Tony Parker: Struggles among most challenging of career

Tony Parker isn't playing like his customary self. And neither are the San Antonio Spurs. 

Hamstring injuries cost Parker most of December and he's been unable to recover, turning in the worst season since his rookie year. The Spurs, on the other hand, sit in seventh in the ultra-competitive Western Conference and are at risk of having a string of 15 consecutive 50-plus win seasons snapped.

In order to reach the 50-win mark, certainly the least of San Antonio's concerns, the team will need to reel off a 14-9 finish. It's not out of the question, but it's far from a guarantee for a team that hasn't had a winning streak greater than four games over the last three months. 

The Spurs have dealt with Kawhi Leonard missing time, too, but it's not surprising they've been unable to make a move in the West as Parker has struggled to stay healthy. He's been among the linchpins of the team's decade-plus run of success.

"I've been through a lot of tough challenges in my career," Parker told Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports. "Right now, this is up there."

Parker has been held to single digits in scoring in four of his last five games. He broke out for a 19-point, five-rebound, four-assist, no-turnover game last week but followed it up with a six-point dud, shooting 3-of-13 from the field. That's the kind of season it's been for the six-time All-Star. 

The four-time champion is averaging 13.8 points and 4.8 assists with a 14.21 player efficiency rating. His turnover rate is among the highest of his career, and he hasn't had a season this miserable since he broke into the league as a 19-year-old during 2001-02. 

Parker, who had a personal trainer treat him in Mexico during the All-Star break, said players who've experienced similar hamstring issues have told him it can take upwards of three months to fully heal. 

"I have not been the same since I came back, and it's still bothering me," he said. "Everybody knows. I am not going to use that as an excuse. I am just going to work it out until it gets better."