Its CLEAR how important Ginobili is to the Spurs now....

[lebomb]

He brings those intangibles that noone else on the Spurs can........crazy off balance shots that GO IN, unparalled passing, key 3pt plays. Im afraid things look very bleek without him. :depressed

There really isnt a replacement for Manu at all on our team........... Mason? :sleep

Im kinda down about all of this right now................. :sick

[sonic21]

an allstar who was in the 3rd all nba team last year is important? really?

[spursbird]

Face the reality. Manu won't be back this season.

[BadOne]

He brings those intangibles that noone else on the Spurs can........crazy off balance shots that GO IN, unparalled passing, key 3pt plays. Im afraid things look very bleek without him. :depressed

There really isnt a replacement for Manu at all on our team........... Mason? :sleep

Im kinda down about all of this right now................. :sick
Same here. Mason is an upgrade over Brent Barry with the 3 point shooting only, but the guy has no driving skills, and no impressive passing vision.

Manu is the true X factor of this team.

[Illusionarist]

Yeah. Manu is the power source of the team. In fact he is the reason for which i became a Spurs fan at first. He is an amazing player who has all the ingredients that the rest of the Spurs team is missing like driving the lane, creating shots for himself and others e.t.c.

[1Parker1]

Manu would not have helped the Spurs yesterday. Maybe the Spurs would have lost by 20 instead of 35 or whatever the final number was.

The problem isn't targeted to any of the Big 3. The problem is with the supporting cast the Spurs have surrounding the Big 3. They are either over the hill (Finley), unproven in the playoffs and clutch situations (Bonner), inexperienced (Mason Jr.) or terrible at defense (Finley, Gooden, Udoka, etc).

If you look at the supporting cast the top teams in the league have, it's clear almost all of them have an edge in that department over the Spurs. Spurs tried to sacrifice defense with more offensive minded players. Problem is...the offensive minded players they picked are lacking...well offense. So now, they play even worse defense and worse offense.

[Agloco]

He brings those intangibles that noone else on the Spurs can........crazy off balance shots that GO IN, unparalled passing, key 3pt plays. Im afraid things look very bleek without him. :depressed

There really isnt a replacement for Manu at all on our team........... Mason? :sleep

Im kinda down about all of this right now................. :sick

You failed to mention his defensive presence. The key steal down the stretch, deflections and the occasional block. Those intangibles are what the Spurs really miss. He's not a great one on one defender, but as an off the ball defender, he was the best the Spurs had. And he was pretty good at it too.

Possibly most important: He was the sole reason that the second unit didn't suck balls and lose every lead given to them as they do now. Imagine Manu and Gooden out there running the two man game.......

Manu as we knew him is more than likely done. Hell be back, but in a much more benign form.

[Agloco]

Manu would not have helped the Spurs yesterday. Maybe the Spurs would have lost by 20 instead of 35 or whatever the final number was.

The problem isn't targeted to any of the Big 3. The problem is with the supporting cast the Spurs have surrounding the Big 3. They are either over the hill (Finley), unproven in the playoffs and clutch situations (Bonner), inexperienced (Mason Jr.) or terrible at defense (Finley, Gooden, Udoka, etc).

If you look at the supporting cast the top teams in the league have, it's clear almost all of them have an edge in that department over the Spurs. Spurs tried to sacrifice defense with more offensive minded players. Problem is...the offensive minded players they picked are lacking...well offense. So now, they play even worse defense and worse offense.

Maybe lost by 11 vs 21 you mean?

But he would have helped in Game 1 no doubt.

[kace]

1) so we're a better team with manu ? What a scoop !! surely deserves its own thread, like after everye spurs loss


2) Manu wouldn't make us win with this Tim. Obviously, yestarday the WHOLE team was so awful that anyone could have saved us. but if Tim is at 2-9 and 2 rebounds No one can help us.

G2 was so-so for Tim but he was decent on defense and we could hope he wasn't forcing it too much since tony was so hot. but yesterday, where everyone including tony was sucking, he couldn't show up. THAT's worrisome. and manu absence has anything to do with that.

[it's me]

1) so we're a better team with manu ? What a scoop !! surely deserves its own thread, like after everye spurs loss


2) Manu wouldn't make us win with this Tim. Obviously, yestarday the WHOLE team was so awful that anyone could have saved us. but if Tim is at 2-9 and 2 rebounds No one can help us.

G2 was so-so for Tim but he was decent on defense and we could hope he wasn't forcing it too much since tony was so hot. but yesterday, where everyone including tony was sucking, he couldn't show up. THAT's worrisome. and manu absence has anything to do with that.

:sleep

You’re right…. Only thing we need a PG that can guard a fucking scrub like Barea.

[benefactor]

Capt. Obvious thread....

[kace]

:sleep

You’re right…. Only thing we need a PG that can guard a fucking scrub like Barea.

1) Mason was guarding him tonight

2) i'm not sure a 10 ppg scorer in this serie is the main and only problem the spurs have to face. sure, his 13 points were the reason of the 30+ points lead yesterday.

[twincam]

He brings those intangibles that noone else on the Spurs can........crazy off balance shots that GO IN, unparalled passing, key 3pt plays. Im afraid things look very bleek without him. :depressed

There really isnt a replacement for Manu at all on our team........... Mason? :sleep

Im kinda down about all of this right now................. :sick

I'm trying to understand the fact that Manu was not needed for game 2 after winnning by 21 pts. So, how can you elaborate this?

[it's me]

1) Mason was guarding him tonight

2) i'm not sure a 10 ppg scorer in this serie is the main and only problem the spurs have to face. sure, his 13 points were the reason of the 30+ points lead yesterday.

