Ginobili should lead this team.

[TwoHandJam]

At least until Parker can grow into the role. Ginobili is already a proven leader and he's a winner. I think someone else on the board brought this up as well. Duncan doesn't want the role and Tony is too young yet to step up and take charge.

Ginobili's comments in the press recently and his willingness to call out his teammates when appropriate are sorely needed. Too long has Popovich been the only one who calls out this team. Too long have we been without an Elie type on the floor. As boneheaded as Jackson was when he was with us, I've always thought one of the things we might regret most over losing him was his willingness to fire up his teammates. I've read that Pop has looked to Horry recently for leadership but he's missing the obvious choice right under his nose.

I think Ginobili makes the perfect leader whether we're healthy or not. I can imagine how frustrated he must be right now knowing he has a golden opportunity to prove his leadership qualities with Tim out and Tony flailing, only to be limited by his current injuries.

Bold prediction: If he can get healthy during this stretch with Tim out, he will become the defacto leader of our team, even after Tim returns. He doesn't have to be our best player, just our leader.

[T Park]

You mean, like tonight.

[TwoHandJam]

You mean, like tonight.
I mean exactly like tonight.

[ggoose25]

I completely agree. We need that competitive voice in the locker room getting on people and setting the right example on the court. Ginobili fits the bill, and I hope he continues to be vocal.

[T Park]

Well, Duncan seems to do a little bit of a leadership role too,

he was directing shit in the huddles from what I could see.

Parker Ginobili and Duncan were all chiming in.


I think pop must have given them a ass chewin after the other night deservedly so,
and that might have straightened them out.


ALthough, dont expect much in the way of wins the next three games.

Especially Seattle.

[T Park]

setting the right example on the court

as long as he doesn't tell other players to play intelligent basketball, and dont turn the ball over.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I think someone else on the board brought this up as well.

*cough cough*

Manu was born a leader, Pop should let him take the reigns.

[NCaliSpurs]

Manu is already a leader of this team. You want him to be the point? The coach?

[pjjrfan]

What Manu did tonight is what was missing he took upon himself to make plays to find a way to win. It got shaky there when they cut it to 7 then Barry hit a runner and then Manu just took over when he came back in right after Barry's basket late in the game. And more importantly the refs gave him some calls, of which that spectacular dunk wasn't one of them.

Manu handled the ball quite a bit in the 4th and he made some great decisions and he looked good doing it. There is no doubt who the man is on this team, it's Tim, but Manu is more of an inspirational leader a fiery type who will make the sacrifices to win the game. We need for both of them to be healthy come playoff time.

[Tek_XX]

Duncan and Manu should be co-leaders

[TMTTRIO]

I've always thought Manu would make a good leader. He plays with 100% effort and will do anything to win. We all saw this summer how he led his own team to a gold medal. The way he's been really talking lately with Tim out shows that he could lead the team. Even this quote after the game showed it

"I found the extra gear in the last quarter because I was so upset and mad at the way we were playing," said Ginobili, who also contributed six assists and eight rebounds. "We wanted to come strong and play with energy and enthusiasm and heart.

"I think we did that, but not for 48 minutes."

[SuBZer0]

It got shaky there when they cut it to 7 then Barry hit a runner and then Manu just took over when he came back in right after Barry's basket late in the game.
Exactly right - he took over at the right time like he has done all season in crunch time

[TDMVPDPOY]

exactly correct, gino should take over the leadership role, and i would like to see barry run the point cose he feels more confident with the ball in his hands then being a jumpshooter of a pass.

[whottt]

Duncan can be THE TEAM but bigmen can never be the true leader of the team because they aren't the guy deciding what to do with the ball...and if you try to make them that guy they get swarmed and turn it over, plus bigmen can never really take a play off to asess the situation because they always have to watch the paint..guards can take plays off...It's always been that way. Just by the nature of the position the PG is usually the leader...the right kind of 2 guard can do it though.

Like Magic said...it was Kareem's team, but he was letting me drive it.

Manu is the leader. I don't think he really wants to do it but he's going to do it because he knows he has to do it. Parker has shown it at times throughout the season and last season but he still loses focus too much...Manu hardly ever loses focus...and he easily assumed the vocal role tonight even though I've never really seen him do that before with the Spurs or even on Team Argentina...Manu'll do it, no problem, and when Tony is ready for it Manu will go back to being Crazy Manu.

