Timmy out Wednesday and Pop talk

Tim Duncan won’t be in the lineup Wednesday when the Mavs visit San Antonio for the first time this season. Duncan injured his right knee and ankle Sunday. MRI results Monday came back negative, though the Spurs won’t have an estimate on his absence for at least another day or two.

“You just never know what’s going to happen in that situation with injuries from night-in to night-out,” said Johnson, a former teammate of Duncan’s. “It’s a part of the game.”

Speaking of the Spurs, a Chicago-area reporter asked Johnson about being referred to as a son by Gregg Popovich.

“I’m like his son, all right,” Johnson said with a broad grin. “I’ll deal with him tomorrow.”

So does Pop feel like a father … or grandfather?

“That’s a trick question,” Johnson answered. “How about if I just think about Scott Skiles tonight and what an awfully good coach he is and what an awfully good team they have, and if we don’t play with energy and rebound and run, we’re going to be in trouble.”