duncan228
02-07-2009, 12:11 AM
Ginobili's foul shots flow freely (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Ginobilis_foul_shots_flow_freely.html)
Jeff McDonald
The NBA will be missing out on a showcase opportunity if it decides to leave Manu Ginobili out of its new H-O-R-S-E competition at All-Star Weekend later this month.
Few players in the world possess the trick-shot arsenal Ginobili often unveils at the end of any given Spurs practice.
Underhanded from halfcourt? Sure.
Lying on his back out of bounds? Why not?
Bounced off his head, soccer style? No problem.
But there is one shot in the game Ginobili enjoys more than any other. It comes from 15 feet away, wide open, and by rule can never be blocked.
Ginobili loves free throws. And the Spurs love for Ginobili to shoot them.
“When he's being aggressive going to the basket, he gets to the line a lot,” point guard Tony Parker said. “That's what we need from him. When Manu is 100 percent, we're a tougher team to beat.”
During his past four games, Ginobili has been to the foul line so often he could have started picking up his mail there. He attempted 48 foul shots during that stretch and made 46 of them, including 40 in a row at one point.
Not coincidentally, Ginobili will head into Sunday's marquee game at Boston on the heels of his best scoring tear of the season. He pumped in 30 points against Phoenix, 22 against New Orleans and a season-best 32 against Golden State.
For Ginobili, the surge began at the free-throw stripe.
“In a season where I am not shooting that well, I need to get some easy baskets and make things happen,” Ginobili said. “Until I start making those shots, I'm going to try to get to the free-throw line more.”
Ginobili's recent residency at the foul line is a good sign, both for the guard and for his team.
It means free points, for one — Ginobili is a 87.7 percent foul shooter this season. It is also a prime indicator that Ginobili, who in the first three months of the season was working his way back from offseason ankle surgery, is feeling good again.
“It's a sign that he's getting to the rim, being able to beat people, and creating shots for teammates,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “When you see him shooting jump shots, you know there is something wrong.”
There is a painful flip side to Ginobili's newly rediscovered assertiveness: More drives to the basket create more potential for bodily harm. His penchant for headlong, bruises-be-damned penetration is what earned Ginobili the nicknameEl Contusión in the first place.
Ginobili was one of four marquee players to sit out the Spurs' most recent game, a 104-96 loss Tuesday at Denver, after taking a pounding a night earlier at Golden State. During an overtime victory over the Warriors, he twice took awkward spills — once on defense while trying to block a Corey Maggette layup, and once on offense while drawing a foul from Ronny Turiaf.
When Ginobili awoke Tuesday morning sore from left hip to shoulder, Popovich decided to hold him out against the Nuggets.
By the time the team arrived home early Wednesday morning, for the first of two days off from practice, Ginobili was feeling much better. He participated fully in Friday's workout, and is expected to be available against the Celtics.
If all goes to plan, he should enjoy many more attempts at his favorite shot in basketball.
“I don't know if something clicked, something happened that got my confidence up, but I am getting to the rim and looking for contact,” Ginobili said. “I'm going to try to keep doing it. It's not that easy, but I'll try.”
Jeff McDonald
The NBA will be missing out on a showcase opportunity if it decides to leave Manu Ginobili out of its new H-O-R-S-E competition at All-Star Weekend later this month.
Few players in the world possess the trick-shot arsenal Ginobili often unveils at the end of any given Spurs practice.
Underhanded from halfcourt? Sure.
Lying on his back out of bounds? Why not?
Bounced off his head, soccer style? No problem.
But there is one shot in the game Ginobili enjoys more than any other. It comes from 15 feet away, wide open, and by rule can never be blocked.
Ginobili loves free throws. And the Spurs love for Ginobili to shoot them.
“When he's being aggressive going to the basket, he gets to the line a lot,” point guard Tony Parker said. “That's what we need from him. When Manu is 100 percent, we're a tougher team to beat.”
During his past four games, Ginobili has been to the foul line so often he could have started picking up his mail there. He attempted 48 foul shots during that stretch and made 46 of them, including 40 in a row at one point.
Not coincidentally, Ginobili will head into Sunday's marquee game at Boston on the heels of his best scoring tear of the season. He pumped in 30 points against Phoenix, 22 against New Orleans and a season-best 32 against Golden State.
For Ginobili, the surge began at the free-throw stripe.
“In a season where I am not shooting that well, I need to get some easy baskets and make things happen,” Ginobili said. “Until I start making those shots, I'm going to try to get to the free-throw line more.”
Ginobili's recent residency at the foul line is a good sign, both for the guard and for his team.
It means free points, for one — Ginobili is a 87.7 percent foul shooter this season. It is also a prime indicator that Ginobili, who in the first three months of the season was working his way back from offseason ankle surgery, is feeling good again.
“It's a sign that he's getting to the rim, being able to beat people, and creating shots for teammates,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “When you see him shooting jump shots, you know there is something wrong.”
There is a painful flip side to Ginobili's newly rediscovered assertiveness: More drives to the basket create more potential for bodily harm. His penchant for headlong, bruises-be-damned penetration is what earned Ginobili the nicknameEl Contusión in the first place.
Ginobili was one of four marquee players to sit out the Spurs' most recent game, a 104-96 loss Tuesday at Denver, after taking a pounding a night earlier at Golden State. During an overtime victory over the Warriors, he twice took awkward spills — once on defense while trying to block a Corey Maggette layup, and once on offense while drawing a foul from Ronny Turiaf.
When Ginobili awoke Tuesday morning sore from left hip to shoulder, Popovich decided to hold him out against the Nuggets.
By the time the team arrived home early Wednesday morning, for the first of two days off from practice, Ginobili was feeling much better. He participated fully in Friday's workout, and is expected to be available against the Celtics.
If all goes to plan, he should enjoy many more attempts at his favorite shot in basketball.
“I don't know if something clicked, something happened that got my confidence up, but I am getting to the rim and looking for contact,” Ginobili said. “I'm going to try to keep doing it. It's not that easy, but I'll try.”