Spurs' Tony Parker (hamstring) to return Tuesday vs. Pistons
San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker will return on Tuesday against the Pistons after missing 13 of the team's last 16 games with a hamstring injury, Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Parker, 32, was injured on Dec. 5 against the Grizzlies and Tuesday will be the third time he has attempted to return from the injury. He played on Dec. 12 against the Lakers and sat out the next five games. He scored 26 points against the Clippers on Dec. 22, but he has not played since aggravating the injury on Christmas against the Thunder.
“Tonight’s the night,” Parker said after the team’s Tuesday morning shootaround. “It’s been very frustrating.
“It never happened to me before, that long, but it happened and I’m happy that, hopefully, it’s behind me,” Parker said.
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In 21 games this season, Parker has averaged 16.2 points and 5.2 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field for the defending NBA champions. The Spurs have gone 7-9 since Parker's injury.
Parker's absence has been magnified with reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard also out of the lineup with a hand injury. Leonard hasn't played since Dec. 15 and reportedly could return to basketball activities later this week.
The Spurs are 21-14 and in seventh place in the Western Conference.
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- Paul Palladino
