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By Johnny Ludden <br>
<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=211&xlc=912319">San Antonio Express-News</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <br>
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LOS ANGELES — Less than six minutes into Friday night's game against Golden State, Danny Ferry found himself standing in the most unusual of places.<br>
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Danny Ferry will relive 'Spitgate' when the Spurs visit Bonzi Wells' Blazers on Thursday.<br>
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On the court.<br>
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"When you're not sure you're going to play at all and you get thrown in the game that early, it's part shocking," Ferry said, "and part very, very exciting."<br>
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Ferry, who played 22 minutes Friday, was overdue for some excitement. After Portland's Bonzi Wells spit in his face on Nov. 9, he has primarily served as the Spurs' designated inbounder: Throw in the ball; take a seat on the bench. He didn't play at all against Atlanta or Chicago last week and totaled just 14 minutes in the five games. <br>
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"It doesn't matter who it is — if you're not playing that night, that part of the season or that year, it stinks," Ferry said. "Not being able to make an impact is very frustrating and a shot to the ego somewhat. But it's also part of being on a team. You learn to deal with it the right way so you're ready when your opportunity comes."<br>
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Ferry got his chance Friday. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, initially wanting another big body to keep the Warriors off the boards, called on him early. Stephen Jackson's erratic play prompted Popovich to start Ferry in the second half.<br>
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Ferry scored a season-high eight points while playing his most minutes since Nov. 11. His 3-pointer with just under a minute left proved to be the difference in the game. <br>
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"Danny's one of those players you can always call on," David Robinson said. "He's always ready."<br>
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Since joining the Spurs two seasons ago, Ferry has been respected for his unselfish play and his lunch-bucket work ethic. He's routinely one of the last players to leave practice, staying long after to play one-on-one or shoot. The extra work has kept him prepared despite playing only sporadically.<br>
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Because Popovich continues to juggle his rotation each game, Ferry doesn't know how many minutes, if any, he will receive this afternoon. If he does play, he likely won't receive a warm response from the Clippers fans, who continue to boo him 13 years after he refused to sign with the team. After the Clippers took him second overall in the 1989 draft, Ferry opted to play one year in Italy, where he injured his knee, then was traded to Cleveland.<br>
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"For a lot of reasons it was a good decision and for some reasons it was a bad decision," Ferry said. "But there's no sense in looking back."<br>
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What Ferry hasn't been able to put behind him, however, is watching Wells spit in his face. Wells received a one-game suspension, but Ferry was upset he didn't get the chance to retaliate on the court. <br>
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Some of the Spurs said Wells repeatedly called Ferry "a (bleeping) cracker" during the game. Warriors forward Troy Murphy has made similar accusations against Wells.<br>
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Ferry will see Wells for the first time since the incident when the Spurs play at Portland on Thursday.<br>
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"I don't even know how you resolve something like that," Ferry said. "But I don't want that to distract me from being ready to play (the trip's) first two games. When the Blazer game comes around I want to have the same focus. <br>
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"If I get in, I'm going to focus on the little things that I need to do. From there, it will probably be something where I'll have to handle my emotions a little bit." <br>
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Ferry's reunion with Wells, coincidentally, comes almost two years after Marcus Camby, then with New York, tried to sucker punch him. Camby was angry that Ferry had flailed his arms and hit him in the eye. Though Ferry has frequently been criticized by opponents for his physical play, those close to him say the two incidents have weighed heavily on him.<br>
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"I don't like being involved in it. I don't like doing interviews about it. I don't like anything about it," Ferry said. "I'm going out there to try to play basketball, and I've had two incidents where it turned into more than that. From my perspective, I still don't know quite why.<br>
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"I try to play aggressive and I'll use my body. That's the way I can be successful out there. But I'm not out there to hurt anybody."<br>
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For now, Ferry would like to put Wells behind him and enjoy the remainder of what likely will be his final season in the NBA. The Spurs, who are paying him $4.5 million this season, hold a second-year option on his contract, but will not exercise it to free up salary-cap room. Ferry, who figures to retire alongside his good friend Steve Kerr and Robinson, has expressed interest in either coaching or following in the path of his father, Bob, who served as Washington's general manager from 1973-90.<br>
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"Staying in basketball definitely interests me," Ferry said. "But right now I want to enjoy playing. It's more apparent than ever to me that you can't do this forever. Why not enjoy the hell out of it?"
<p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://nl.msnusers.com/_Secure/0OwD7d!kUbmI41zzLQ6DPI*FYQ3ceK!EAGHsn7Ds1fk822dJP8FoQFBq5*nMDTPoFUQzLb73iIzUWLmz5RhMQODGBigU7lIPm/alamo50.jpg"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=blondie4spurs>Blondie4Spurs</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://homepage.eircom.net/~bray/em/orose.gif " BORDER=0> at: 1/5/03 1:08:54 pm<br></i>
