Aldridge a late scratch before Friday night’s game
January 5, 2018 Updated: January 5, 2018 9:25pm
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been unabashed this season in his praise for power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
“He’s having an All-Star season,” Popovich said. “He has carried the load. We have had so many people in and out in and different lineups, and he has been one steady factor, both scoring-wise and defensively, rebounding, a leader on the bench.”
On Friday night, Popovich rewarded Aldridge for what the coach called his “fantastic” effort with a rare night off to rest.
Aldridge, who leads the team in scoring (22.2 points), rebounding (8.4) and blocks (1.1), was a late scratch for the game against the Phoenix Suns.
It was just the second game Aldridge has missed this season. He also sat out the Dec. 3 loss at Oklahoma City to rest.
The Spurs also faced the Suns without guard Danny Green (tightness, left groin) and forward Rudy Gay (right heel bursitis).
Given the Spurs schedule, it was a logical spot to rest Aldridge. The Spurs, who completed a three-game Eastern road trip Wednesday night, headed out of town again after Friday night’s game for a three-game Western trip that starts Sunday night in Portland.
Bigger picture eyed: While there are concerns that their injuries will prevent them from building the chemistry and cohesiveness needed to go far in the playoffs, the Spurs are taking their most recent injury setbacks in stride.
Friday night marked the fourth game in a row Gay has missed and the second straight game Green has sat out.
“We do have to hit the road running at some point, but for now it’s just making sure that everyone is healthy, that we are all good to go later in the season when the playoffs hit,” guard Patty Mills said.
The silver lining is the injuries continue to give other players opportunities to step up, Mills said.
Kyle Anderson and Bryn Forbes started in place of Aldridge and Green, respectively.
“It’s definitely different than what we have dealt with in the past, but everyone is going about it the right way — professionally,” Mills said.
Gay is expected to miss two weeks after an MRI late last month revealed retrocalcaneal bursitis in his right heel. Popovich indicated during the East coast trip Green could also be out for an extended period.
Green, who has missed a total of seven games this season because of his nagging groin injury, said he isn’t sure how long he will be sidelined.
“I just follow boss’ orders,” Green said.
Winter woes: Having just endured day after day of freezing temperatures in Detroit, New York and Philadelphia, Mills isn't complaining about the cold snap in San Antonio the last few days.
“This is summer compared to what we’ve been through the past few days,” Mills said at shootaround Friday morning. “Wind-burned lips, everything. Losing my tan.”
The Spurs flew out of Philadelphia on Wednesday night on their private jet just ahead of a fierce winter storm that included hurricane-force winds known by meteorologists as a “bomb cyclone.” The massive storm brought commercial travel to a standstill in some areas while also causing massive power outages and flooding.
“I was totally oblivious to it. I had no clue,” Mills said of the storm. “I was just trying to stay warm, get on the plane and get out. Then I saw it yesterday morning, and I was like, ‘Wooh, that must have been close.’ ”
Tom Orsborn is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | [email protected] | Twitter: @tom_orsborn
Tom Orsborn
Sports reporter | San Antonio Express-News