Ginobili's finger "in bad shape"

Dec 23, 2007 - 4:15 PM SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The injury-ravaged San Antonio Spurs may have to adjust to life without Manu Ginobili.

The Spurs' top reserve, Ginobili suffered a sprained left index finger in Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

X-rays were negative, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich admitted that Ginobili's finger is "in bad shape," according to a report early Sunday morning on the San Antonio Express-News' web site.

"It's like having a sprained thumb," Popovich told the newspaper. "You keep hitting it and hitting it, and it never gets healed. He's having a hard time grasping the ball, holding the ball, shooting the ball, that sort of thing."

Ginobili aggravated an injury that he initially suffered December 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Although he did not miss any games, the Argentine swingman had been hampered by the sprain over recent weeks.

Ginobili left Saturday's 99-90 victory after swiping at Clippers guard Brevin Knight with 4:27 left in the first quarter.

"We were hoping that he was turning the corner," Popovich told the Express-News. "He was playing through it, and he really got whacked hard tonight.

"So now he's back to square one, and we'll just wait and see how he feels."

Ginobili, 30, has averaged 19.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists - all career highs - in 26 games this season for the reigning NBA champion Spurs.

Earlier Saturday, San Antonio received a bit of good news concerning point guard Tony Parker, who returned from a four-game absence to score 18 points against the Clippers.

The 2007 NBA Finals MVP, Parker had been sidelined with a sprained ankle.