The World of the NBA according to Manu

[Virgil]

Here is the link to the interview.

I would translate it, but my english skills are not that good in order to do it in the little time I have... Sorry about that.

http://442.perfil.com/2014-03-29-269371-el-mundo-de-la-nba-segun-manu/

He talks about the Spurs´s lock room, about the way Patty Mills impressed him this season, and who are his closest friends in San Antonio (Thiago, Boris and Patty... and of course Tony and Tim). Also about what he expects for the rest of the season. Then a little more about how he misses his old (young body) but also about how important is the experience of the game he has now.

[313]

Thanks man :toast

[justinandimcool]

My Spanish sucks, but it appears Manu still thinks of Tony and Tim as teammates rather than friends. Makes sense since we are like that with most of our coworkers, kind of weird to think that they don't have much of a relationship off the court given their longevity on the court.

[313]

My Spanish sucks, but it appears Manu still thinks of Tony and Tim as teammates rather than friends. Makes sense since we are like that with most of our coworkers, kind of weird to think that they don't have much of a relationship off the court given their longevity on the court.
Was thinking the same when I read that part. For some reason, I always figured they would be closer.

[TheyCallMePro]

Here it is google translate style! Enjoy, these are always hilarious to read.

Here there is cumbia. Neither cumbia, or rock, or jazz, or blues , or anything. So peaceful that more than one would like to put a argento cuartetazo in volume 61 splash. The Spurs are 45 minutes out on court to face the Lakers, and the costumes are silent hospital. Tim Duncan walks in leather with wireless headphones the size of an olive , Kawhi Leonard , sitting with legs straight and those sandals that do not get between the toes , is staring and playing with the toes of her hands ( fingers are dedotes ) . Tony Parker goes and grabs a fruit tray fruit served an assistant. Aron Baynes elongates a foot from the fruits, Boris Diaw gets massage and Marco Belinelli filled an envelope with tickets that someone will send them to your friends , relatives or garroneros . Gregg Popovich of the Spurs joggineta takes to get a decent bag.


Manu arrives , who had been practicing for heating wrist shot . Now there are eight in the locker room in the NBA regular players and some journalists, foreign to an Argentine , but : visitors often meet the media before games because after many times they go tickets . First coach talks about 15 minutes after the players, about half an hour . Manu learned to live with changing rooms full of intruders. " He came from another culture, both in Italy and in Argentina the wardrobe is a private bunker. Suddenly I find this with people inside, I feel invaded. At first thought inside ' !Do these types here, let me change quiet ' , but with the days began to understand what are the proper times and what time public . It was shocking, " is the first thing you say.


- Do you still surprised the NBA?


No, does not impress me all that surrounds the show. After twelve seasons in the league and it is normal for me , I am very secured , I played anywhere but here , perhaps in the selection , but that is a month Occasionally . Here are eight months each season, and am part of this. Yes I impress new players. Every year they arrive and lifting the rod more .


- Like what?


- Patty Mills, the regularity and how important it was in the last month ... Bah , I lie, I can not really say I was surprised because I had seen a lot, and not for nothing became scorer in the Olympics, not any dog ​​does that. It has an impressive talent and is having an incredible season . When Tony got injured and was out two weeks, Patty did a terrific job.


- Any others?


- Mmmm ... No, the rest I can not add anything, we quite regularly , are well established , we compete almost every day ... I can not say that we are an amazing team .


The locker room is a sanctuary , but outside, the Stapples Center is a boiler. Even these days , where the Lakers come back. Sitting in a booth is an old friend of Manu childhood , adolescence and adulthood : Juan Ignacio Sánchez , commentator for Lakers games in Spanish channel franchise . Pepe also last year started a program on DirecTV, company PROFILE invited to watch the game. DirecTV stomp on the American League with exclusive Pass to see NBA games and now ranks high up with their foray into the National League. That's what they called Pepe , first Argentine to play in the NBA and who hugs Manu minutes of the game.


Team of Babel. In San Antonio there are two French , an Italian , an Australian , a Brazilian , a New Zealander , a Canadian and a bahiense . In the world map would seem difficult to make friends , but Manu is a great chancellor , bankruptcy cultures to perfection and buries the myth that NBA training ends and everyone goes home without speaking : " You can make good relationships here completely until I go out to dinner with some . It is something that can be especially San Antonio , where we are more foreigners than Americans and we have a lot in common , "he says . And mind who your best friends " Thiago , Boris and Patty mainly go to dinner together or we are. Tony is also added sometimes even Tim . I could not tell if they will be friends with the passage of time, but today are good teammates, great teammates . "


Both in the locker room and the parquet, Manu is a gunman . Made and unmade at will in a franchise that is a candidate to win the title : the game last night against Denver came a run of 15 straight wins , the team is first in the Western Conference and is the best record in the season. However, after staying in doors title last season, the players do not want to make the curls , as would a female president .


- Beyond that are candidates , how are they compared to 2013 ?


