duncan228
04-28-2010, 11:55 PM
Manu Ginobili plays with reckless fire, energizes Spurs (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/2010-04-28-ginobili-fire_N.htm)
By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
The Legend of Manu Ginobili grows.
Swatting a bat out of midair on the court during a game Oct. 31 tells only a fraction of the fable.
The San Antonio Spurs guard suffered a broken nose and returned to the game five minutes later Friday, leading a fourth-quarter charge in the Spurs' Game 3 win against the Dallas Mavericks.
It is a metaphor for the Spurs' season. Often injured and battered and rendered a seventh seed in the Western Conference — the first time they opened the playoffs on the road in 14 consecutive seasons — the Spurs are back, too, one win from upsetting the Mavericks. Game 6 is today in San Antonio (8 ET, TNT).
If future Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan is the Spurs' soul, Ginobili is the heart, fearless, energetic and reliable. He is the unique star who is flashy and scrappy.
"Those are the players who you know are really special. Every team has to have some of those. We're fortunate Manu's on our team," coach Gregg Popovich says.
Since the All-Star break in February, the 32-year-old Argentine has been San Antonio's best player, averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals and is a major reason the Spurs own a 3-2 series lead against the Mavericks.
Suddenly the healthy, rested and battle-tested Spurs look as good as any team in the hotly contested West.
"The main group has been together for a long time, eight years. TD (Tim Duncan) and Tony (Parker) for nine years. Pop has been here a long time. He knows us very well, and he knows how to get the most juice out of us," Ginobili says.
Count out a Popovich-coached team at your peril. He has won four titles (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) since becoming coach in 1996. But pressure is on the aging Spurs. The second-seeded Mavericks, who had the best road record, are trying to become the ninth team to rebound from a 3-1 deficit and win a series. A Game 7 would be in Dallas.
As well as Ginobili has played in the second half of the season, he struggled with his shot in Games 4 and 5, making six of 23 attempts. His presence, however, is essential.
Last season Ginobili missed the playoffs and the Spurs lost in the first round for the first time since 2000.
"It was my first playoff game that I ever missed," Ginobili says. "It was really heartbreaking to watch, and I can't help. It was even hard not to lose with them if we had to lose."
When Ginobili was healthy the previous two seasons, the Spurs reached the conference finals in 2008 and won the championship in 2007 with Ginobili averaging 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in the playoffs.
Popovich inserted Ginobili into the starting lineup in early March when Parker broke his right hand. That had three effects. Ginobili, who meandered through the first three months of the season, rediscovered his game. It allowed Parker to heal from various injuries. And it gave second-year guard George Hill, who scored 29 points in Game 4, a chance to develop.
"When Tony went down, I found myself with the ball in my hands long times, and I knew I was going to close out games with the possibility of making most of the decisions," Ginobili says. "It got me going."
In consecutive wins late in the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, Ginobili scored 30, 28, 18, 43 and 32 points.
The Spurs finished 50-32, winning the tiebreaker vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder and losing it vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
"You are what you are," Popovich says. "We earned the seventh slot, and that's where we belonged. If you look at us and you look at Dallas and the other teams, just in a general sense, all of us realize that we're all pretty equal."
Delivering in the clutch
The Spurs are like a four seed disguised as a seven. And they know playoff basketball. For San Antonio, the regular season isn't irrelevant; winning titles just means more.
"We talked at the beginning of the year about wanting to be healthy going into the playoffs. That's our No. 1 goal," Duncan says. "We feel if we have all our guns, we can give everybody in this league a run, and we're going to try and do just that."
Even with a broken nose that has more bends than the San Antonio River, Ginobili is averaging 17.6 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 steals.
Popovich called him a great competitor after he scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3 with a broken nose. What makes his competitiveness different from other players?
"That's hard to articulate," Popovich says. "It's just something that shows in a variety of situations. They do things in certain moments of the game. ... Their understanding of what's going on and their drive to do what most players wouldn't even dream of makes them different."
According to 82games.com, a site that tracks advanced statistics, Ginobili is the Spurs' top scorer in crunchtime, defined as the fourth quarter or overtime, less than five minutes to play and neither team ahead by more than five. He also is No. 2 in the NBA in clutch steals, averaging 3.6 for every 48 minutes.
In Game 4, the 6-6 left-hander was not having a great shooting night. But with the shot clock running down, his three-pointer from the right corner gave the Spurs an 89-84 lead with 1:51 left. The Spurs went up 3-1 in the series with a 92-89 victory.
"Manu's playing at an All-Star level," Parker says. "The ball should be in his hands."
Basketball family
Born in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, Ginobili comes from a basketball family. His dad, Jorge, is a former basketball coach and front office executive in Argentina, and his two brothers, Leandro and Sebastian, played professionally in Spain and Argentina.
