SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James fought back tears. Former President Bill Clinton offered condolences. Craig Sager's daughter tweeted that she was "just sick" over the news.Such is the regard that so many, from so many walks of life, have for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose 67-year-old wife, Erin, died Wednesday after a long battle with a respiratory problem.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."Added San Antonio's Tony Parker: "It puts everything in perspective. It's way bigger than basketball."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with Game 3 in San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for the game. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Clinton reached out on Twitter to the coach and his daughters: "I join the NBA... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James fought back tears. Former President Bill Clinton offered condolences. Craig Sager's daughter tweeted that she was "just sick" over the news.Such is the regard that so many, from so many walks of life, have for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose 67-year-old wife, Erin, died Wednesday after a long battle with a respiratory problem.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."Added San Antonio's Tony Parker: "It puts everything in perspective. It's way bigger than basketball."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with the playoff series shifting to San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for Game 3. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Clinton reached out on Twitter to the coach and his daughters:... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James fought back tears. Former President Bill Clinton offered condolences. Craig Sager's daughter tweeted that she was "just sick" over the news.Such is the regard that so many, from so many walks of life, have for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose 67-year-old wife, Erin, died Wednesday after a long battle with a respiratory problem.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."Added San Antonio's Tony Parker: "It puts everything in perspective. It's way bigger than basketball."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with the playoff series shifting to San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for Game 3. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Clinton reached out on Twitter to the coach and his daughters:... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Latest on the San Antonio Spurs and coach Gregg Popovich, whose wife died at 67 (all times local):1 p.m.San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker says he has always viewed coach Gregg Popovich and his wife, Erin, as like his mom and dad.Parker broke in to the NBA when he was 19. He says Erin Popovich's death this week at the age of 67 is very emotional. He spent time with the family on Wednesday night.The Spurs will be without Popovich for Thursday night's Game 3 at home against Golden State. The Warriors won the first two games of the playoff series.Parker says the Spurs will do their best to get a win for Popovich.___NoonSan Antonio Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili says when the time comes, the team will play — even as they mourn the loss of Erin Popovich, the wife of coach Gregg Popovich.Ginobili says family is first, and it's hard to prepare for Thursday night's Game 3 against Golden State. Popovich will not be on the sideline with the team, which is down 0-2. Erin Popovich... [More]

