Spurs news and notes: Manu on Neal’s elbow, a campaign for Bonner, and more

0

• Want to win two free tickets to the San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder game in San Antonio later this month? All you have to do is follow @projectspurstiq on Twitter to enter for a chance to win.

• Express News’ Tim Griffin reports Manu Ginobili is fine after receiving an accidental elbow from Gary Neal during the Sacramento Kings game:

“It just happened,” Ginobili said. “He grabbed a rebound and was protecting the ball. I don’t know if I got pushed or something, but I ran right into his elbow.”

Ginobili crumpled to the ground after the elbow, which drew blood from his lip. After the injury, Ginobili did not return to the game.

“I was very upset because the Lakers game was tough for me. I got hit a lot and everything was sore,” Ginobili said. ” I thought I was taking this game kind of easy (at the end of the game.) We were up 15 or 20 and nothing was going to happen today and then on my last play boom, I got hit.”

• Matt Bonner is getting some support from The Basketball Jones for his spot on the 2011 NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout. Check out the Napoleon Dynamite inspired video campaign for Bonner:

Hit the jump to see the video, to read ESPN’s take on DeJuan Blair and George Hill, and more

• ESPN discusses DeJuan Blair and George Hill as two of their second-half break out candidates:

DeJuan Blair, PF, San Antonio Spurs: When I dropped Tim Duncan in the rankings last week on the assumption that head coach Gregg Popovich would limit his minutes down the stretch, I completely forgot to move the most likely beneficiary, DeJuan Blair, into the Top 130. Blair might be a little inconsistent right now, but he’s playing well enough to be owned, particularly when considering his upside potential after Pops starts giving him some of Duncan’s minutes. Not only is he averaging 9.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals over his past five games, but he also averages 15.7 rebounds per 48 minutes (good for seventh in the league) and 2.8 steals per 48 minutes (good for fifth in the league) on the year. With per-minute numbers like those, if Blair is available in my league (owned in just 20.6 percent), I’m running, not walking, to pick him up.

George Hill, PG/SG, San Antonio Spurs: With the Spurs sitting at 42-8 and seven games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks for the top spot in the West, George Hill falls into the same category as DeJuan Blair. When (not if) Pops decides to cut around five minutes per game from Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, Blair and Hill are going to be there to gobble up the minutes. Fantasy owners know Hill well from his time spent filling in for the injured Parker last season, and he should have a big second half as a scorer, 3-point shooter and steal artist as the Spurs look to prepare for the playoff push.

• The Spurs came in first in the ESPN NBA Power Rankings.