The Spurs must accept the loss of star guard Manu Ginobili for the remainder of the season, including the playoffs, as a challenge that must be taken on, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Tuesday morning.
As devastated as the Spurs were to learn that Ginobili will not play again this season after renewed discomfort in his right ankle was diagnosed Monday as a stress fracture of the right distal fibula, Popovich is counting on his players' collective character to do what it takes to win games without one of their most important teammates.
“It's about attitude,” Popovich said. “We can do the best possible job we can of believing in each other and put out the effort that's required to win basketball games, or we can feel sorry for ourselves and say, ‘Gosh, without Manu it's going to be really difficult to reach our goals.'”
Popovich expects determination to overcome adversity and to outweigh self pity.
“That's not how the team is built, character-wise, I don't think, so we look at it as a challenge and take it on.”
