duncan228
02-25-2010, 01:02 AM
Manu possessed in Spurs' win (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Manu_possessed_in_Spurs_win.html)
Jeff McDonald
Kevin Durant was loose in the open court, a 6-foot-9 swirl of arms and legs, about to launch into the kind of open-court dunk he'd been ramming home since before he was old enough to drive.
Manu Ginobili squared up his charging opponent and prepared to make SportsCenter.
“I really thought I was going to be on the highlights,” Ginobili said. “His highlight.”
Instead, Durant made Ginobili's reel. At the turning point of the Spurs' 95-87 victory Wednesday at the AT&T Center, Ginobili met Durant at the rim, blocked his shot and denied his dunk.
It was an improbable play — the 32-year-old Argentine outleaping a 21-year-old with springs for legs — only if you don't know Ginobili.
“Manu through the years has gotten an offensive rebound, made a cut to the basket, got a steal, hit a three, or made a save that ends up winning the game for us,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He just has an innate knack for knowing what it's going to take to win the game.”
On Wednesday, with the Spurs' season teetering, that meant everything he had.
Ginobili finished with 26 points — his sixth 20-point game this month — to go with nine rebounds, four assists and one demonstrative block that is certain to appear on all the highlight reels between here and Buenos Aires.
“Manu was unbelievable,” said Tim Duncan, who added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs. “He put us on his back and took us over the top.”
Ginobili, in a sense, was a Sherpa in hightops Wednesday, carrying the Spurs (32-23) to a victory they had to have. They walked into the AT&T Center for the first time since Jan. 31 to find themselves in seventh place in the Western Conference, as close to 11th place as they were to fourth.
Facing a Thunder team that the night before had a nine-game winning streak snapped at the buzzer against Phoenix, the Spurs turned in one of their grittiest performances of the season.
They held Oklahoma City to 39.8 percent shooting and held Durant to 21 points, breaking his franchise-record string of 29 consecutive games with at least 25.
With Keith Bogans and others shadowing him, Durant — the NBA's leading scorer — went scoreless during the fourth quarter that began with the Spurs up one.
“It's a huge win for us,” Duncan said. “Not to make it dramatic, but every win right now is going to be big for us. We really need to turn it up and find out what kind of team we're going to be.”
On Wednesday, Ginobili supplied the Spurs with every big play they needed: a coast-to-coast layup to put them ahead by one heading into the fourth; a falling out-of-bounds pass to set up a George Hill 3-pointer that put the Spurs up 89-85, a square-up-and-let-er-rip 3-pointer over Thabo Sefolosha for a five-point lead with 2:05 left.
Every time there was a ball up for grabs or a play to be made, No. 20 was there.
“He must be fun to play with,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said.
Playing against Ginobili, Brooks has discovered, is not quite such a picnic.
Wednesday wasn't the first time the Thunder had been victimized by Ginobili's Superman routine. His dive to save a loose ball eventually set up Richard Jefferson for the game-winner in the Spurs' 109-108 overtime victory at Oklahoma City on Jan. 13.
Ginobili essentially won that game despite shooting 0 for 10.
Wednesday's defining moment came with no asterisks. With Oklahoma City behind by one and three minutes left, Durant was streaking ahead of the pack on a breakaway. Ginobili was running alongside him, preparing to be posterized.
“I knew he was there,” Durant said, “but I didn't know he was going to jump and get it.”
Jump Ginobili did. Off the floor. Into the air.
Onto his own highlight reel.
*********************
Slideshow.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/OKC_87_SPURS_95.html?c=n#1
Jeff McDonald
Kevin Durant was loose in the open court, a 6-foot-9 swirl of arms and legs, about to launch into the kind of open-court dunk he'd been ramming home since before he was old enough to drive.
Manu Ginobili squared up his charging opponent and prepared to make SportsCenter.
“I really thought I was going to be on the highlights,” Ginobili said. “His highlight.”
Instead, Durant made Ginobili's reel. At the turning point of the Spurs' 95-87 victory Wednesday at the AT&T Center, Ginobili met Durant at the rim, blocked his shot and denied his dunk.
It was an improbable play — the 32-year-old Argentine outleaping a 21-year-old with springs for legs — only if you don't know Ginobili.
“Manu through the years has gotten an offensive rebound, made a cut to the basket, got a steal, hit a three, or made a save that ends up winning the game for us,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He just has an innate knack for knowing what it's going to take to win the game.”
On Wednesday, with the Spurs' season teetering, that meant everything he had.
Ginobili finished with 26 points — his sixth 20-point game this month — to go with nine rebounds, four assists and one demonstrative block that is certain to appear on all the highlight reels between here and Buenos Aires.
“Manu was unbelievable,” said Tim Duncan, who added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Spurs. “He put us on his back and took us over the top.”
Ginobili, in a sense, was a Sherpa in hightops Wednesday, carrying the Spurs (32-23) to a victory they had to have. They walked into the AT&T Center for the first time since Jan. 31 to find themselves in seventh place in the Western Conference, as close to 11th place as they were to fourth.
Facing a Thunder team that the night before had a nine-game winning streak snapped at the buzzer against Phoenix, the Spurs turned in one of their grittiest performances of the season.
They held Oklahoma City to 39.8 percent shooting and held Durant to 21 points, breaking his franchise-record string of 29 consecutive games with at least 25.
With Keith Bogans and others shadowing him, Durant — the NBA's leading scorer — went scoreless during the fourth quarter that began with the Spurs up one.
“It's a huge win for us,” Duncan said. “Not to make it dramatic, but every win right now is going to be big for us. We really need to turn it up and find out what kind of team we're going to be.”
On Wednesday, Ginobili supplied the Spurs with every big play they needed: a coast-to-coast layup to put them ahead by one heading into the fourth; a falling out-of-bounds pass to set up a George Hill 3-pointer that put the Spurs up 89-85, a square-up-and-let-er-rip 3-pointer over Thabo Sefolosha for a five-point lead with 2:05 left.
Every time there was a ball up for grabs or a play to be made, No. 20 was there.
“He must be fun to play with,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said.
Playing against Ginobili, Brooks has discovered, is not quite such a picnic.
Wednesday wasn't the first time the Thunder had been victimized by Ginobili's Superman routine. His dive to save a loose ball eventually set up Richard Jefferson for the game-winner in the Spurs' 109-108 overtime victory at Oklahoma City on Jan. 13.
Ginobili essentially won that game despite shooting 0 for 10.
Wednesday's defining moment came with no asterisks. With Oklahoma City behind by one and three minutes left, Durant was streaking ahead of the pack on a breakaway. Ginobili was running alongside him, preparing to be posterized.
“I knew he was there,” Durant said, “but I didn't know he was going to jump and get it.”
Jump Ginobili did. Off the floor. Into the air.
Onto his own highlight reel.
*********************
Slideshow.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/OKC_87_SPURS_95.html?c=n#1