1- Let see genius…. Why do you think Mason was guarding this scrub???
2- I get it… all Tony homers think the game consist in scoring only.

[porscha]

the problem is the WHOLE team sucks big time last night, if manu was there he probably might get hurt again by fight his life to get some points...ALONE!
manu is not god, he can't do it alone but I can pretty much imagined that he will not sit there like a dummy and being an quitter like everyone else.

[tlongII]

Any fan of Manu should now root for Rudy Fernandez. They have similar styles and Rudy will still be in the playoffs this year. All is not lost. Root for Rudy! :tu

[timaios]

1- Let see genius…. Why do you think Mason was guarding this scrub???
2- I get it… all Tony homers think the game consist in scoring only.

Because Tony was on Kidd, you know... the PG of Dallas.

[kace]

1- Let see genius…. Why do you think Mason was guarding this scrub???
2- I get it… all Tony homers think the game consist in scoring only.

1- because tony is our best (only ?) scorer and Pop didn't want him to work too much on defense against the very mobile Barea ?
since it's the mavs gameplan to make tony work on defense, as they've publicly said many times in this serie, i guess it's not a bad idea from Pop.

2. I get it....... all Tony haters always think the key in every spurs loss in the opponent that Tony was guarding. here it's even more stupid, since the mavs win is caused by the one Tony SHOULD have guarded. You're a troll. just like Spork Killer. no different.

[it's me]

Because Tony was on Kidd, you know... the PG of Dallas.

wow.... how smart..... because..... ??? did you watch game-1?
we all know Mason can't guard a dead body.

[Rogue]

Because Tony was on Kidd, you know... the PG of Dallas.
exactly. The only thing Tony Longoria can use to beat Kidd is just his speed, but he seems to have already lost it in game 1. I think Tony Longoria got a minor injury in his foot or knee, which badly affacts his moves and speed. and the injury even got aggravated in game 2, it really was a smart move for Pop to give up the game last night, both TD and Tony Longoria got considerable minutes resting on bench last night.

[ElNono]

Any fan of Manu should now root for Rudy Fernandez. They have similar styles and Rudy will still be in the playoffs this year. All is not lost. Root for Rudy! :tu

Rudy is in Portland, not San Antonio.
Thanks but no thanks.

[vander]

take away the 3rd best player from any team and they will suffer, problem is, manu was "taken away" even when he was on the court, he wasn't the manu of 03-07 and he never again will be, not even close.

we had a very slim chance to win it all with Manu, and we have a very very slim chance to win it all without him

[Agloco]

Any fan of Manu should now root for Rudy Fernandez. They have similar styles and Rudy will still be in the playoffs this year. All is not lost. Root for Rudy! :tu

Completely unwarranted cockiness after getting owned in your own gym to start the postseason, then following it up with a nailbiter just to escape with a split at home.......

[Bukefal]

I dont think so, yes its a big loss without manu, but dont see him as the saviour who is lost, i think even with manu, it would have been the same as now.

[lebomb]

I think Manu in the game changes everything. Just his presence. Noone knows what the hell he is going to pull.......sometimes those little things he does starts the momentum and the Spurs just feed off of it.

Yeah maybe the Spurs would have lost yesterday.........but they would have WON game 1. So it would be 2-1 Spurs right now.

[lebomb]

Capt. Obvious thread....


You would be surprised. I work at a good sized company, and tons of people were saying the Spurs could still win it all without Manu. I was like WTF? are yall talkin about. It aint gonna happen. :rolleyes

[timaios]

take away the 3rd best player from any team and they will suffer, problem is, manu was "taken away" even when he was on the court, he wasn't the manu of 03-07 and he never again will be, not even close.

we had a very slim chance to win it all with Manu, and we have a very very slim chance to win it all without him

Manu didn't play a lot of games this season and he will not play this summer.
He will be well rested to start the 2009-10 season.
I think with all the problems he had for 1 year (playoffs vs Lakers, olympics, half season with Spurs, no 2009 playoffs) he will be really hungry.
And it's a contract year !
He is a true competitor and i think he's gonna be a beast next season !

[hater]

Any fan of Manu should now root for Rudy Fernandez. They have similar styles and Rudy will still be in the playoffs this year. All is not lost. Root for Rudy! :tu

Rudy Fernandez is a pussy. and this is coming from his cousin. my last name is Fernandez too.

pussy!

[temujin]

Any fan of Manu should now root for Rudy Fernandez. They have similar styles and Rudy will still be in the playoffs this year. All is not lost. Root for Rudy! :tu



I do like Fernandez.
He won't be around much longer, though.
This is not an economy in which you can have village teams hang around too much.
NBA is a business, above all.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Any fan of Manu should now root for Rudy Fernandez. They have similar styles and Rudy will still be in the playoffs this year. All is not lost. Root for Rudy! :tu

:lol:downspin:

Nothing alike. And Rudy will NEVER be close to Manu :lmao

[urunobili]

Rudy will NEVER be close to Manu

U got your facts right... :wakeup

[Spursmania]

Manu was definitely an integral part of the team. He is sorely missed.

[bdictjames]

Manu makes everyone's life easier. End of story.

[SenorSpur]

We all know how important Manu is to the Spurs. His skills and contribution cannot be replaced. However last night had nothing to do with Manu's absence. Just as losing to the Fakers, in last year's WCF, had nothing to do with his injury. Manu's greatness simply masks the bigger issue with the deficiencies of this roster. Even he wouldn't have helped last night.