Kawhi Leonard has a new team, and Gregg Popovich isn't the coach.This is where the San Antonio Spurs are at right now, as this impasse between the franchise and its best player continues even as the season is almost certainly winding down. There are only questions, no answers.How is Leonard doing? The Spurs act like they don't know. Leonard isn't saying, either. He hasn't been around the Spurs so far in these playoffs, rehabbing in New York, and Popovich is deferring questions to "Kawhi and his group."That's ironic. Unwillingness to answer certain questions is part of the Spurs' mystique. Popovich can be an interviewer's dream or an interviewer's nightmare, but now, it's the Spurs who are the ones seemingly frustrated by the lack of answers. Their best player was barely around this season, and with the Spurs looking almost certain to be knocked out of the playoffs soon by Golden State an offseason of what's next is looming.Leonard won't be on the floor for the Spurs in Game 3 when their... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Kawhi Leonard is continuing his injury rehabilitation in New York with his own team of doctors, but is unsure when the star forward and "his group" will clear him to play."I don't know when he's going to feel, he and his group are going to feel like they're ready to go," Popovich said Sunday prior to a game against Houston. "If I knew, he'd be here. When he and his group feel he's ready, he'll be ready."Leonard has missed all but nine games this season while nursing right quadriceps tendinopathy, an injury that flared up late in the offseason. He returned to the team's lineup briefly but has not played since complaining of soreness in his injured thigh following the Spurs' home win over Denver on Jan. 13.Leonard opted to go to New York this week to work with his own team of doctors for the second time this season after first working with them prior to the All-Star break in February. The Spurs' medical staff has been present for both of... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge will have an MRI on his injured left knee, with the San Antonio Spurs hoping they won't be forced to try to make the playoffs without another star player.Aldridge left the Spurs' 116-106 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night with a bruised left knee, the latest blow in a season that has included Kawhi Leonard being limited to nine games with a nagging quadriceps injury. Aldridge is the biggest reason San Antonio's season hasn't been derailed by Leonard's absence — and a tough schedule ahead makes the matchup-nightmare center's status worth watching."He's been playing with that bad knee for a while now, so hopefully it's not too bad," guard Tony Parker said. "We're going to need him vs. OKC."The Spurs host the Oklahoma City on Thursday and Houston Rockets on Sunday before visiting the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. They're sixth in the Western Conference with the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Clippers and Denver Nuggets behind them in... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Gregg Popovich is not changing how he coaches, not after 22 seasons leading the Spurs.The NBA's most tenured steward is always going to focus on defense. He's always going to dismiss talk of his brilliance because "it's just basketball." And he's not going to overwork his players even though an unprecedented rash of injuries has the Spurs battling for their playoff lives for the first time in two decades."At this point, he's not changing," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It's a formula that has worked quite well. They have great veteran leadership and they pass it along to the young guys. You see the young guys are growing. That's why they're so good."They're not as good as they have been, but their impressive success this year is a testament to Popovich.San Antonio has been without MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard for all but nine games this season and Tony Parker, Rudy Gay and Danny Green have all missed significant time with various injuries. In all, the Spurs have... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard plans on returning "soon" from a leg injury, after missing all but nine games so far this season.Leonard held an impromptu, four-minute press conference Wednesday following Spurs practice. He won't travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip to Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston.But the 26-year-old Leonard says his return is imminent."Soon. I don't have a set date right now," he said. "But I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. The progress that I'm making has been great."He's been riding a stationary bike and participating in three-on-three drills to simulate the physical contact of games, but has done so with staff members and "not my players."The Spurs have struggled without their star forward. Other teammates with various injuries have included Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, Danny Green and Kyle Anderson. San Antonio has lost seven of its last 10 games, falling from third to fifth in the Western Conference.Leonard... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard plans on returning this season and wants to remain with the Spurs for life, refuting reports of dissension with the star forward and the only franchise he has played for.Leonard has missed all but nine games this season with right quadriceps tendinopathy, which initially flared up late in the offseason.Leonard made the remarks during an impromptu, four-minute press conference Wednesday morning following Spurs practice. He will not travel with the team on the upcoming three-game road trip to Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston, but said a return is imminent."Soon," Leonard said of his return. "I don't have a set date right now, but I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. The progress that I'm making has been great. So, I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing."He has been riding a stationary bike and participating in three-on-three drills to simulate the physical contact of games, but has done so with staff members and "not my players."Leonard denied... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard plans on returning "soon" from a leg injury, after missing all but nine games so far this season.Leonard held an impromptu, four-minute press conference Wednesday following Spurs practice. He won't travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip to Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston.But the 26-year-old Leonard says his return is imminent."Soon. I don't have a set date right now," he said. "But I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. The progress that I'm making has been great."He's been riding a stationary bike and participating in three-on-three drills to simulate the physical contact of games, but has done so with staff members and "not my players."The Spurs have struggled without their star forward. Other teammates with various injuries have included Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, Danny Green and Kyle Anderson. San Antonio has lost seven of its last 10 games, falling from third to fifth in the Western Conference.Leonard... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Spurs are preparing to play without star forward Kawhi Leonard this season, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.Leonard has missed all but nine games this season as he battles right quadriceps tendinopathy."We only have X number of games left this season and he's still not ready to go," Popovich said Wednesday. "And if by some chance he is, it's going to be pretty late into the season and it's going to be a tough decision. How late do you bring somebody back? That's why I'm just trying to be honest and logical. I'll be surprised if he gets back this year."Tendinopathy is a disease of the tendon that includes tenderness and pain, particularly during exercise.Leonard began experiencing discomfort in his leg late in the offseason, which caused him to sit out the team's training camp and preseason. Neither Leonard nor the team knew the severity of the injury, which forced the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year to miss the first 27 games of the season.Leonard... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kawhi Leonard is headed back to the sidelines, and he'll stay there until his leg is ready.The San Antonio Spurs decided to shut their All-Star forward down Wednesday, saying Leonard would be out indefinitely as he continues his recovery from injury."We didn't feel he was ready. His confidence level wasn't there, so we decided to give it some more time," coach Gregg Popovich said before the Spurs played the Brooklyn Nets.Leonard has played in just nine games after missing the beginning of the season because of right quadriceps tendinopathy. He also was sidelined briefly because of a shoulder injury.Popovich said Leonard hadn't sustained another injury, but also didn't seem confident in his ability to play at the level that had him finishing third in the voting for NBA MVP last season."He didn't reinjure it or anything but he was having pain, but not right after games, but maybe the next day at noon or that kind of thing and so the pain wasn't dissipating," Popovich said.... [More]

