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After a 17-3 start, they’ve dropped 13 of 24 games. Last night, they lost to the lowly Seattle SuperSonics-and that was the good news.

Before yesterday’s match-up in the Emerald City, Coach Gregg Popovich announced star point guard and NBA Finals MVP Tony Parker could be out indefinitely with an ankle injury.

So could a Mighty Mouse help the Spurs go on their usual end-of-year run?

Reports indicate free agent Damon Stoudamire is close to inking a deal with San Antonio. Instead of serving as Parker’s backup, the table-setter could play major minutes as soon as he signs.

Stoudamire’s shooting, passing, and ability to run an offense would immediately help. Over the years, he’s developed into much more of a professional, too.

But Stoudamire hasn’t played since the end of December and will need time to round into form. Also, the veteran is a smaller point guard, so I wonder how he’ll fit in Popovich’s defensive system.

The best short-term fill-in for Parker would’ve been reserve guard Brent Barry. Remember, the combo guard manned the one-spot in Seattle after Gary Payton was traded to Milwaukee in 2003.

However, Barry is also out with injury. The Spurs are hoping Stoudamire can lift them out of their current rough patch.

Is Stoudamire the answer for San Antonio? Get at us in the comment box below.

The AM Take is Oly’s morning thoughts on the NBA, appearing Sunday through Friday on HoopsVibe.com. Errors can be attributed to the time and his need for another coffee. Click here to get his AM Take and subscribe to his blog.