OKLAHOMA CITY - Tony Parker is dinged up again, and his status is unclear heading into the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Nike Roshe Run Comprar Portugal . The San Antonio Spurs All-Star point guard did not play in the second half or overtime of the Western Conference finals-clinching win over Oklahoma City on Saturday because of a sore left ankle. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich doesnt know what shape Parker will be in for Game 1 on Thursday in San Antonio. "I have no idea," Popovich said Saturday night. "I dont know what the deal is." Popovich said Parker sprained the ankle in Game 4 and aggravated it in Game 5. Popovich considered starting Manu Ginobili at point guard in Game 6 against the Thunder because Parker was having trouble during pregame. At halftime, Popovich made the decision to hold him out. "He came to me about eight minutes on the clock (before the second half) and said he couldnt go," Popovich said. "He couldnt cut. He was limping on it. He couldnt cut sideways or forward really." Popovich said he thought playing Parker in the second half would have hurt the team in the long term. "I didnt want him to be a hero because he was 50 per cent or less, we thought," Popovich said. "Thats probably bad for the team if you think about it. It was a tough decision to try to figure out whether to play him, and if you lose the game and it affects him for Monday night, then youre going to feel like you made an unwise choice." Parker has been plagued by injuries this year. He averaged 16.7 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 50 per cent from the field during the regular season, but he missed 22 games. He strained his left hamstring in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Portland and did not return. The Spurs won that game easily to clinch the series. Once again, his teammates bought him some rest. Had the Spurs lost Game 6, they would have faced an elimination game at home Monday against the Thunder. "We didnt know how much Tony was hurt in his ankle," forward Boris Diaw said. "But we didnt want to go to Game 7, and we didnt know if he would be ready to play if we did or if he would be 100 per cent, so we tried to get it over with tonight." Still, the Spurs have proven all season they can win without key players, posting the NBAs best record despite a series of injuries. "We have to continue to play basketball regardless of who is on the floor and our reserves did a great job - Cory (Joseph), Patty (Mills) - they stepped in and continued to run the offence and push the pace and playing good defence on their guards as well," guard Danny Green said. Joseph started the second half of Game 6 against Oklahoma City and helped engineer a 37-point third quarter. "Cory was very good," Ginobili said. "I mean, its hard to play when you dont have many opportunities to play in close games and stuff. But he did very well in Game 3 and 4 here. He always brings the juice, aggressiveness, competitiveness. He attacks the rim well. I think he made a few key plays." The Spurs said they excel without their stars because they are about a system, rather than individuals. "We have been doing what we did the whole year, which is passing the ball to each other, getting some movement, getting pace and getting into a good rhythm," Diaw said. "Always trying to set up a good shot for a teammate." Nike Air Max 90 Hyperfuse Portugal . - Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade had 23 points apiece, and the Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers 101-95 on Wednesday for their sixth straight win. Nike Air Force 1 Preço . Left guard Clint Boling tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a 17-10 victory in San Diego on Sunday. The Bengals put him on injured reserve Tuesday.With the Super Bowl over for another year and our mighty hockey teams about to chase after Olympic gold yet again, it seems a little strange to be talking about “team” when it comes to figure skating. When you think teams you imagine a group of people who all shop at the same jersey store and move together in a large pack with a common goal, which is usually scoring goals. But at these Olympic Games the idea of becoming a team in figure skating makes perfect sense because of a new event called, shockingly, the Team Event. Now before you get your mind all fired up with images of Patrick Chan spinning through the air and passing off a baton to Tessa Virtue as she floats by on the back of Scott Moir, I must tell you that it is not quite that interactive. And there are a few rules. First, teams are made up only of skaters who have qualified in their own discipline and will be competing at the Games. Canada will be able to choose its team members from the three men, two women, three pairs and three dance teams that it is sending to Sochi. One man, one woman, one pair and one dance couple from each qualified country will skate their short programs. Before the long program, two of the disciplines can be changed out. For example, Canada might choose to have different skaters compete in the long in the mens and womens events, meaning the pair and dance teams could not be changed. They skate, scores are given, math happens and voila, medals are handed out to the team with the highest total. If that sounds like it lacks a tad in the creative aspect of team play you would be right. Skaters are expected to pretty much repeat the exact same program, with maybe a few new elements, when they compete inn their non-team events for the individual medals. Nike Air Force 1 Low Portugal. Just for fun imagine the six members of the “team” all skating at once wearing matching uniforms... oh wait, thats hockey. If it all seems like it needs some intrigue, then consider that when picking the team certain questions of strategy come to mind. If you use only your best skaters, do you risk taking away from their chances for individual medals? With two possible changes before the long programs, do you split the duties up for the pair teams because they have their individual event first and have the least amount of time to recover ? Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won Olympic gold in Vancouver but lost recently to the Americans at the Grand Prix Final. Do you keep them away from a head-to-head before their actual event? If youre Patrick Chan, reigning world champion in search of a gold medal, do you throw all those quads and hope you have some more left when your individual event begins on Day 6? I bet you that it would be a tad easier to make these decisions if you already knew who the other teams were... hmm? Personally, I am very excited for this team event. Not only is it more figure skating for fans and another chance at an Olympic medal for these athletes and the country they love, but it is going to be fun. It will bring the skaters together in a way that has never happened before in our sport. Those key decisions I mentioned will keep the water cooler conversations rolling. Oh, and I can hardly wait for the inevitable team chants. " Jump up high / Spin down low / Go Team Canada / Go! Go! Go! " Hey, its our first time at this team thing, give us a break. wholesale nfl jerseyswholesale jerseys ' ' '