Ginobili began his pro career in Argentina before excelling in the Italian pro league. He led Kinder Bologna to Italian and Euroleague championships and was named the Italian league MVP and Euroleague final four MVP in 2001.
The Spurs drafted Ginobili in the second round with the 57th pick in the 1999 draft. Popovich says it would be disingenuous to say he knew Ginobili would turn into an All-Star and Sixth Man of the Year winner.
They clashed at first, the more conservative Popovich trying to corral Ginobili's creativity and risk-taking. They met, if not in the middle, somewhere in between.
"I got him to understand a little bit more like on that diving scale — 1 through 10 — you don't need as many 10s," Popovich says. "I had to realize that he could take a few more chances than I would."
Ginobili emerged in the 2005 playoffs, his third year in the league. He averaged 20.8 points, including 18.7 in the Spurs' seven-game victory against the Detroit Pistons in the Finals.
Ginobili's effort and commitment to defense earned him leeway in Popovich's system. A steal and a three-point play are worth the occasional between-the-defender's-legs bounce pass.
After eight seasons with Ginobili, Popovich tolerates the guard's ways. When Ginobili declined to wear a protective mask over his nose, Popovich said, "He pretty much does what he wants."
Ginobili is a strong defender with a knack for getting his hand on the ball.
On offense, he possesses a jump shot and ability to get to the rim with a loping stride and absorb contact. Aesthetically pleasing? No. Effective? Yes.
"I didn't learn it. It's just nature, instinctual," Ginobili says of his style. "You do what you think is the best way to succeed and get something out of it."
Says Popovich: "He's angular and almost looks helter-skelter, but it's helter-skelter with a purpose and a plan. He combines some incredible ball skills with great desire, great passion and an unbelievable will to win, and that's what makes him special."
A fan favorite, he embodies the consummate team player. San Antonio recognized that and gave Ginobili an extension worth the maximum it could offer (three years, $39 million) this month.
"No one had to be convinced of Manu's value. Everybody in our group hoped now and has hoped for many years that Manu ends his career in San Antonio," general manager R.C. Buford says. "Manu in your locker room and as a leader of your program manifests itself every day."
There wasn't a Spurs player who doubted Ginobili would return after breaking his nose. Two days later, Ginobili revealed a sense of humor. He posted on his Facebook fan page a doctored photo of himself with a new nose and the words, "Surgery went great. I'm pleased w/ the outcome, aren't u? ;-). Tonight Game4!"
A few fans thought Ginobili was serious.
"Some people thought I was going to have that kind of nose forever," he says. "I'm sticking with this one."
By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
The Legend of Manu Ginobili grows.
Swatting a bat out of midair on the court during a game Oct. 31 tells only a fraction of the fable.
The San Antonio Spurs guard suffered a broken nose and returned to the game five minutes later Friday, leading a fourth-quarter charge in the Spurs' Game 3 win against the Dallas Mavericks.
It is a metaphor for the Spurs' season. Often injured and battered and rendered a seventh seed in the Western Conference — the first time they opened the playoffs on the road in 14 consecutive seasons — the Spurs are back, too, one win from upsetting the Mavericks. Game 6 is today in San Antonio (8 ET, TNT).
If future Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan is the Spurs' soul, Ginobili is the heart, fearless, energetic and reliable. He is the unique star who is flashy and scrappy.
"Those are the players who you know are really special. Every team has to have some of those. We're fortunate Manu's on our team," coach Gregg Popovich says.
Since the All-Star break in February, the 32-year-old Argentine has been San Antonio's best player, averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals and is a major reason the Spurs own a 3-2 series lead against the Mavericks.
Suddenly the healthy, rested and battle-tested Spurs look as good as any team in the hotly contested West.
"The main group has been together for a long time, eight years. TD (Tim Duncan) and Tony (Parker) for nine years. Pop has been here a long time. He knows us very well, and he knows how to get the most juice out of us," Ginobili says.
Count out a Popovich-coached team at your peril. He has won four titles (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007) since becoming coach in 1996. But pressure is on the aging Spurs. The second-seeded Mavericks, who had the best road record, are trying to become the ninth team to rebound from a 3-1 deficit and win a series. A Game 7 would be in Dallas.
As well as Ginobili has played in the second half of the season, he struggled with his shot in Games 4 and 5, making six of 23 attempts. His presence, however, is essential.
Last season Ginobili missed the playoffs and the Spurs lost in the first round for the first time since 2000.
"It was my first playoff game that I ever missed," Ginobili says. "It was really heartbreaking to watch, and I can't help. It was even hard not to lose with them if we had to lose."
When Ginobili was healthy the previous two seasons, the Spurs reached the conference finals in 2008 and won the championship in 2007 with Ginobili averaging 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in the playoffs.
Popovich inserted Ginobili into the starting lineup in early March when Parker broke his right hand. That had three effects. Ginobili, who meandered through the first three months of the season, rediscovered his game. It allowed Parker to heal from various injuries. And it gave second-year guard George Hill, who scored 29 points in Game 4, a chance to develop.
