Manu becoming Nashesque?

[nkdlunch]

is it just me or is Manu playing offensively more and more like Nash this season? Never seen him make so make crazy passes and involve the entire team with his play while on the floor like this season.

every game there are at least 4-5 insane passes.

:king

[VI_Massive]

Snooze

[ElNono]

I think we're seeing him transform from the athletic freak to a more cerebral player...
I mean, I'd love him to score 20+ a night, but if he can keep up a good amount of assists for easy buckets out there, then it's just as good.

[nkdlunch]

exhibit A:

-QNqAP05bjU

[timvp]

Is that supposed to be a compliment?

[nkdlunch]

exhibit B:
KJ7afGsXgwI

[nkdlunch]

Is that supposed to be a compliment?

observation

[ElNono]

Is that supposed to be a compliment?

:lol

[L.I.T]

I agree with ElNono, he seems to be making (relatively smoothly) the transition from being a scoring focal point to being a facilitator. He just really needs to up his scoring efficiency (ie FG%) to really get back to being the premier weapon he was in past (albeit less explosive overall, but potentially more dynamic and diverse).

On a per 36 minute basis, he is averaging a full assist over his career average (2009-2010: 5.9, career: 4.7) and almost one assists (.7 to be exact) over his per 36 minute career high (2007-2008, 5.2 per).

[in2deep]

exhibit A:

-QNqAP05bjU


:wow

what???!?!??!

OMG that is the sickest pass I seen


got the great Tim Duncan jumping like a little kid!

[urunobili]

please add "on offense" to the thread title! lol

[tp2021]

If Manu finds it in his game to be a playmaker, it saves his body for the postseason, helps get the new guys comfortable in the offense, and eases Tony's pressure of needing to be a facilitator. I think its great.

Plus, it will shut up the people who think the Spurs need someone like Paul or Nash or Kidd; the Spurs won't need a trade for that, they have a great set-up man in Manu. Even though he's mostly known as a scorer, the confidence issues might arise when he's aggressive in scoring, while being aggressive in setting up his teammates still helps out the team a great deal, while he doesn't have to brace himself to meet a big at the rim which he would possibly have to do to be aggressive in attacking the basket.

Just a thought. I love Manu's playmaking abilities, sometimes I get excited and feel like Pistol Pete's running around out there.

[SenorSpur]

please add "on offense" to the thread title! lol

Good one. :lol

The other side of that coin is ugly to look at. :lol

[nkdlunch]

is it just me or is Manu playing offensively more and more like Nash this season? Never seen him make so make crazy passes and involve the entire team with his play while on the floor like this season.

every game there are at least 4-5 insane passes.

:king

[EmptyMan]

He's always played like this. This is just Manu returning to SuperManu form.


Fusing the adamantium to his bones has really helped in his recovery.

[MmP]

I think it's a combination of things, I think in some ways he trying to save his body a little bit for the PO, with all the offensive weapons on the team he's not needed to score that much if Tony, RJ, AM or anyone is scoring well, at some point he's still recovering from last year, so he's not at full capacity and that's why he's not that agressive.
And I agree that he's always been a great passer.

But it's great to see he's gaining confidence towards the post season which is when we need him at his best.

[duhoh]

please add "on offense" to the thread title! lol

i concur. :lol

those laser passes that he can do are amazing.

[ShoogarBear]

Is that supposed to be a compliment?

If he really was Nashseque, he'd be campaigning to get Pop fired because he wanted better stats.

[hater]

I won't beleive it until I see a LOL Manu face thread

[OldSilentHill]

Could be.

But Nash is scoring a lot...:wakeup

[SpuronyourFace]

I think we're seeing him transform from the athletic freak to a more cerebral player...
I mean, I'd love him to score 20+ a night, but if he can keep up a good amount of assists for easy buckets out there, then it's just as good.

+1

He cant do what he use to do athletically, therefore relying on his intimate knowledge of the game.

[manubili]

Actually there's no comparison. A playmaker who can dunk ?

[ElNono]

I'm surprised nobody brought up a comparison on their flopping abilities yet...

[kace]

+1

He cant do what he use to do athletically, therefore relying on his intimate knowledge of the game.

we'll need athleticism. with tim and manu relying less and less on it, TP maybe not this year considering his health (we'll see), Hill, RJ and maybe even ian'(we can dream) athleticism will be welcomed and much needed i guess.

[wildbill2u]

is it just me or is Manu playing offensively more and more like Nash this season? Never seen him make so make crazy passes and involve the entire team with his play while on the floor like this season.

every game there are at least 4-5 insane passes.

:king

I agree about the crazy passes and love to watch them--but they aren't what makes Nash so unstoppable. What really sets him apart is the way he'll simply continue with the ball ( if he's cut off inside for example) and seem to stroll around among the bigs until he can find that sliver of an opening for a bounce pass through and beneath them to a teammate in stride.

Most of the time he doesn't do it with flash like Manu but with patience accuracy and timing.

[pookenstein]

Actually there's no comparison. A playmaker who can dunk ?

don't want to spoil the party, but...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o4PJXeEhh4&feature=related

[OldSilentHill]

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/H4ssq4jD3_Q/0.jpg


Apart from the bald spot/hair, they look very similar :lmao

[hater]

it looks like a train hit Manu's left side of the face

[Mark in Austin]

:lol @ Sean's Mr Kardashian comment making it on a national highlight reel...

[OldSilentHill]

it looks like a train hit Manu's left side of the face

But...the left side of his face is...Nash...

[Obstructed_View]

Nashesque? Did he suddenly stop playing defense and start showing up officials?

[koriwhat]

:lol @ Sean's Mr Kardashian comment making it on a national highlight reel...

yeah when sean said that during the broadcast i was crackin' up...

[Xylus]

Is that supposed to be a compliment?

Why wouldn't it be?

[sa_kid20]

Manu has always been that way. He's just a good BASKETBALL player that makes good BASKETBALL plays if that means being aggressive or passing or whatever. I just think that this year he's taking advantage of the depth and the fact that we have guys who can finish. Like all those passes to DeJuan and the alley-oop he threw to George last night for example. The difference is that this year, making the right BASKETBALL play might mean dishing more as in the past it meant being more aggressive and shooting more. It also helps that he's healthy and has been able to really find a rhythm.

[Obstructed_View]

yeah when sean said that during the broadcast i was crackin' up...

I thought Sean's reference to Pau on the sideline as "The Most Interesting Man In The World" was really good.

[HarlemHeat37]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144158

[EmptyMan]

If you watch those old Argentina videos of young master manu he had sick pass after sick pass.

For a long time as a Spur, other than Duncan, Manu had a bunch of softies under the basket. Now he actually has some finishers to dish off to.

[TMTTRIO]

Yes his passing has been great recently but I don't like that he's turned into a non aggressive player who is content with just passing all the time. Yeah he had a nice passing game but I don't count on that all the time and if he's not passing he's not doing much anymore.

[TIMMYD!]

Hell yeah!!!!!!

[ezau]

exhibit A:

-QNqAP05bjU

Jesus H. Christ!

[MI21]

Manu has always been one of the best fancy passers in the entire league.

[resistanze]

Manu's just having fun.