The Ups and Downs of Manu's Play

[scott]

In the last minute tonight, we saw the downs. There are times when Manu's aggressiveness works against him, namely against a defense like Detroit.

[Nikos]

Detroit was scoring, grabbing off rebounds, and scoring nomatter what. I doubt the Spurs win this game even if they converted on those plays.

[SouthernFried]

I love Manu...

Damn.

[Tek_XX]

Manu missing free throws is a sign that he's tired

[stéphane]

Detroit was scoring, grabbing off rebounds, and scoring nomatter what. I doubt the Spurs win this game even if they converted on those plays.
:rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes man do you honestly believe what you're saying right now?

[Nikos]

:rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes man do you honestly believe what you're saying right now?

Yes. Detroit was running their O and getting scores every time they wanted when it mattered. Sheed wide open in the corner. 2-3 misses and an offensive rebound. Ben Wallac even looking solid on O. Not to mention Prince scoring on a one on one play where he hasn't even looked decent all freaking playoff one on one.

Damn straight I beleive it.

[scott]

Down by 3 when Manu had a breakdown with 3 straight terrible possessions.

[stéphane]

SOrry but if we were scoring on the O it helps you bringing much more on D, and as you come back you're playing with more and more intensity... so everytime you screw up a play you just make your team loose little by little.

[Nikos]

SOrry but if we were scoring on the O it helps you bringing much more on D, and as you come back you're playing with more and more intensity... so everytime you screw up a play you just make your team loose little by little.

Detroit made the plays and got all the loose balls. It wasn't just about the Spurs not scoring. Detroit was scoring and getting quality shots, and whenever they missed they got rebounds and found ways to score each time down the floor. Duncan's FTs and Ginobili's turnovers didn't help, but the Spurs needed to clamp down a lot earlier than the last few minutes.

[jcrod]

Step, you know this is going to turn 360 and become a TP and TD fault thread. Why bother, Manu sucked on the last poss, but it doesn't matter.

Spurs in 7!!!!!!!!!!

[stéphane]

We didn't get outplayed but Detroit's will to win >>> SA's will to win... we needed these points for confidence and will to win.

[milkyway21]

In the last minute tonight, we saw the downs. There are times when Manu's aggressiveness works against him, namely against a defense like Detroit.you're damn right there scott.......Detroit can read Manu. He shld pass more. There was some time when it almost became a 1-man team. That great ball rotation of the Spurs went missing.
Even Duncan went through a lot of minutes w/o even touching the ball. He only handled the ball in the last qtr.

what went wrong here?

those Manu 3 TOs was so frustrating. If you watch the replay you will notice there was even a time when Horry was free. I just hope Manu was not playing like that for that MVP award, but for the NBA trophy.

Team ball.

[boutons]

"He only handled the ball in the last qtr."

They were playing Tim very tough, often fronting him.

When fronted, Tim had to come way out of the low block to get in front of his defendere, which allowed the perimter defender to sag only a bit to prevent the entry pass. Tim got fewer toiuches, and took fewer shots than Manu and Tony, which is not very often the case.

[milkyway21]

"He only handled the ball in the last qtr."

They were playing Tim very tough, often fronting him. Tim took fewer shots than Manu and Tony, which is not very often the case.yeah Manu attempted 17 missing 10 of them is unacceptable . He was not double-teamed like Duncan. If can't get a decent look, then he shld pass more than going thru' Piston-clogged middle area. Like that his last TO which was stolen by Rasheed.

[Uncle_Rico]

agreed. plus what happened to the drive to the paint and shoot, i guess that's gone now. he's trying to force lay ups and calls. that isnt working. he can get to the paint he is just going to have to settle for an easy j or the long fingeroll, he stopped that in the 2nd half. spurs arent turing the corner and driving with force on the pick n rolls like games 1 and 2 maybe it's because the screens are weak as hell.

[stéphane]

I found Manu greater than great before the last minute but imo he tried to do too much in crunch time, i can remenber a drive when he went right at three Pistons and left Bruce wide open just on his left with a clear line pass. too bad he didn't pass on this one :(

[milkyway21]

agreed. plus what happened to the drive to the paint and shoot, i guess that's gone now. he's trying to force lay ups and calls. that isnt working.
let's just call them passe' :depressed

plus a little bit risky for Manu getting injured...

[timvp]

Manu choked this game. He tried to do way too much. He needs to remember that when he has four players around him, it is still legal to pass the damn ball.

I don't know why he tried to play like Supermanu instead of just being part of the team. I guess the first two games and MVP talk went to his head ...

[AI-square]

Ginobili did make that pass to Duncan for a dunk in the 4th quarter, so I definitely don't think the MVP talk was getting to him.

I feel that, since they were shooting too many 3-pointers and not many of them went into the hoop, they needed some penetration. In Game 1 we saw how this worked for the Spurs. But as with all things, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.

Duncan was double-teamed most of the time and the Pistons could have chosen to foul him in crunch time. I did think that Manu had to attack the basket and at least create good looks for the others. But neither of the Spurs were shooting really well so it was always going to be tough. I thought Ben Wallace made the big plays in crunch time with the two blocked layups.

I agree with Uncle_Rico that Ginobili could have tried to take short jumpers or fingerolls instead of trying to layup or draw the foul every time.

With Duncan being guarded so tightly I always thought that Game 6 would be Manu or bust for the Spurs. This time Manu may have fallen short, but if he plays Game 7 like he played Game 1 and the Spurs win, no one will care less what happened in Game 6.

