Matt

Bonner

Bonner has been hitting from deep lately, but it’s anybody’s guess if he can carry that momentum over to the other side of the break.

Bonner has hit four or more triples in 3-of-5 games, averaging 2.8 bombs over that span. Give him a look if you’re deficient in that area, but realize he can go cold at any time.

This is the first we’ve heard about Bonner having issues with his back so we’re going to call it a day-to-day injury at this time. DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan should all see an increase in minutes with Bonner out.

Splitter left scoreless in three minutes. In his absence the Spurs will rely heavily on DeJuan Blair, Tim Duncan and Matt Bonner, but hopefully he won’t be out long -- the Spurs’ next game is on Monday.

As with anybody on the Spurs right now, there is an inherent amount of risk in using any of them. Green, Kawhi Leonard (two points, rebounds, and assists with a steal), Stephen Jackson (12 points, full line including five steals, two blocks), James Anderson (11 points, five boards), Gary Neal (12 points, three treys), Matt Bonner (three points, one trey), DeJuan Blair (six points, three boards), Patty Mills (nine points, three treys, three assists), and Tiago Splitter (eight points, three boards) each have a case that can be made when guessing who’ll play the last two games. But that’s all it is -- a guess.

Splitter’s calf strain doesn’t sound as severe as the one Andrea Bargnani has dealt with, but it’s always a tricky injury. The Spurs will be forced to mix-and-match up front as they don’t want to overextend Tim Duncan. Matt Bonner and DeJuan Blair are in line for heavy minutes over the next couple weeks.

Bonner got hot 2-3 weeks back, hitting 15 triples in a four-game span, but since then has averaged just under 2.0 threes per game in February before tonight. If you’re desperate for threes, give him a look in hopes you can catch him at the right time.

Splitter was originally tagged with a two-week timetable from Feb. 20. It sounds like he’s on track to return sometime next week. Once active, Splitter will cap the upside of quality spot-starts DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner.

Based on the way coach Gregg Popovich is talking, the San Antonio Express-News is not expecting to see Splitter before the All-Star break. Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner and DeJuan Blair all project to see a little boost in playing time. Splitter was playing 20.6 minutes per night off the bench.

DeJuan Blair would see increased action at center with Matt Bonner (back) also seeming an uptick in minutes as well if Splitter can’t play. This is the first we’ve heard of Splitter dealing with a bad back, so the Spurs may just be exercising caution here.