Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers has been suspended one game without pay for striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu  Ginobili in the face, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred on Sunday, Jan. 28 with 2.7 remaining in the fourth period of the Lakers 96-94 (OT) loss to the Spurs at Staples Center.  Bryant will serve his suspension tonight when the Lakers play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Tim Duncan continued to do his part to help the Spurs Friday, totaling 26 points, 13 rebounds and a career-best nine blocks as San Antonio beat Memphis 112-96 in their final game at the AT&T Center before leaving for their annual rodeo trip.

"Tim's not going to get too vocal," Brent Barry said. "So to see these kind of games and effort from him should be a silent message to everybody that it's time to put some things together."

If the Spurs are going to emerge from their current funk in time to make a serious run at another title, they're going to do so with their current roster.

That, according to players, is what coach Gregg Popovich told the team after Wednesday's loss to Houston. The question now is whether that holds true.

"He made a statement last night that he wasn't trading anybody, that we were going to do it together, that this group of guys is going to do it as a team," Robert Horry said. "But you know how that is. I'm not saying he won't do that, but it's the nature of the business.

"If somebody came up and said, 'We'll give you Tracy McGrady,' he would be foolish not to do that."

Tony Parker, who was averaging a team-high 14.9 shots per game entering Monday, said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has asked him to focus more on distributing the ball and helping his teammates get in rhythm.

"He wants me to try to do a better job of getting everybody involved and try to take less shots," Parker said. "I try to get more shots for Michael Finley and Brent Barry and to get their confidence going."

After averaging about 19 points a game for much of the season, Parker said he's had to change his natural instincts a bit.

"I'm trying to do my best to help my team out and get something going," he said. "My offense will always come back. I just try to be more as a passer these last two games and get everybody involved."

Center Francisco Elson, who has missed the past 11 games with a right shoulder injury, could be back in uniform as soon as Friday, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

He will participate in his first contact workout today.

"If that goes well, then I think he's cleared to go," Popovich said. "On a limited basis, probably."

According to the Detroit News, the Spurs have been actively shopping Brent Barry.

The Pistons are interested in perimeter help, but reportedly not in the form of Barry.

Spurs forward Matt Bonner, whose playing time had increased in recent weeks, tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee early in the second half of his team's win over Washington.

Team officials project Bonner to miss anywhere from two to six weeks, but Popovich said, "It'll be several weeks, for sure." Bonner will undergo an MRI today to determine if there is additional damage to the knee.

Nuggets guard J.R. Smith returned from his 10-game suspension for fighting, but wasn't in the starting lineup Wednesday night against the Spurs.

Smith was at the center of the fight between the Nuggets and Knicks that spilled into the stands at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 16, which led to 10 ejections and seven suspensions.

The Mavs likely will would compete with San Antonio, Phoenix,  Miami, Detroit and others for the services of Chris Webber as soon as he is officially bought out of the remainder of his contract.

?If I?m putting myself in his shoes, he would want to compete and play for championship-caliber team,? president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. ?We?re on of those teams he could make a ?run for the roses? with.?

San Antonio guard Tony Parker sat out the Spurs' game Sunday against the Grizzlies with a strained right hip he injured in Friday's loss to the Mavericks.

"It's kind of tight and he's having a hard time pushing off," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who indicated Parker is day-to-day. "It's not long term. I don't know if it's one game or two games or what the deal is."