San Antonio, TX (Best E Casino) - The San Antonio Spurs will reportedly have to play without guard Manu Ginobili until December, and possibly longer.

The San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich expects Ginobili to be sidelined until mid-December at the earliest as he recovers from arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle. Ginobili underwent the procedure on September 3 to correct a posterior impingement of his left ankle.

The reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year originally suffered the injury in the Spurs' playoff series with the Phoenix Suns. After a rehabilitation program, Ginobili was cleared to play in the 2008 Olympics. He then aggravated the injury in a semifinal loss to the United States during the Olympics and did not play when Argentina downed Lithuania in the bronze medal game.

Following the conclusion of the Olympic Games, Ginobili returned to San Antonio and an MRI conducted confirmed that he had aggravated the injury but there was no additional damage to the ankle or the ligament.

The 31-year-old French star averaged 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 74 games for the Spurs last season -- all career highs for Ginobili, who is entering his seventh year in the league.