Anderson Might Be Set to Go

Down two games to none to the Lakers in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals, the San Antonio Spurs received a boost when injured shooting guard Derek Anderson went through a full practice Wednesday without any problems.

Anderson, who suffered a third-degree, right-shoulder separation in the first game of the Spurs’ second-round playoff game against Dallas May 5, said, “I was in so much pain, I didn’t think that I would be able to come back until July.”

But less than three weeks after suffering his injury, Anderson looked nearly 100% at the Spurs’ Alamodome practice and might play Friday at Staples Center.

“Must be something in his genes that allows him to do that,” San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich said. “But everybody from doctors and trainers all feel comfortable that he has all the strength and stability that he had before. If he gets through [this afternoon’s workout at Staples Center], we have to think about playing him because he will be ready to go.

“He was more aggressive today than he was the other day. When he had his first practice, he just basically ran up and down the floor and got sweaty.”

Anderson scrimmaged, got fouled a couple of times and even took a charge, which to him was his biggest test.

“[When I put] my hand back [to break the fall], that was the key,” Anderson said. “To get pushed down and then get back up.”

Anderson’s teammates couldn’t be happier to see him back. Not only did he lead San Antonio in steals and was second in scoring and assists during the regular season, he was also the Spurs’ emotional leader.

“We miss his energy and his fire,” said Antonio Daniels, who has averaged 22 points and four assists starting in place of Anderson against the Lakers. “We really miss that. We have it in the locker room, but we don’t have it as much on the floor. That stuff is big. You don’t realize how important it is until it is not there any more.”

Anderson believes he would have made a big difference in the first two games of the series.

“If you take the second leading scorer off of any team, you are going to notice a difference,” he said.

As veteran center David Robinson goes, so go the Spurs. That has been the belief around San Antonio for years and it might be even truer now against the Lakers.

Matched up against Shaquille O’Neal, Robinson averaged only 28.5 minutes of playing time in the Spurs’ two losses at home. He realizes that he has to have more of an impact.

“Every time I come out of the game it seems like they go right to the rim,” Robinson said.

“I really can’t be concerned about foul trouble. . . . If I don’t go out there and play Shaq aggressively, he’s the type of guy who will just run you over. . . . I have to go out and continue to defend him hard but I have to be a lot smarter.”