Gary Neal Update

Without an opportunity to get some contact work in for Gary Neal in a practice session, the Spurs on Monday assigned the second-year shooting guard to their Austin Toros team in the NBA D-League.

Neal underwent an appendectomy on Dec. 12. He has been doing conditioning work for the past week, but the team’s medical and basketball staffs want him to have some game-type contact before suiting up for a game with the Spurs.

The Spurs have recalled Gary Neal from Austin after two practice sessions with the NBA Development League team.

Neal will be eligible to play for the Spurs Wednesday night against Golden State. It will be his first game action since his appendectomy on Dec. 12.

“I feel good,” Neal said after a workout Tuesday at the Spurs Training Center with the Toros. “I’ve been working out for about a week and a half now and my wind is coming now. My surgery has healed up pretty good and I feel good now.”

The move was hastened after Manu Ginobili broke the fifth metacarpal in his left hand in the loss at Minnesota Monday night. Neal likely will be the major substitute at shooting guard behind James Anderson, who Coach Gregg Popovich said will be his starter while Ginobili is out.

After the surgery, Neal said he’s not exactly sure where he is physically.

“I can probably answer that question after my first game,” Neal said. “All of the working out and practice time is nothing compared to actually playing in the game. Nothing is like game shape and the only way to get into that is by playing in games.”

Neal also could receive some playing time at point guard, where he worked out during the summer.