After ongoing consultation with Reality Inc, Greg Pop announces the following:
Spurs might rest Duncan, Ginobili during back-to-back games.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he will consider sitting Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili in the second game of the team's four remaining back-to-backs if the players look fatigued.
"That's the classic dilemma: You want to keep going to win the division, but what's more important? Being healthy or winning the division?" Popovich said. "So each of those situations will have to be judged by how you think Timmy's body or Manu's body are."
Duncan has struggled when having to play on consecutive nights, averaging 14.4 points on 38.8-percent shooting in the second game of the team's 12 back-to-backs. His right foot feels better, but he looked particularly slow Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Spurs' fourth game in five nights.
Popovich said Duncan's and Ginobili's "level of juice" will determine whether he decides to rest them. He's also concerned about making sure Robert Horry and Michael Finley are fresh for the playoffs.
Popovich isn't sure the Spurs' tight Southwest Division race with Dallas should be the team's priority. The winner will likely get the Western Conference's top playoff seed with the other team dropping to fourth.
"We've had the best record in the league and not gotten there (to the NBA Finals)," he said, "and not had home court and gotten there."
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
