ace3g
05-28-2013, 10:10 AM
This is normally a place for serious basketball analysis — mulling X's and O's, rotation choices, and Lionel Hollins's fantastic wardrobe. But let me step back for a second and say how cool it was watching San Antonio walk off the court, having clinched a return to the Finals after six years away. Tim Duncan shared a long embrace at midcourt with Manu Ginobili, who did so many crazy, brilliant, and disastrous Manu Ginobili things in this game that I lost count. Ginobili bounced off of Duncan and hugged another Spurs staffer almost as aggressively — with a hard chest-bump, a fist to the back, and a stern growl. It was a hug that said, "Fuck yeah, we did that!"
And as Tony Parker, so crazily great in this closeout, did his mandatory TV interview on the floor, Ginobili and Duncan strode in single file right below press row and into the tunnel, stopping to high-five a few fans. I got chills — literally, chills — watching those two walk off the floor, satisfied with a great accomplishment, hungry for one more, a lifetime of basketball already behind them.
Ginobili was earnest afterward in his remarks to the press. He spoke of how the Spurs won the title his rookie year, in 2002-03, and how young Ginobili, filled with confidence and hair on his head, just assumed it would always be like that. He learned over the last half-decade how truly tough it was just to get this far, and he was deeply appreciative of this next chance.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/63403/we-went-there-the-spurs-grind-out-a-sweep-at-the-grindhouse
And as Tony Parker, so crazily great in this closeout, did his mandatory TV interview on the floor, Ginobili and Duncan strode in single file right below press row and into the tunnel, stopping to high-five a few fans. I got chills — literally, chills — watching those two walk off the floor, satisfied with a great accomplishment, hungry for one more, a lifetime of basketball already behind them.
Ginobili was earnest afterward in his remarks to the press. He spoke of how the Spurs won the title his rookie year, in 2002-03, and how young Ginobili, filled with confidence and hair on his head, just assumed it would always be like that. He learned over the last half-decade how truly tough it was just to get this far, and he was deeply appreciative of this next chance.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/63403/we-went-there-the-spurs-grind-out-a-sweep-at-the-grindhouse