"When Tony went down, I found myself with the ball in my hands long times, and I knew I was going to close out games with the possibility of making most of the decisions," Ginobili says. "It got me going."
In consecutive wins late in the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, Ginobili scored 30, 28, 18, 43 and 32 points.
The Spurs finished 50-32, winning the tiebreaker vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder and losing it vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
"You are what you are," Popovich says. "We earned the seventh slot, and that's where we belonged. If you look at us and you look at Dallas and the other teams, just in a general sense, all of us realize that we're all pretty equal."
Delivering in the clutch
The Spurs are like a four seed disguised as a seven. And they know playoff basketball. For San Antonio, the regular season isn't irrelevant; winning titles just means more.
"We talked at the beginning of the year about wanting to be healthy going into the playoffs. That's our No. 1 goal," Duncan says. "We feel if we have all our guns, we can give everybody in this league a run, and we're going to try and do just that."
Even with a broken nose that has more bends than the San Antonio River, Ginobili is averaging 17.6 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 steals.
Popovich called him a great competitor after he scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3 with a broken nose. What makes his competitiveness different from other players?
"That's hard to articulate," Popovich says. "It's just something that shows in a variety of situations. They do things in certain moments of the game. ... Their understanding of what's going on and their drive to do what most players wouldn't even dream of makes them different."
According to 82games.com, a site that tracks advanced statistics, Ginobili is the Spurs' top scorer in crunchtime, defined as the fourth quarter or overtime, less than five minutes to play and neither team ahead by more than five. He also is No. 2 in the NBA in clutch steals, averaging 3.6 for every 48 minutes.
In Game 4, the 6-6 left-hander was not having a great shooting night. But with the shot clock running down, his three-pointer from the right corner gave the Spurs an 89-84 lead with 1:51 left. The Spurs went up 3-1 in the series with a 92-89 victory.
"Manu's playing at an All-Star level," Parker says. "The ball should be in his hands."
Basketball family
Born in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, Ginobili comes from a basketball family. His dad, Jorge, is a former basketball coach and front office executive in Argentina, and his two brothers, Leandro and Sebastian, played professionally in Spain and Argentina.
Ginobili began his pro career in Argentina before excelling in the Italian pro league. He led Kinder Bologna to Italian and Euroleague championships and was named the Italian league MVP and Euroleague final four MVP in 2001.
The Spurs drafted Ginobili in the second round with the 57th pick in the 1999 draft. Popovich says it would be disingenuous to say he knew Ginobili would turn into an All-Star and Sixth Man of the Year winner.
They clashed at first, the more conservative Popovich trying to corral Ginobili's creativity and risk-taking. They met, if not in the middle, somewhere in between.
"I got him to understand a little bit more like on that diving scale — 1 through 10 — you don't need as many 10s," Popovich says. "I had to realize that he could take a few more chances than I would."
Ginobili emerged in the 2005 playoffs, his third year in the league. He averaged 20.8 points, including 18.7 in the Spurs' seven-game victory against the Detroit Pistons in the Finals.
Ginobili's effort and commitment to defense earned him leeway in Popovich's system. A steal and a three-point play are worth the occasional between-the-defender's-legs bounce pass.
After eight seasons with Ginobili, Popovich tolerates the guard's ways. When Ginobili declined to wear a protective mask over his nose, Popovich said, "He pretty much does what he wants."
Ginobili is a strong defender with a knack for getting his hand on the ball.
On offense, he possesses a jump shot and ability to get to the rim with a loping stride and absorb contact. Aesthetically pleasing? No. Effective? Yes.
"I didn't learn it. It's just nature, instinctual," Ginobili says of his style. "You do what you think is the best way to succeed and get something out of it."
Says Popovich: "He's angular and almost looks helter-skelter, but it's helter-skelter with a purpose and a plan. He combines some incredible ball skills with great desire, great passion and an unbelievable will to win, and that's what makes him special."
A fan favorite, he embodies the consummate team player. San Antonio recognized that and gave Ginobili an extension worth the maximum it could offer (three years, $39 million) this month.
"No one had to be convinced of Manu's value. Everybody in our group hoped now and has hoped for many years that Manu ends his career in San Antonio," general manager R.C. Buford says. "Manu in your locker room and as a leader of your program manifests itself every day."
There wasn't a Spurs player who doubted Ginobili would return after breaking his nose. Two days later, Ginobili revealed a sense of humor. He posted on his Facebook fan page a doctored photo of himself with a new nose and the words, "Surgery went great. I'm pleased w/ the outcome, aren't u? ;-). Tonight Game4!"
A few fans thought Ginobili was serious.
"Some people thought I was going to have that kind of nose forever," he says. "I'm sticking with this one."