Tony Parker hopeful for Game 4

What a mild hamstring strain really means for Tony Parker.

Tony Parker had an MRI today that revealed a Grade 1 hamstring strain on his right leg. Tony said that he is hopeful to play in Game 4 and will not make any absolute remarks about his playing time until tomorrow.

If Tony plays, then he’s not playing more than 25-30 minutes. Popovich will rely on guys like Manu Ginobili and Gary Neal to help pick up the pace and run the offense with Parker sidelined. Parker has been running the pick-and-roll perfectly, allowing his decision making to shift Miami’s defense and get the ball to open shooters around the wings. Players like Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green benefit from having Parker on the floor, but without him, their offense is less spread out and more easily contained by Miami’s pressure.

Despite Tony’s offensive prowess, San Antonio relies heavily on Parker as a team leader and captain of their overall morale. With Parker held to minute’s restriction, the team might look sluggish and less confident than they were in Game 3. This Spurs team does not have the LeBron James swagger like the Heat, but rather a classy, very patient and mentally tough mindset; that all starts and ends with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. Popovich instills that confidence mentally throughout his team, and Tony is able to mastery and emblematically portray that on the court. Without his intensity and facilitating abilities, they will look as dazed as the Heat were last night.

If I am the Miami Heat, I don’t prepare any differently though. Spoelstra’s squad got beaten not by Parker, but by the entire Spurs team. The Heat must make several adjustments whether or not Parker plays. But obviously, if he sits more than usual, the Spurs will need to play a bit more on their heels and let the game come to them. Parker is the heart beat of the Spurs: he keeps the blood pumping and manages the game perfectly so that his team is always in a position to win (Game 2 excluded, of course).