duncan228
12-11-2008, 01:38 AM
Ginobili golden against Hawks (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_win_on_near-empty_tank.html)
By Jeff McDonald
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich summoned Manu Ginobili into his office early Wednesday evening, and Ginobili knew what was coming next. Popovich, all powerful in the Spurs’ universe, was about to unilaterally decree an end to forever.
Five games after Popovich announced Ginobili would be a starter “in perpetuity,” the league’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year would be headed back to the bench against Atlanta.
Ginobili accepted that familiar news with a familiar shrug, and a familiar sound bite.
“Whatever is best for the team,” he said. “Sometimes I prefer coming off the bench.”
Returned to his old role, Ginobili also returned to being himself.
In his ninth game since returning from ankle surgery, Ginobili turned in his finest outing of the season, pouring in 27 points and five 3-pointers to help the Spurs hold off Atlanta 95-89 at the AT&T Center.
In doing so, the Spurs (13-8) ran their winning streak to four games, matching their longest of the season.
Dead-legged and dog-tired, having survived a double-overtime thrill ride of a victory at Dallas a night earlier, the Spurs needed every ounce of Ginobili, plus 19 points and 11 rebounds from Tim Duncan, plus 15 points and three key fourth-quarter baskets from Michael Finley to also survive the Hawks.
Joe Johnson had 21 of his 29 points in the second half, as Atlanta (12-9) rallied from a nearly game-long deficit to pull within two in the final minute.
“Both teams were really dragging, neither were really sharp,” said Popovich, noting that the Hawks had also played the night before in Houston, albeit in a game that lasted 48 minutes. “I was glad to see our guys hang in there and get it done.”
As he was for breathtaking swaths of last season, Ginobili provided the emergency fuel for a Spurs team running on empty. He had 14 points in the fourth quarter.
“Manu carried it for us,” said Duncan, who was playing in his 1,000th game, including playoffs. “He loves games like that.”
Early in the second quarter, Ginobili showed signs of what was to come. He crossed over Atlanta’s Josh Smith at the top of the key, then completed a rain-drawing layup over the NBA’s top shot-blocker.
Other moments were vintage Ginobili, but in another way. Later in the quarter, Ginobili swept up a loose ball at the defensive end, bounced it behind his back on the way to leading a break — and ended up dribbling it into the breadbasket of Atlanta’s Acie Law for one of his four turnovers.
“Sometimes I force it a little bit,” Ginobili said. “That’s how I’ve always been. I’m not proud of it, but it’s me.”
But so too was Ginobili’s work at the end of the game.
Johnson had just tossed in a layup, cutting what had been a 10-point Spurs lead moments earlier to 87-85 with 54.2 seconds left.
The Spurs responded, as they often have over the past seven seasons, by handing the ball to Ginobili.
It was partly by necessity.
Tony Parker was out of the game, having been replaced by rookie George Hill for the stretch run after enduring his roughest outing of the year that didn’t end with a sprained ankle. Parker, who had been brilliant of late for the Spurs, had six points on 3-of-13 shooting.
“He just had a tough night,” Popovich said. “That’s allowed. He’s a human being.”
And so, needing a basket to put the pressure back on Atlanta, the Spurs cleared out for Ginobili.
What followed was pure, pre-surgery Ginobili: He raced by Flip Murray, pirouetted past Al Horford, and finished a layup that made it a four-point game.
From there, the Spurs were able to close out the game with free throws, and Ginobili had four of them.
Ginobili suspects he will be back in the starting lineup Friday night at Minnesota, but he says he can’t be sure.
“Who knows?” he said. “A week ago, we said I was the starter for good. That changed after five games.”
Something else has changed since then as well. Ginobili, for the first time this season, is back to being Ginobili.
By Jeff McDonald
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich summoned Manu Ginobili into his office early Wednesday evening, and Ginobili knew what was coming next. Popovich, all powerful in the Spurs’ universe, was about to unilaterally decree an end to forever.
Five games after Popovich announced Ginobili would be a starter “in perpetuity,” the league’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year would be headed back to the bench against Atlanta.
Ginobili accepted that familiar news with a familiar shrug, and a familiar sound bite.
“Whatever is best for the team,” he said. “Sometimes I prefer coming off the bench.”
Returned to his old role, Ginobili also returned to being himself.
In his ninth game since returning from ankle surgery, Ginobili turned in his finest outing of the season, pouring in 27 points and five 3-pointers to help the Spurs hold off Atlanta 95-89 at the AT&T Center.
In doing so, the Spurs (13-8) ran their winning streak to four games, matching their longest of the season.
Dead-legged and dog-tired, having survived a double-overtime thrill ride of a victory at Dallas a night earlier, the Spurs needed every ounce of Ginobili, plus 19 points and 11 rebounds from Tim Duncan, plus 15 points and three key fourth-quarter baskets from Michael Finley to also survive the Hawks.
Joe Johnson had 21 of his 29 points in the second half, as Atlanta (12-9) rallied from a nearly game-long deficit to pull within two in the final minute.
“Both teams were really dragging, neither were really sharp,” said Popovich, noting that the Hawks had also played the night before in Houston, albeit in a game that lasted 48 minutes. “I was glad to see our guys hang in there and get it done.”
As he was for breathtaking swaths of last season, Ginobili provided the emergency fuel for a Spurs team running on empty. He had 14 points in the fourth quarter.
“Manu carried it for us,” said Duncan, who was playing in his 1,000th game, including playoffs. “He loves games like that.”
Early in the second quarter, Ginobili showed signs of what was to come. He crossed over Atlanta’s Josh Smith at the top of the key, then completed a rain-drawing layup over the NBA’s top shot-blocker.
Other moments were vintage Ginobili, but in another way. Later in the quarter, Ginobili swept up a loose ball at the defensive end, bounced it behind his back on the way to leading a break — and ended up dribbling it into the breadbasket of Atlanta’s Acie Law for one of his four turnovers.
“Sometimes I force it a little bit,” Ginobili said. “That’s how I’ve always been. I’m not proud of it, but it’s me.”
But so too was Ginobili’s work at the end of the game.
Johnson had just tossed in a layup, cutting what had been a 10-point Spurs lead moments earlier to 87-85 with 54.2 seconds left.
The Spurs responded, as they often have over the past seven seasons, by handing the ball to Ginobili.
It was partly by necessity.
Tony Parker was out of the game, having been replaced by rookie George Hill for the stretch run after enduring his roughest outing of the year that didn’t end with a sprained ankle. Parker, who had been brilliant of late for the Spurs, had six points on 3-of-13 shooting.
“He just had a tough night,” Popovich said. “That’s allowed. He’s a human being.”
And so, needing a basket to put the pressure back on Atlanta, the Spurs cleared out for Ginobili.
What followed was pure, pre-surgery Ginobili: He raced by Flip Murray, pirouetted past Al Horford, and finished a layup that made it a four-point game.
From there, the Spurs were able to close out the game with free throws, and Ginobili had four of them.
Ginobili suspects he will be back in the starting lineup Friday night at Minnesota, but he says he can’t be sure.
“Who knows?” he said. “A week ago, we said I was the starter for good. That changed after five games.”
Something else has changed since then as well. Ginobili, for the first time this season, is back to being Ginobili.