With Parker suffering from a hamstring strain, can Ginobili ease the pressure?
All eyes are on Tony Parker ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals 2013, as the San Antonio Spurs point guard hopes to recover in time from a hamstring strain picked up on Tuesday night.
The Frenchman is listed as day-to-day and sat out the majority of practice on Wednesday as he remained in conversation with Coach Gregg Popovich perhaps discussing how they would approach his recovery.
Popovich may well have to mastermind a Plan B for now as even if the 30-year-old is deemed fit enough to feature, it is likely he may still be suffering both physical and mental restraints with such an injury.
Parker is undoubtedly the leader of this Spurs team, as his tireless approach particularly on the offensive end has helped to exploit the Miami Heat.
While Danny Green and Gary Neal put on a show from downtown in Game 3, it is unlikely that the duo will experience the same freedom in those situations as the defending champions will look to produce a more energetic and aggressive performance.
That being said, should Parker be unable to influence the game as much as he would like, Popovich will have to look at other options to provide his first choice point guard with much needed rest in order to prevent the injury from worsening.
Cory Joseph can provide energy, but the youngster lacks both the experience and presence to successfully play the same role as his team-mate. While he may well be used as a starter with Ginobili remaining the sixth man, the latter must improve on his current shooting figures.
Nevertheless, as both a facilitator and scorer, Ginobili has the all-round game to help continue the momentum of Game 3 through to Thursday night. However, it will be about execution, and the 35-year-old has been struggling with his shooting and turnovers across the opening three games.
Ideally, Parker will be fit enough to perform at his highest level, but given the importance of this game, it is vital that Ginobili finds his shooting stroke in order for the Spurs to have a dependable presence at point.
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