The San Antonio Spurs currently have the second best record in the NBA (41-8), and they seem to be one of the top contenders for the NBA title. With the way the Spurs roster is constructed, it would seem as though nothing could stop them from at least the Western Conference Finals... accept injuries, of course. The Spurs have an older roster, so they are certainly susceptible to injuries, and some of their older players have been hit by the bug. Tim Duncan has already missed the last five games with knee soreness, and now Manu Ginobili is expected to miss more than a month with a groin injury, according to Joe Reinagel of KENS 5.
Ginobili suffered the injury in the Spurs game on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, a game in which they won 110-97. The 38-year-old guard played 22 minutes in that game, which is more than he has been playing for most of the year. On the season, Ginobili is averaging just 19.7 minutes per game. In the locker room after the game, some of the Spurs were concerned about the injury, as they seemed to have a very serious tone when discussing it, according Tom Osborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
Tony Parker said "it doesn't look good" after the game, and Gregg Popovich was very unsure about what exactly happened. Now, a timetable for Ginobili's return is being reported at 4-6 weeks, and it could be even longer than that, as he is an older player and groin injuries tend to be tricky.
On the season, Ginobili has appeared in 43 of the Spurs 49 games, and he has been an integral part of the team off the bench. The 14th year veteran is averaging 10.1 points, three rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. Ginobili considered retiring before this season, but luckily for the Spurs, he did not because he has been great this season.
In Ginobili's absence, Jonathon Simmons and Kyle Anderson will likely see a bigger role, and ultimately, the Spurs will likely be fine in the short-term. The concern here is the long-term effect this could have Ginobili down the stretch of the season and into the playoffs. Ginobili is not playing big-time minutes for the Spurs, but he is still a crucial part to their bench, and the Spurs need him if they are going to make a title run.