[timvp]

Ginobili did make that pass to Duncan for a dunk in the 4th quarter, so I definitely don't think the MVP talk was getting to him.


Even on that play, Manu travelled and just got rid of the ball and it found Tim. It wasn't a great pass or anything. Tim got it off the court and scored.

[T Park]

I dont know why the Spurs get away from stuff.

I dont know why they get away from the offense, why they stop playing defense.

I dont understand that.

Why does 1 game, or parts of a game, do they move the ball, then, STOP.

WTF!!!!

[iminlakerland]

I commented on this in the chatroom during game 5, in crunch time Manu begins to force the issue a little to much. Manu had crucial turnovers in the clinching minutes that cost the game for the Spurs.

He just needs to stay undercontrol and run the offense in the last few minutes and look for his teammates, the pressure and stardom got to him tonight. Hopefully tho the spurs can pull it off in 7, i dont want to see the pistons winning again.

[milkyway21]

I commented on this in the chatroom during game 5, in crunch time Manu begins to force the issue a little to much. Manu had crucial turnovers in the clinching minutes that cost the game for the Spurs.

He just needs to stay undercontrol and run the offense in the last few minutes and look for his teammates, the pressure and stardom got to him tonight. Hopefully tho the spurs can pull it off in 7, i dont want to see the pistons winning again.
good for you, the Pistons were acting like the underdogs last 2004 Finals against your team-with ShaQ, kobe, Malone & Payton on the frontline.

this time, I really get pissed off seeing Rasheed with that Championship belt slung into his shoulders..as if they were the ONLY team who won a title...:cuss

[Uncle Donnie]

Manu choked this game. He tried to do way too much. He needs to remember that when he has four players around him, it is still legal to pass the damn ball.

I don't know why he tried to play like Supermanu instead of just being part of the team. I guess the first two games and MVP talk went to his head ...

Fuck man, Manu's drives and rebounding are some of the few things that kept us in the game through the first three quarters. He tried to do too much late in the game but at that point it was obvious that someone needed to step up and take over. I can't fault him for that.

It's funny how you always know after a loss which posters will bag on which players (or coaches).

[Momma_monkey]

This is TEAM play here. Hello we all know that we can't rely only on Manu. Where was Tim (Freethrow hell), Tony shut down in the fourth, Bowen not aggressive, Nazr was still in the locker room getting dressed, Horry was hurt. And putting Beno in w-t-f oh well have to adjust and kick some serious ass on Thursday. They need to create plays and get the steals and protect and actually score. Create fouls other than on Duncan. Do or Die in shame.

[myhc]

Fuck man, Manu's drives and rebounding are some of the few things that kept us in the game through the first three quarters. He tried to do too much late in the game but at that point it was obvious that someone needed to step up and take over. I can't fault him for that.

It's funny how you always know after a loss which posters will bag on which players (or coaches).

Of course you can fault him for that. He committed crucial turnovers late in the game with the game still up in the air. I can live with anything, bad shots or shots that don't go in. But turnovers are unacceptable and you don't get a free pass for that.

[1Parker1]

Everyone choked. Manu with the TO's and bad shots, Parker with the airball and passive play, Duncan with the missed FT's and not demanding the ball more, Bowen's defense wasn't so great at the end either, Barry missed and took so many 3's that I can't even say. Horry missed shots, not great defense, Nazr---well he did everything bad except make his 2 FT's.

Bottom line, Spurs sucked last night and were lucky to be down by only 1 pt in the closing 4th quarter last night. Hopefully this will motivate them to play harder and smarter on Thursday. It's just sad that they needed some motivation in the first place.

[manubili]

I don't like it seeing manu going alone with the ball. But I think it was Pop's order. TD was missing too many FT, the 3 pointers didn't fall down, so Manu seemed like the right choice. I wish he had passed more to Tony or Barry that were playing good last night.

But Billups was something special. They diserved to win this game, anyway.

Why Pop doesn't put Bowen guarding Billpus? Ant Tony on Rip? That's something I just can't understand.

[timvp]

Fuck man, Manu's drives and rebounding are some of the few things that kept us in the game through the first three quarters. He tried to do too much late in the game but at that point it was obvious that someone needed to step up and take over. I can't fault him for that.

It's funny how you always know after a loss which posters will bag on which players (or coaches).

All Manu had to do was pass the ball. He broke down the defense several times, but just tried to be supermanu and it cost the Spurs. He admitted afterwards and so did Pop.

And I "bagged" on a lot more players than Manu. But yeah, Manu was a main culprit of the Spurs choking down the stretch of the game.

[FoxMulder]

C´mon do you want someone to blame??
Manu wasn´t the only player who commited mistakes. Why he was playing Point Guard? Why he was pickng rebounds? Why he take the last shots? Because no one else was playing well or confident. Even Duncan miss two shots UNDER THE BASKET!!

But the guy looks tired. He miss open 3s that he always sink.
Bad ending. Lets hope he will recover for tomorrow night.

[caspian]

Detroit made the plays and got all the loose balls. It wasn't just about the Spurs not scoring. Detroit was scoring and getting quality shots, and whenever they missed they got rebounds and found ways to score each time down the floor. Duncan's FTs and Ginobili's turnovers didn't help, but the Spurs needed to clamp down a lot earlier than the last few minutes.

They kept it close because Detroit was shooting lights out, actually. And they were not quality shots. They were making difficult shots time and time again...many times in a row. Our defense was actually pretty good. They were making 'impossible' shots at an 'impossible' percentage. I credit their confidence.

We needed offense.