on offense or defense. We dont want to wait for him to get his rhythm back. And we dont want conditioning to be an issue. Biggest issue I have will be team chemistry during absence and return.

    POSITIVES: Like someone mentioned earlier it will give us a shot to see who can help out down low, and get us more minutes from younger guys. We could possibly see a Taigo and Blair combo for extended minutes, that would be nice.

    Crutches doesnt sound too reassuring.

  • Colin

    Sarge

    Gotcha.