By JD

As we all know by now, Tony Parker will miss 4 weeks with an ankle sprain.  Parker has been the heart and soul of the Spurs, leading them to the best record in the NBA.  Parker was even getting legitimate talk for the MVP, which will now of course quiet down.    The Spurs are an extremely deep team, again no big news there, with a lot of veteran leadership capable of holding the ship together while Parker gets better.  But if the Spurs want to hold onto the best record in the league, and momentum, they’ll need Manu to save the day once again. 

If you’ve followed the Spurs this season, you’ve noticed that the Spurs have become very sufficient without Manu.  Whether its coach Pop saving Manu for the playoffs, or realizing that Manu can’t stay healthy enough to rely on, the Spurs have made an effort to look at Manu as a luxury, not a necessity.   Danny Green has become a very reliable shooting guard, with guys like De Colo and Mills part of the guard rotation.  But the time for keeping Manu on the shelf is over, at least for the next 4 weeks with Parker in street clothes. 

As we all know, Manu has the ability to carry this team for awhile, and as deep as this team is, he doesn’t have to carry a big load.  What the Spurs need mainly is a closer, someone to take over a game when it’s close.  Manu still won’t start, but that’s ok, as I stated he needs to be closing not starting.  The good news is the Spurs are in the middle of a 6 game homestretch, and its always easier to score at home.  The real test will be the road games, when the home crowd is electric, and the Spurs are in a tight game with a real contender.  Can the old Manu come back, take the game over, hit the big 3, drive to the hole, and be a superstar once again? 

Time will tell, but if Manu does step up, and shows he’s still got some juice in the tank, this will look great for not only the Spurs chances this month, but more importantly the Spurs chances come playoff time.  Coach Pop didn’t want to do it, but he’s going to have to unleash Manu a lot earlier than planned.