'It's hard to remember exactly how we were last at this same situation season, what I do know is that until now there was not a single year, of the 12 that I've been here , which has not felt in a position to win the title . Sometimes you lose and sometimes gives in the first round , because surely the opponent thinks like you. But I can not lie , we are in a great time last year we had a chance and we lost, now we have another . The playoffs are like , they put an amazing ball and leave you out , or that amazing ball and you spend the metés you did not paint a round , the distance between defeat and victory is very fragile. What is clear is that we are in a position to win.


Duncan -Parker - Manu is a for-profit company that is already in the history , not just for staying with three rings : trident together form the second most games won in NBA history , behind only Robert Parish Larry Bird and Kevin McHale , Boston. Arman a symphony that will not touch much more simply by the timing of each.


- The other day spoke of " oldies " . Was it something like a self-reference ?


- Haha ... actually we are two old men , Tim and I, because the rest can not be called so . Tony puts it in the package but is 31 years old and in his prime. Just tell us who make old computer because the core have been together many years, but now many important youth added: what is important is bringing Leonard , Mills from the bank ...


- If you you were to choose, would you rather experience today or the body you had before ?


And ... the body a bit strange , for me today is not the same as before get to the rim , with so much power . At times I feel strong enough to do any of the stuff before in a game , the difference is that I do not regularly. Are fewer times per game because I support the extended power costs for long periods. In contrast , I see the game lighter and clarity.


- So? At what point are you in your career?


- It is obvious that today for me the experience is more important than anything else . Experience is key , that at age 36 , almost 37 , can continue to play at a good level and helping my team , I appreciate it very much.

[Virgil]

Was thinking the same when I read that part. For some reason, I always figured they would be closer.


I think they have that particular relation that old friends have, in which you don´t have to see or talk with the other one to let him know he is one of the most important persons to you. Plus, he does say that from time to time, Tony and Tim joins them for a dinner out.

[r0drig0lac]

I think they have that particular relation that old friends have, in which you don´t have to see or talk with the other one to let him know he is one of the most important persons to you. Plus, he does say that from time to time, Tony and Tim joins them for a dinner out.I imagine it's that way too

[BackHome]

It amazes me that at his age he is still able to do the things he does...incredible...!!

[BillMc]

What's interesting when you include the friendships on the team is how Boris, who I believe was Tony's best man, seems to hang out with Splitter, Manu, and Patty (judging by the photos) but Tony is nowhere to be seen in those photos. THis is Manu's group.

I wonder who Tim and Tony hang out with. Somehow I picture Tony out with a different woman everynight on the road, and Timmy in his hotel room with Xbox. Probably not true, but somehow I get that impression.

[ElNono]

Excuse the typos...


The World of the NBA according to Manu

There’s no cumbia here. No cumbia, rock, jazz, blues or anything. There’s so much peace than an Argentinian would love to play a cuartetazo at full volume and destroy everything. The Spurs are 45 minutes away from walking into the court to face the Lakers, and the locker room is like hospital silence. Tim Duncan walks around without his jersey with wireless headsets the size of an olive; Kawhi Leonard, sitting with his legs stretched, wearing those sandals that don’t get in your toes, is gazing and playing with his thumbs (huge thumbs). Tony Parker walks by and picks up a fruit from the fruit basket an assistant brought. Aaron Baynes stretches about 3 feet from these fruits, Boris Diaw is getting a massage and Marco Belinelli fills an envelope with tickets that somebody is going to give to his friends and family. Gregg Popovich takes off his Spurs sweater to put on a better looking suit.

Manu arrives, after going to practice shooting to warm up his wrist. Now on the locker room there are eight players and some media people, something strange for an argentine, but normal in the NBA: the visiting team usually receives the media before the games because afterwards, a lot of times, they need to catch a quick flight. The coach talks first for about 15 minutes and after him the players, for about 30 minutes. Manu learned to share the locker room with a bunch of strangers. “I was coming from a different culture, both in Argentina and Italy the locker room is a private bunker. All of a sudden, I find this, with people in here, and I feel invaded. At the beginning I was thinking ‘What are all these people doing here, let me dress up in peace’, but after some time I started to understand which are the public and private times. Early on it was shocking”, is the first thing he says.

- Does the NBA still surprises you?
- No, I’m not impressed anymore with everything that surrounds the show. After 12 seasons, the league itself is normal to me, I’m settled, I haven’t played anywhere as long as I’ve played here; Maybe on the National Team, but that’s just a month once in a while. Here it’s 8 months every season, I’m part of this. I do get impressed with the new players. Every year there’s new faces, and raising the bar.

- Like who?
- Patty Mills, because of his consistency and how important he was in the last month… Well, not true, I can’t really say he surprised me because I’ve seen him a lot, and it wasn’t by luck he was the top scorer in the Olympics, not everyone does that. He has amazing talent, and he’s having an incredible season. When Tony got hurt and was out two weeks, Patty did a great job.

- Somebody else?
- Mmmm… No, I can’t add anything about the rest of the guys, we’re very consistent, we’re consolidated, we compete almost every day. I couldn’t say we’re a surprising team.