[Frenchise player]

I don't see any player in our roster who can be a true leader ala nash or Shaq.
Leadership must be shared between Tony, Manu and Tim. They all have qualities to do the job, but it is the first season Manu is in the stating five, Tony is only 22 years old and Tim will never be a vocal leader.
I know that Manu leaded Argentina last summer, but he doesn't have the same aura in the Spurs that in his national team.
Tony has to grow up in order to be recognize as a leader and I don't think we should hurry him to do so because he has first to improve his game before thinking about this.

[Sec24Row7]

I think people that are watching the game at home underestimate how much floor direction and in game talk Duncan does with the spurs before, after and during plays.

[IceColdBrewski]

I see a lot of "Manu should do it until Parker can take over" crap. What makes any of you think Parker will EVER be that kind of guy?

[ducks]

I think parker can later because he has taken steps already in that direction
however manu is older and manu won the gold medal so guys respect him more

[IceColdBrewski]

I think parker can later because he has taken steps already in that direction
however manu is older and manu won the gold medal so guys respect him more

What "steps" has Parker already taken? I must have missed that. Seems like same ol' Parker to me. There one minute. Gone the next.

[ducks]

pop has said he has taked about plays inthe huddle
also he has let bowen have it for not playing d going down the court

[waly.mg]

in Fact the Argentina Roster was:

PG- Pepe Sanchez
SG- Manu Ginobili
SF- Andres Nocioni
FC- Ruben Wolkowisky
C- Fabricio Oberto
6th Man- Luis Scola
7th - Montecchia
8th Walter Hermann

And this is a very good team

And :
Parker > Pepe Sanchez
Manu=Manu
Bruce Bowen >= Nocioni
Horry=Wolkowisky
Rasho=<Oberto
Bench
Scola>Mohammed
Udrih=Montecchia
Barry>Herrman

Without Tim Duncan we have better roster than Argentina, but Argentina is a Team
Pop must to make a Good Team without Tim Duncan and he have the players to do it
So let´s Go, we lost 3 games, but in the road
We must to win at home
If we can win to Houston and Seattle, we can to finish the season in great shape and #1 or #2 and with Timmy healthy can win the championship

[whottt]

I see a lot of "Manu should do it until Parker can take over" crap. What makes any of you think Parker will EVER be that kind of guy?


I see a lot of Napoleon in Tony.

He's shown signs of leadership...but it's just not his time yet...he might not ever be but I have seen signs he could do it.

[ggoose25]

And Tim might be directing things in the huddle and on the court, but its more of a supportive role. I dont ever see or hear Tim chastising players or calling into question their desire ala Jordan, Elie, and now Manu.

After a loss, Tim will usually take the majority of the blame and say "we as a team need to work harder, focus, blah blah blah."

The difference is that after the three game losing streak Ginobili basically said, "we as a team need to grow a pair, get that fire, and compete, because we are being pathetic."

Duncan is a supportive leader, the good cop if you will. But this team has shown it needs some "edge" to fulfill its potential. AJ/Elie in '99 and Jax/Willis in '03 pushed the team from within and stirred the pot up. Ginobili fulfills the role of a Popovich on the court, someone who doesnt sympathize or look the other way when someone blows it. He's gonna call it like he sees it.

So while Tim is the natural leader through his play, his big heart and quiet demeanor get in the way of also fulfilling the role of antagonist and agitator that "spur" championship teams to overcome adversity. I think Manu is slowly growing into that role through necessity, until Tony can take over (if ever).

[NCaliSpurs]

Alll of you guys are crazy. Tony leads this team on the floor constantly. He hasn't been healthy. Manu hasn't been healthy. And Tim is not even frickin' playing.

We have such short memories.

[ggoose25]

the only thing tony does on the floor consistently is disappear. He has good first and third quarters, and then evaporates. Until he can sustain intensity and leadership throughout a game, I dont consider him "THE" leader of the team as he should one day grow into.

[waly.mg]

A Team leader is the player who leads the team in the Clutch, when the game is closing

Why?

Because sometimes one player can lead the team in a garbage victory, but is imposibble win all the games by 10 points

The most bigger players scores when all the teammates have scare

Tony and Manu haven´t scare, but Manu score more in the clutch

But one thing in good, Manu cant play 40 minutes a game

[picnroll]

Until Parker shows he can make a difference consistently in the fourth quarter when the other teams defense is locked down and getting points is tough he isn't the leader. Right now when crunch time comes Tony brings the ball up and then can't get it out of his hands fast enough, fading to the sideline, while Manu does the hard pulling.

[TwoHandJam]

Bump.

[johnny00]

Alll of you guys are crazy. Tony leads this team on the floor constantly. He hasn't been healthy. Manu hasn't been healthy. And Tim is not even frickin' playing.

We have such short memories.

???????????????????

Constantly? Hasn't been healthy?

