April 19--Not long after the doors opened following the San Antonio Spurs' shoot-around at Santa Monica High, Tiago Splitter stepped to the free-throw line to practice his free throws.
A few minutes later, Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich approached the media and said that Splitter was still a game-time decision for Sunday night's Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Clippers at Staples Center.
Splitter had missed the last six regular-season games with a right calf injury.
"We're just trying to figure it out, see what we're going to do with him," Popovich said Sunday morning.
If Splitter is unavailable, Popovich said he'll start Aron Baynes at center in place of Splitter.
Baynes, a brutish 6-10, 260-pounder, started 17 games for the Spurs this season.
He played in 70 games, averaging 16.0 minutes, 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds.
"Take [Baynes] and Tiago away, we're pretty small," Popovich said. "So he's [Baynes'] been very, very large keeping us afloat."
Splitter, 6-11, 245, gives the Spurs more offense than Baynes because of his ability to roll to the basket on pick-and-rolls.
Splitter averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds this season.
broderick.turner@latimes.com