The locker room is a shrine, but outside, the Staples Center is a cauldron. Even in these days, when the Lakers are pretty bad. Sitting in one of the media booths is an old friend of Manu from all his life: Juan Ignacio Sanchez, who does the color commentary for the Laker’s spanish channel. Pepe, also, started a new show last year in DirectTV Argentina, the company that invited us to watch the game. DirectTV Argentina has made a strong bet with the US league with their exclusive NBA Pass to watch the games and now they’re re-positioning themselves also by joining the National League. That’s why they contacted Pepe, first argentine ever to play in the NBA. He hugs Manu before the game starts.

The Babel Team In San Antonio there are two french, one italian, one australian, one brazilian, one new zealander, a canadian and a bahiense. It’s a world map that look like it would be difficult to make friends, but Manu is a great chancellor, breaks through cultures and puts to rest the myth that in the NBA after practice every player goes home without talking to one another: “It’s possible to make good relationships here, totally, I even go out for dinner with some of my teammates. It’s something you can especially do here in San Antonio, where we’re more foreigners than americans and we have a lot in common”, he clarifies. And he tell us who are his best friends: “Thiago, Boris and Patty, we always dine together or we hang out. Tony sometimes joins in too, and even Tim. I couldn’t tell you if they’ll remain friends once time goes by, but nowadays they’re good teammates, great teammates”.

Both in the locker room and the court, Manu is a leader. He does and undoes as he pleases on a franchise that’s candidate to win it all: They arrived to last night’s game against Denver with a 15 game winning streak, they’re first in the Western Conference and has the best record in the league. Nevertheless, after being left standing in the doors to a new championship last season, the players don’t want to look too far ahead.

- Besides the fact that you guys are candidates to win it all, how are you all doing compared to 2013?
- It’s difficult to remember exactly how we were doing then, what I do know is that there has not been a single season in all these 12 years where I felt we could not compete for a championship. Sometimes you get there, sometimes you lose in the first round, because the other team probably thinks the same way you do. But I can’t lie, we’ve great momentum, we had a great shot last year and we lost, and now we have another chance. The playoffs are like that, they hit an amazing shot and you’re out, or you score that amazing shot and you move on to a round you didn’t think you could get to. The distance between losing and winning is very fragile. What’s clear is that we feel like we have everything to win.

Manu-Duncan-Parker is a society that’s already part of the history of the game, and not just because they won 3 rings: together they make up the second-most winning trio in the history of the NBA, only behind Robert Parish, Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, in Boston. They craft a symphony that won’t be playing for much longer, simply because of their age.

- The other day you were talking about “the old guys”. Was that like an auto-reference?
- Hehe… truth is the old guys are two, Tim and me, because you can’t call the rest like that. Tony gets packed in there but he’s only 31 and is in his best moment, career-wise. They just call us the old team because the nucleus has been together for many years, but now we’ve added a lot of important youth: what Leonard is bringing is very important, Mills from the bench…

- If you were allowed to pick one, would you prefer the experience of today or the body you had before?
- Well… I miss the body a bit, nowadays it’s not the same for me to get to the basket as before, with so much strength. Sometimes I feel strong enough to do the things I used to do in some game, the difference is that I can’t do them all the time. It’s less times per game because it’s more difficult to sustain the energy for long stretches. On the other hand, I see the game with much more clarity and easiness.

- So? At which point in your career are you at?
- It’s obvious that nowadays for me, the experience is much more important than everything else. The experience is key… that at 36, almost 37, I can continue to play at a good level and helping the team… I value that very highly.

[Robz4000]

What's interesting when you include the friendships on the team is how Boris, who I believe was Tony's best man, seems to hang out with Splitter, Manu, and Patty (judging by the photos) but Tony is nowhere to be seen in those photos. THis is Manu's group.

I wonder who Tim and Tony hang out with. Somehow I picture Tony out with a different woman everynight on the road, and Timmy in his hotel room with Xbox. Probably not true, but somehow I get that impression.

Tim's been hanging out a lot with Sean Marks this season iirc.

[Virgil]

Excuse the typos...

You are amazing, ElNono. :toast

[superjames1992]

I wonder who Tim and Tony hang out with. Somehow I picture Tony out with a different woman everynight on the road, and Timmy in his hotel room with Xbox. Probably not true, but somehow I get that impression.

Probably true, tbh. I get a sense that Enrique feels he is too good to hang out with the rest of the team. Timmy is probably still depressed over Amy's and Enrique's shenanigans. :cry

[SpurPadre]

As a native Spanish speaker, I can say that when Manu said he wasn't sure if they'll be friends with the passage of time, he was referring to all the players he mentioned, not just Tony and Tim.

[SpurPadre]

Probably true, tbh. I get a sense that Enrique feels he is too good to hang out with the rest of the team. Timmy is probably still depressed over Amy's and Enrique's shenanigans. :cry

TP is too busy fucking his teammates' wives or GFs, tbh.

[ABC]

Thanks Virgil and ElNono :toast

[Aztecfan03]

Aaron Baynes stretches about 3 feet from these fruits,
I'm guessing this is talking about Fruit by the Foot- a snack by Betty Crocker.

[KawhiLeonard]

I'm surprised Marco wasn't included in his friends