Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will have surgery on his left ankle next week to repair ligament damage and is expected to miss more time than initially thought, according to San Antonio Express-News.

Ginobili told an Argentine newspaper that he expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, but sources familiar with the procedure claim that he will be out for two to three months.

That means that Ginobili, the reigning NBA Sixth Man Award winner, is almost certain to miss all of the team's training camp and preseason.

San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili admitted on Friday morning that the only way his ankle will fully recovery is if he has surgery, according to SpursReport.

"I had imaging studies done on my ankle and basically, the studies indicate that the ligament is just as it was two months ago, when I had the first resonance," Ginobili said in an interview with Argentina's Spanish language newspaper, La Nacion. "It is not worse, that's important. Now the issue is that it's not better either and it seems that the only way to recovery fully is to have surgery."

No date has been set for the surgery, and he doesn't even know who will perform the procedure at this point.

"Today, I am not hurt the ankle while walking," explains Ginobili, "but when I try to run or jump it does."

He expects the recovery time to be six-to-eight weeks, but he could end up missing the first few games of the 2008-09 season.

"I understand the frustration," says Ginobili. "I understand that I may miss some games, but participating in the Olympic Games was very important. Any athlete who has the possibility to experience the Olympic Games should not reject it. There will be people who understands you and other people who do not."

Spurs' guard Manu Ginobili doesn't regret opting to play for Argentina during the Olympics on a bum ankle, according to San Antonio Express News.

"I'm so proud, so happy to represent our country the way we did it, in accomplishing the big goal, which was to get to the podium," Ginobili said. "They said that for us, it would be once in a lifetime. For us, it was two times in a lifetime, so we are very happy."

The Spurs plan to re-evaluate the status of Ginobili's ankle this week, but his first priority is already to get some rest.

Manu Ginobili claims that his relationship with Spurs' Coach Gregg Popovich is fine, according to a report in the Rocky Mountain News.

Popovich had spoken out about not wanting his prized guard to play in the Olympics because of a lingering ligament problem in his left ankle.

"I talked to Pop, and he's definitely fine," Ginobili said. "He understands the whole situation. He understands the way I feel about all of this (playing for his country). I bet my (butt) that if Pop was a player, he'd have done the same thing. I'm totally sure about what I've done. I'm proud, and I'm happy."

Ginobili did not play in the bronze medal game after aggravating his ankle on Friday against the USA.

"I can walk. I can jog even," Ginobili said. "But running like you need to run in a game like this, I couldn't. So I didn't try to be a hero... I only could have damaged the team."

Spurs' guard Manu Ginolibi said after Argentina won the bronze medal on Sunday that he will be heading to San Antonio for more tests on the strained ligament in his left foot, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.

Ginobili injured the foot early in Argentina's semi final loss to the United States, who won the gold on Sunday.

It is the same injury that hobbled him at the end of the Spurs? season.

?It?s a little messed up, but it will be fine,? he said after the game. Ginobili tried several treatments on Saturday ? which he called ?a very long day? ? but nothing worked.

?I had some pain in it this morning, and icing it didn?t help,? he said. ?I tried to run, but I still couldn?t. I didn?t want to hurt the team by trying to play.?

Playing without star guard Manu Ginobili, Argentina led by as many as 24 before settling for the 12 point win over Lithuania in the bronze medal game, 87-75.

Carlos Delfino, who was fantastic against America, led the bronze medalists with high 20 points, while Houston Rocket Luis Scola had 16 and Chicago's Andres Nocioni had 14.

For Lithuania, Ramunas Siskauskas scored 15 and Rimantas Kaukenas 14.

Former Mavericks second round pick Nick Fazekas, who finished the season last year with the Los Angeles Clippers, is currently working out with the San Antonio Spurs in an effort to stay in the league, the Denver Post is reporting.

When asked whether he was anxious he had yet to sign a contract or comfortable letting an offer come in before NBA training camps open on Oct. 1, he said: "A little bit of both."

"I've got faith in my agent, that he will put in the best possible situation," Fazekas said.

He said his goal is to play in the NBA next season, but he might take a look at playing overseas if an NBA team doesn't come calling.

"If I had to go to Europe, it's not the end of the world," Fazekas said.

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have re-signed guard Michael Finley.  Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

The 6-7, 225-lb Finley was one of two Spurs (Fabricio Oberto was the other) to appear in all 82 games during the 2007-08 season.  He averaged 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 26.9 minutes and shot .414 (315-761) from the field, .370 (132-357) from three-point land and .800 (64-80) from the line.

After the first three quarter-finals resulted in blowouts, Greece and Argentina provided the best game of the Olympics.

With the game tight all night, both sides were able to come up with clutch play after clutch play, and it was ironic that this game would come down to the very last shot before deciding the winner.

Former Rocket Vasileios Spanoulis could not connect from distance with three seconds to go, giving Argentina the two point win and a showdown with the United States for a chance to play in the gold medal game.

Carlos Delfino showed NBA teams what they'll miss with an amazing array of clutch shots in pressure situations to finish with 23 points (5-8 3pt, 4-6 fg), while the Spurs' Manu Ginoboli was equally amazing, coming up big whenever his team needed a big play to end the game with 24 points (6-13 3pt, 2-4 fg).

A key block with 3:44 remaining in the game by Ginobili on what seemed to be a certain two points for Greece could have changed the result.  Argentina led by one point at the time.

Greece led by a single point at both quarter time and half time, Argentina led by a single point after three quarters, before taking the game by two points.

Both teams shot amazing from long distance, with Argentina finishing the game at 44% (14/32), while Greece finished at 42% (8/19).  The fact that most attempts were under pressure and at crucial times makes the percentages even more impressive.

Greece were led by Antonios Fotsis, who made some big three point baskets on his way to 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Free agent Michael Finley will reportedly remain with the Spurs, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

Front office sources revealed on Friday afternoon that Finley  and the Spurs have reached terms on a new deal that has been submitted for league approval.

Finley was coveted by a number of teams, but his final choices appeared to be either San Antonio or Boston.