Isaiah Thomas' debut with Cleveland last week came with the same rules as when Kawhi Leonard rejoined the Spurs.His coach could use him, just not too much.Both were playing under the dreaded minute restrictions, which coaches learn to accept but will never learn to love."It really is a pain in the neck," San Antonio's Gregg Popovich said.Popovich has dealt with it this season with Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green. In their cases, as well as Thomas, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and others returning from injuries, the team's medical staff gives the coach guidelines for how much workload they can handle and how often — a challenge even for a coach who's been at the forefront of resting players."It's difficult because it's very strange to try to figure out rotations. You can't do it," Popovich said. "You want to put somebody on the court, but you can't because of minutes, so you put somebody else on the court that shouldn't be on the court based on matchups or what you're trying to do defensively... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid went from doubtful to dominant, using a sprained right hand that nearly sidelined him to instead rock the rim, swat shots and stop the Spurs."I want to be out there with them. I don't want to quit on them," Embiid said.Ruled out by the 76ers before tipoff, Embiid made the call to push through and play, and then dealt San Antonio a rare bad hand in Philadelphia. Embiid had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 76ers to a 112-106 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night.The Sixers needed all 35 minutes from Embiid to knock off short-handed San Antonio and snap a 12-game losing streak to the Spurs.It was the same old Embiid during the 76ers' fast start. He grabbed a rebound and had a putback for the first score of the game and had six points and six rebounds in the first quarter.He slammed home an alley-oop in the third and never even looked at his hand as he sank a free throw to finish the play."I was fine. Nothing to worry about," Embiid said.Embiid, who blocked... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was in the starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night after his coach said he was "very doubtful" to play because of a sprained right hand.Embiid had said his hand was swollen and it made him unable to shoot. Embiid, who leads the Sixers with 23.9 points and 10.9 rebounds in 27 games, was hurt Saturday when he took a hard fall against the Suns.Coach Brett Brown said before the game that Embiid was not likely to play. Embiid used a soft touch to sink a couple of shots during pregame drills, and that was enough to convince the Sixers he could play through the injury."When you see it, you see the bruising on his palm," Brown said. "When you go back and look at how he fell, you're surprised that's all it is. It's a club hand. And it's his shooting hand."The Sixers had been used to playing without their cornerstone center. He missed his first two seasons with foot injuries and was limited to 31 games last season.... [More]

G Tony Parker hit for 14 points for the Spurs.

G Tony Parker scored 14 points for the Spurs (24-11).

G Tony Parker, recovering from a quadriceps injury, will play the second of back-to-back games Thursday at Utah after sitting out Wednesday.

G Tony Parker scored a season-high 16 points in Monday's win over the Los Angeles Clipppers. Parker shot 7 of 9 after resting in Saturday's win over Dallas. In his previous two games, Parker was 4 of 13 from the field and Monday was the fourth time he hit for double figures since making his season debut Nov. 27.