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Parker expects to be ready for Spurs’ next game
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Thanks to the San Antonio Spurs’ quick series win in the Western Conference semifinals, injured guard Tony Parker is confident he will be ready for Game 1 of the conference finals.
Parker experienced left hamstring tightness Wednesday during the Spurs’ 104-82 win over the Portland Trail Blazers that clinched the series in five games.
Parker sent an injury update to the San Antonio Express-News via text message Thursday, comparing his latest ailment to a right hamstring injury he sustained last year during the NBA Finals.
“It’s OK; not too bad,” Parker said. “Not as bad as the NBA Finals. NBA Finals was a Grade 2. This one is Grade 1. So should be fine for Monday.”
The Spurs would play Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday should the Oklahoma City Thunder win their series against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 6 on Thursday. If the Clippers force a seventh game, San Antonio would be off until playing host to Game 1 of the West finals Wednesday.
Parker, 31, averaged 23 points and 6.5 assists in the first four games against Portland before leaving Game 5 after 10 scoreless minutes.
Overall in the postseason, Parker is averaging 19.3 points and 4.9 assists. In the regular season, he produced 16.7 points and 5.7 assists per game.
Last season in the NBA Finals, Parker was hampered the hamstring ailment and he struggled with his shooting as the Miami Heat rallied to beat the Spurs.
