duncan228
03-10-2010, 12:11 AM
Popovich says Ginobili starts out of ‘necessity’ (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Popovich_says_Ginobili_starts_out_of_necessity.htm l)
Jeff McDonald
Some observers might have been surprised to see Manu Ginobili inserted into the Spurs' starting lineup in the wake of Tony Parker's fractured hand.
Ginobili wasn't one of them.
“It's not that I was expecting it,” Ginobili said, “but there weren't many other options.”
Ginobili earned just his second start of the season Monday at Cleveland, scoring a season-high 38 points and making seven 3-pointers in the Spurs' 97-95 loss.
In his only other start, Nov. 18 at Dallas, Ginobili left in the first quarter with a strained groin. After, he joked that he never wanted to start again.
Had it not been for Parker's injury, which is set to keep him out six weeks, Ginobili would have gotten his wish. Instead, coach Gregg Popovich now needs Ginobili's scoring and playmaking ability in the starting lineup, even if it creates a void on the bench.
“It was a necessity,” Popovich said.
Ginobili, a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, was averaging 14.4 points and 4.8 assists in a reserve role.
One of the reasons Popovich preferred to bring Ginobili off the bench is that it provided a ready-made way to keep his minutes in check. Popovich vows to keep careful tabs on Ginobili's playing time as a starter, as he has with Tim Duncan's.
Ginobili, who is averaging 27 minutes, 41 seconds this season, logged nearly 37 in Cleveland, his most of the season in a non-overtime game.
“We'll try to keep his minutes where we always have,” Popovich said. “No matter where we are at the end of the season, he and Timmy's health is really important.”
Feel-good flashback: Popovich has taken a philosophical approach to the prospect of losing Parker for the remainder of the regular season, a year after losing Ginobili for the playoffs.
To soothe the feeling of woe-is-us, Popovich often thinks about the 1997 draft lottery that netted Duncan.
“The basketball gods giveth, and they taketh away,” Popovich said. “When somebody like Manu or Tony goes down, I think about the way the ping-pong balls bounced and we got Timmy. Which would you rather have? We have to shut up, take our licks and move on.”
Viva Los Spurs: Tonight's game against the Knicks marks the first of three this month for “Los Spurs.” As part of the NBA's fourth annual “Noches Latinas” celebration, the Spurs will don jerseys reflecting San Antonio's Hispanic heritage.
Other “Los Spurs” games are scheduled for March 16 at Miami and March 24 at home against the Lakers.
Jeff McDonald
Some observers might have been surprised to see Manu Ginobili inserted into the Spurs' starting lineup in the wake of Tony Parker's fractured hand.
Ginobili wasn't one of them.
“It's not that I was expecting it,” Ginobili said, “but there weren't many other options.”
Ginobili earned just his second start of the season Monday at Cleveland, scoring a season-high 38 points and making seven 3-pointers in the Spurs' 97-95 loss.
In his only other start, Nov. 18 at Dallas, Ginobili left in the first quarter with a strained groin. After, he joked that he never wanted to start again.
Had it not been for Parker's injury, which is set to keep him out six weeks, Ginobili would have gotten his wish. Instead, coach Gregg Popovich now needs Ginobili's scoring and playmaking ability in the starting lineup, even if it creates a void on the bench.
“It was a necessity,” Popovich said.
Ginobili, a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, was averaging 14.4 points and 4.8 assists in a reserve role.
One of the reasons Popovich preferred to bring Ginobili off the bench is that it provided a ready-made way to keep his minutes in check. Popovich vows to keep careful tabs on Ginobili's playing time as a starter, as he has with Tim Duncan's.
Ginobili, who is averaging 27 minutes, 41 seconds this season, logged nearly 37 in Cleveland, his most of the season in a non-overtime game.
“We'll try to keep his minutes where we always have,” Popovich said. “No matter where we are at the end of the season, he and Timmy's health is really important.”
Feel-good flashback: Popovich has taken a philosophical approach to the prospect of losing Parker for the remainder of the regular season, a year after losing Ginobili for the playoffs.
To soothe the feeling of woe-is-us, Popovich often thinks about the 1997 draft lottery that netted Duncan.
“The basketball gods giveth, and they taketh away,” Popovich said. “When somebody like Manu or Tony goes down, I think about the way the ping-pong balls bounced and we got Timmy. Which would you rather have? We have to shut up, take our licks and move on.”
Viva Los Spurs: Tonight's game against the Knicks marks the first of three this month for “Los Spurs.” As part of the NBA's fourth annual “Noches Latinas” celebration, the Spurs will don jerseys reflecting San Antonio's Hispanic heritage.
Other “Los Spurs” games are scheduled for March 16 at Miami and March 24 at home against the Lakers.