Manu Ginobili Talks LaMarcus Aldridge's Injury, Says Spurs 'Really Need Him'

After losing LaMarcus Aldridge to a knee injury during Tuesday's 116-106 loss to the Washington Wizards, Manu Ginobili didn't mince words regarding where the San Antonio Spurs stand without their star forward.  

Per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News, Ginobili said the Spurs are in trouble if they have to play without Aldridge for a substantial period of time:

“Considering the way he's been playing and our recent success in those games, we are at the point where if LaMarcus gets a cough, a cold, we are in deep trouble. Hopefully, it's not serious because it's going to be really tough to score without him and we have tough games against teams that need to win. We really need him.”

Aldridge will undergo an MRI on his left knee after leaving Tuesday's game in the second quarter, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.

Spurs guard Tony Parker noted after the game, via Whyno, that Aldridge has been playing with a sore knee for some time. 

With the uncertainty surrounding Kawhi Leonard's quad injury, Aldridge's health is even more vital for the Spurs to remain in the playoff hunt. He leads the team with 23.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. 

Following their loss to the Wizards, the Spurs are 43-32 this season. They currently own the sixth seed in the Western Conference with seven games remaining and just a single game separating them from the eighth-place Minnesota Timberwolves.