Tony Parker Injury News: Player to Miss the Rest of Playoffs After Severe Tendon Injury
The San Antonio Spurs will have to make a major adjustment for the rest of the National Basketball Association playoffs this year as one of their main playmakers, Tony Parker, is down due to a serious injury.
At the 8:52 mark of the last quarter during the Spurs' second semifinals game against the Houston Rockets, Parker went down badly after a shot. Right when Parker landed, he went lying down in pain and reached for his left knee.
On Thursday, the team announced that Parker's MRI revealed the veteran has "suffered a ruptured left quadriceps tendon." With that, Parker will not be able to help the team for the rest of the NBA playoffs.
Parker had to be carried by his teammates to the locker room after his bad fall. Before leaving the game, he was able to contribute 18 points, three rebounds and four assists to the Spurs win that tied the series, 1-1.
After the Wednesday game, before the diagnosis was even out, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich already said Parker's injury is "not good," according to NBA.com.
Meanwhile, his teammates have shared their thoughts about the incident as well as their messages for Parker.
Teammate Manu Ginobili shared, "I saw him right after the game and he was in pain. He still couldn't put weight on his leg. He was struggling to walk."
Another teammate, Pau Gasol, told Parker to "get well soon" in a social media post.
Meanwhile, Houston's James Harden has also shared his concern about his fellow baller, saying (via ESPN), "You never want to see a player injured, especially a guy like TP, who is closing down at the end of his career. He's been playing well all postseason. It's tough. We say a prayer for him."
Luckily for the San Antonio Spurs, their forward player, Kawhi Leonard, stepped up his game last Wednesday and made 34 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Leonard's stats helped a lot to seal a win for his team, 121-96.
Popovich and his players will have to quickly make an effective gameplan without Parker to advance in the playoffs. On Friday, the Spurs and Rockets face each other again for their third semifinals game at the latter's home court.