Around December/November Tony was at his peak leading this team on the court. He directed, talked and called plays with authority that had me and other fans believing that this guy had finally come into his own. But within the last month or so Tony has decided to take a backseat as far as responsibilities that come with that role. A few bad second halfs and Timmy's injury have exposed his unwillingness to respond with an aggressive attitude and has him ready to settle for a less than supporting role.

Unlike Tim and Manu, Tony, to my knowledge, has been healthy all year. It's a major disappointment to me because he has so much potential and continually fails to prove everyone( including me ) wrong. Remember this is the same guy that was upset that he didn't make the All-Star team.... Well now that it's time for him step up and again, prove to everyone why he should've made that team, he has decided to step back.

It's not that we have short memories it's just not as selective.

[boutons]

I think these last two games we've seen Manu take over the leadership role, the way he must have done with his previous teams.

I think the 3 losses, esp NY and IND, really kicked Manu in the stomach. Like a true winner, he decided "he wasn't gonna take it anymore", and has taken full responsibility for winning, the only outcome he accepts.

Tony is a real mystery. Some games he just doesn't try to drive. Can't say he doesn't hustle since today's 8 RBs (20% of Spurs' total) didn't just fall in his hands. Only Sura got as many. And he was very aggressive on defense. So let's not be picky.

ok, ok, it was a great and thorough victory over a top team.

Above all, I'm thrilled at the defense, all 48-minutes, and esp the last quarter, absolutley put the screws on the Rockets. THAT's how we will win the title.

SIX FRICKING SPURS in double figures in a VERY LOW-SCORING game. Talk about balance.

EVERYBODY stepped up.

Go Spurs Go

[T Park]

a positive post from boutons.

Wow, its the end of the world as we know it.

[boutons]

T_park, kiss my ass

When they play great, I'm happy. When they play like shit, I'm not happy. Such complexity way beyond your compehension, you retarded prick.

[Extra Stout]

Very rarely is a 22-year-old going to be the great emotional leader of a tested veteran team. LeBron is the exception, not the rule, and besides, his team is wilting down the stretch again, so maybe having him take the lead isn't so great for them. Tony can be a leader in like six years.

Of course Manu should be the leader. Tim is, and always will be, too laid back to kick people in the ass when they need it. Pop can't be the only guy doing that.

The only difficulty is that Rasho and Beno have had to learn all the English cuss words to know when Pop is mad at them, and if Manu is the leader, they'll have to learn all the Spanish cuss words.

[Jimcs50]

Manu should coach this team too.

[Jimcs50]

SIX FRICKING SPURS in double figures in a VERY LOW-SCORING game. Talk about balance.

EVERYBODY stepped up.


When your superstar is out, this is a must.

[picnroll]

Aside from leadership another thing I'm coming to accept about Parker is he has little ability to create for himself using change of pace and change of direction. That's why you rarely see him taking people off the dribble. He gets that little edge with the pick to beat his man on speed but he won't beat his man one on one in half court. He's the kid who always could do it on speed and never had to rely on guile. He's unlike Manu who's superb at change of pace and direction. That's why Manu is more undefendable in the half court.

Now teams adjust to Parker and he can't take advantage of being overplayed. Along with better perimeter shooting he'll have to learn to change pace and direction if he wants to move to the next level. Until he step up at crunch time, stop shrinking to the side, he can't be a leader.

[samikeyp]

Until Parker stops being "75 cent Tony" (only good for 3 quarters) I am all for Manu being a leader. He can be the emotional spark this team can feed off of a'la Elie and Rose.

[TMTTRIO]

The only difficulty is that Rasho and Beno have had to learn all the English cuss words to know when Pop is mad at them, and if Manu is the leader, they'll have to learn all the Spanish cuss words.

hey I heard that Manu talks Italian with them :lol

[wildbill2u]

Manu HAS taken over this team as it's leader. Not just by example on the court. You didn't hear any player say a word behind his back about what he said the other day about the Spur's lack of fire, intensity or heart. They listened and responded.

To me, that means they accepted his criticism and his earned right to express it. That's leadership.

[beck253]

besides ... about the BS argument "Manu can't be a leader or go to guy cause he's a 25-30 mins a game player" ... well he went 37 yesterday and I didn't see any player more active than him down the stretch, did you?

[samikeyp]

The only difficulty is that Rasho and Beno have had to learn all the English cuss words

I think it was the Denver game when Rasho got a tech after dropping an F-bomb. :lol

[GBoyy]

Eva Longoria is responsible for this, she has given TP the clap. Shame on you Eva Longoria! Take the clap away from TP!