HoopsHype.com Rumors

Tony Parker took three questions at shootaround on Thursday morning. He gave the same answer each time: “I’ll be ready to go.” Exactly how ready remains to be seen after Parker was diagnosed with a Grade I right hamstring strain on Wednesday. But the Spurs will at least have their All-Star point guard in some capacity as they attempt to build on their 2-1 lead over Miami in the NBA Finals. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Like Parker, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was tight-lipped about the All-Star point guard’s condition outside of his availability. Popovich’s expectations? “Same as any other player,” he said. “I want him to do his job.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, Injuries 

Gary Neal said the Spurs are thrilled to have Parker on the court, even if he’s less than 100 percent. “He’s one of the best players in the NBA,” Neal said. “At times, especially when he’s going, he’s pretty much our entire offense. We pretty much feed off him. That’s a big brick off our shoulders.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries, Gary Neal 

NBA stars Tony Parker, Jason Kidd, Chris Bosh and Grant Hill have featured in past matches, as well as notable soccer names like Thierry Henry, Claudio Reyna, Robbie Rogers and Patrick Vieira. Nash is keeping mum about this year’s rosters, though said if he could choose just one international star to come out, it would be Lionel Messi (obviously). For The Win

Los Angeles Lakers, Chris Bosh, Tony Parker, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Grant Hill 

Rod Boone: Tony Parker said Popovich "prefers we take no risk" and that if this was regular season, he wouldn't play tomorrow. "We'll see," he said. Twitter @rodboone

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Michael Eaves: #Spurs G Tony Parker underwent an MRI this morning. It confirmed a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. He's listed as day-to-day. #nba #heat Twitter @MEavesFSWest

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Jeff Caplan: Tony Parker on MRI results: "Good news it is not a TEAR." Says now a waiting game to see how he feels for Game 4 on Thurs. #NBAFinals Twitter @Caplan_NBA

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Ryan Wolstat: Cory Joseph said he's ready if required to play bigger minutes because of Parker injury. Said year has been huge progression Twitter @WolstatSun

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries, Cory Joseph 

Marc J. Spears: Spurs G Tony Parker has hamstring injury and will have MRI at 10 am cst Wednesday. Says he is uncertain about playing in Game 4. Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

The point guard who has been their driving force all season long suffered a right hamstring injury early in the second half and will have an MRI on Wednesday to determine his status for Game 4 on Thursday in San Antonio. And with all due respect to the breakout star of the night, backup point guard Gary Neal, there's simply no way the Spurs can finish this job and win their fifth title without Parker. "I felt something in my hamstring," Parker said afterward. "Hopefully it's nothing big, just cramping or got tight on me. It was a weird feeling. I just went to make sure with the doctor I was ok. Then I played like two minutes in the fourth quarter. We were up big, (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich) didn't want to take any risks. We'll see tomorrow." USA Today Sports

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

The Spurs starting point guard said he expects to continually ice the injury until Game 4 on Thursday night. It was an injury he said that was different than he has endured this season. “I don’t know,” Parker said. “It was just weird. Hopefully, I just got tight and I’ll be fine.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Injuries 

Marc Stein: Spurs confirm that everyone has indeed arrived at arena. But heavy traffic did delay Duncan, Parker and others from normal early arrival Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan 

Somebody brought Heat fans the heads of Eva Longoria for Sunday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Then, security collected those heads after a few minutes. The reason for Longoria’s head on a stick? A potential distraction for San Antonio star point guard and Longoria ex-husband Tony Parker when he got to the free-throw line. Memphis fans carried the oversized Longoria heads during their team’s Western Conference final loss to San Antonio. Miami Herald

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Eva Longoria 

Though some members of the Heat Xtreme Team pep squad helped distribute the Parker-targeted props Sunday, the Heat said this wasn’t a team production at all. Heat spokesman Tim Donovan said: “Someone who paid to go attend the game [at AmericanAirlines Arena] brought them and were handing them out. He asked members of the Xtreme Team to hand them out, which they did. Until we saw what was going on, then we stopped it. We said, ‘No, we’re not doing this.’?” Miami Herald

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Eva Longoria 

Dan McCarney: French reporter to Pop: Why did you scream so much at Tony? Pop: Are you related to Tony? He makes $900 million a year. The hell with Tony. Twitter @danmccarneysaen

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich 

“We have enough experience to understand how valuable this opportunity is,” Tony Parker said. “We realize it’s going to be tough. They’re going to play with a lot more energy. It’s always easier to bounce back after a loss. We just have to make sure we match their energy, keep it close and see what happens in the fourth quarter.” San Antonio Express-News

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker 

Dan McCarney: Parker: I'm really proud of Danny Green. We had him, cut him, had him, cut him again. He showed a lot of toughness. Twitter @danmccarneysaen

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Danny Green 

The Heat got plenty out of LeBron James on Thursday, plenty enough in most circumstances, but reporters wouldn’t be so fortunate Friday. They kept pressing James about the plan for Game 2 against the Spurs, and how it might differ from the one for Game 1, when his 18 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and three minutes of stifling late defense on Tony Parker somehow added up to a 92-88 defeat. “We’ll see what kind of game plan I come out with on Sunday,” James said. “It would be dumb of me to reveal it today.” The Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James, Tony Parker 

Dan McCarney: Parker, more on Duncan: This will always be Timmy's franchise. Always. (The team) should do a statue for him outside the AT&T Center. Twitter @danmccarneysaen

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan 

Tony Parker is in the middle of a $20 million lawsuit over the blowout fight between Drake and Chris Brown at W.i.P. Nightclub in NYC. Parker says he suffered lacerations to his cornea when a glass shard from a bottle struck him in the eye. When Parker filed the suit, he was halfway through a $50 million contract with the Spurs ... and his future seemed uncertain given the eye injury. Parker is suing the club, claiming it was negligent in not preventing the brewing brawl. TMZ.com

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Law