UPDATE: Manu Ginobili out 10-14 days with strained hamstring

It’s not a regular season without a Manu Ginobili injury.

He tweaked his left hamstring with just a minute to go before halftime of the Spurs win on Sunday night. He did not return for the second half. You had a feeling with Ginobili’s age (35) and injury history he would be out a little while. The only question was what is a little while.

Ginobili himself answered that on twitter Monday:

Just finished with the MRI. Grade 1 strained left hamstring. 10/14 days out. Will be back shortly. Thanks 4 ur support!!

— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) January 14, 2013

Missing 10-14 days would have him back just before the Spurs head out on the nine-game rodeo trip in early February. If Ginobili were out longer and missed part of that trip (or all of it), nobody would be shocked.

Stephen Jackson said after the game Ginobili would be missed but the rest of the Spurs bench has to step up. From the San Antonio Express-News:

“It sucks,” said Jackson, “but it’s a part of the game. I’m glad it’s a strain and not a pull. He’ll be back a little quicker. But we have to step up. One person won’t be able to fill Manu’s shoes for what he does. Me, Gary (Neal), a couple other guys off the bench have to do it collectively.”

The Spurs get the big picture — at 29-11 they are playoff bound, they need to be healthy when it comes time and they will give 35-year-old Ginobili all the time he needs. Hamstrings can be tricky because they take a while to heal and can be aggravated easily. You have to rest it and be sure.

So this could take a while.