ElNono
04-19-2014, 01:19 AM
The top record in the league is an accomplishment, but we start 0-0.
SAN ANTONIO.- There are two extremely important things that will happen to me this week. The most important and that’s beyond any game or sport achievement is the birth of my third child. Everything is going well. Many, my wife, looks great. The doctor said the belly is all baby and anytime now he’ll knock and come out. We’re through with the 38 weeks of gestation. We’re very excited.
The other “thing” is the playoffs, where we arrive with a regular season almost ideal for us. We couldn’t ask for more. We ended up three games ahead of the next team, among so many great teams that are younger, quicker and talented than us. The truth is that the top record is a HUGE accomplishment. We’re happy, but we also know that it doesn’t mean absolutely anything other than home court advantage. And most of the time, the series are won on the road. Now everyone starts at zero, with adrenaline, excited and the enthusiasm that implies to be in this part of the tournament.
We knew we could get to 50 wins. And I was almost sure that Miami and Indiana were going to win 60 games, but they slipped at the end and we stayed pretty consistent. During 82 games the teams normally go through ups and downs, and perhaps they’ll drop six games out of ten. That never happened to us and that was our key. I was astonished how well we did in February, when we were missing up to five players, and sometimes three on the same position. We had to improvise and the team kept on winning. It was fundamental, because losing three or four more games could make doubt creep in and allow teams like Oklahoma, Clippers or Portland to pass us by… But players that haven’t played a lot of minutes really stepped up. That part of the season was spectacular.
I read that we’re the first roster since 1976 in which no player logged over 30 minutes per game. Incredible. Pop was able to rest us more because we kept winning, and the bench guys were playing great… It’s amazing to have been the best regular season team with that minute distribution, and without a superstar player that has to play 38 minutes and score 30 points. We play very good basketball, very balanced scoring, assisting, everything. So it was a pleasure of a season. The thing is, that doesn’t mean we start every playoffs series 2-0. We start 0-0. At home, sure, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. It was great what just ended, but it ended. Now something else starts. And the playoffs are special, because a bad game at home can leave you out and the 62 games we won would be useless. Like the commercial that airs here, “win or go home”.
Now it’s time for Dallas, a team with a lot of scorers, good 3 point shooting team, that has a bit of everything. It’s going to be very, very tough. And if we move on, it will be Houston or Portland, against whom we have problems a lot of times. So this is complicated, regardless if we’re the #1 seed. We have to work, play very hard and play well. Dallas vs San Antonio is a Texas classic, and the fact that we’ve played many times in the playoffs makes it even more compelling, especially for the fans. Dallas eliminated us in 2006 and then we eliminated them a couple of times, but we’re new teams and whatever happened back then doesn’t really dictate much. The important thing is how we both are right now.
Personally, the balance is great. I played almost 70 games, I had a scare in February, but generally I was good, and I played less minutes than on other years, but more or less like everybody, including Tim and Tony. And I love that role. I don’t complain, I don’t pretend to play 30 minutes or more at this age. I do certainly want to be in a team like this one, with players that when a teammate goes to the bench, they respond with the same or even more enthusiasm than the guy they’re replacing. And for the player that shot or played a little worse than expected, when the team wins so much, everything gets masked. It was an impeccable season for everyone.
The other argentines had different seasons. Pablo had a very rough season. New York was built to fight at the top, but didn’t make it. I’m sure he’s disillusioned, but I think Pablo was solid, regular and did what was expected of him. Under no circumstances he’s guilty of that situation. And Luis… It was weird what happened with Indiana, like Miami. They started really well, but in the last month they lost a lot, but Indiana ended up with the #1 seed in the East. And Luis was very consistent, despite the limited minutes he would be getting in any other team. It’s difficult to have just 14 minutes for a guy that was a starter all his life, and he had to overcome that. The good news is that the team is a contender; he’s already suffered losing often and being in the bottom of the standings. On that aspect, the change was welcome.
Lastly, I want to highlight certain situations that give some perspective. Since I’ve been here, this is the 4th season that we win 60 games, and the 12th that we make the playoffs. No other team has such a track record; even more, San Antonio has 17 consecutive seasons making the playoffs. After so many years, the constant relevancy of this team is amazing. It’s not normal that a team can be so consistent for so long, always fighting at the top. That dream could end 10 days from now, because we could lose to Dallas and not being a champion always leaves a bitter taste. But that doesn’t have to erase all that has been accomplished for so long. Something extraordinary.
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Link to original story (in spanish): http://canchallena.lanacion.com.ar/1683342-la-columna-de-manu-el-n-1-es-un-gran-logro-pero-empezamos-0-0
Excuse any typos/errors.
SAN ANTONIO.- There are two extremely important things that will happen to me this week. The most important and that’s beyond any game or sport achievement is the birth of my third child. Everything is going well. Many, my wife, looks great. The doctor said the belly is all baby and anytime now he’ll knock and come out. We’re through with the 38 weeks of gestation. We’re very excited.
The other “thing” is the playoffs, where we arrive with a regular season almost ideal for us. We couldn’t ask for more. We ended up three games ahead of the next team, among so many great teams that are younger, quicker and talented than us. The truth is that the top record is a HUGE accomplishment. We’re happy, but we also know that it doesn’t mean absolutely anything other than home court advantage. And most of the time, the series are won on the road. Now everyone starts at zero, with adrenaline, excited and the enthusiasm that implies to be in this part of the tournament.
We knew we could get to 50 wins. And I was almost sure that Miami and Indiana were going to win 60 games, but they slipped at the end and we stayed pretty consistent. During 82 games the teams normally go through ups and downs, and perhaps they’ll drop six games out of ten. That never happened to us and that was our key. I was astonished how well we did in February, when we were missing up to five players, and sometimes three on the same position. We had to improvise and the team kept on winning. It was fundamental, because losing three or four more games could make doubt creep in and allow teams like Oklahoma, Clippers or Portland to pass us by… But players that haven’t played a lot of minutes really stepped up. That part of the season was spectacular.
I read that we’re the first roster since 1976 in which no player logged over 30 minutes per game. Incredible. Pop was able to rest us more because we kept winning, and the bench guys were playing great… It’s amazing to have been the best regular season team with that minute distribution, and without a superstar player that has to play 38 minutes and score 30 points. We play very good basketball, very balanced scoring, assisting, everything. So it was a pleasure of a season. The thing is, that doesn’t mean we start every playoffs series 2-0. We start 0-0. At home, sure, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. It was great what just ended, but it ended. Now something else starts. And the playoffs are special, because a bad game at home can leave you out and the 62 games we won would be useless. Like the commercial that airs here, “win or go home”.
Now it’s time for Dallas, a team with a lot of scorers, good 3 point shooting team, that has a bit of everything. It’s going to be very, very tough. And if we move on, it will be Houston or Portland, against whom we have problems a lot of times. So this is complicated, regardless if we’re the #1 seed. We have to work, play very hard and play well. Dallas vs San Antonio is a Texas classic, and the fact that we’ve played many times in the playoffs makes it even more compelling, especially for the fans. Dallas eliminated us in 2006 and then we eliminated them a couple of times, but we’re new teams and whatever happened back then doesn’t really dictate much. The important thing is how we both are right now.
Personally, the balance is great. I played almost 70 games, I had a scare in February, but generally I was good, and I played less minutes than on other years, but more or less like everybody, including Tim and Tony. And I love that role. I don’t complain, I don’t pretend to play 30 minutes or more at this age. I do certainly want to be in a team like this one, with players that when a teammate goes to the bench, they respond with the same or even more enthusiasm than the guy they’re replacing. And for the player that shot or played a little worse than expected, when the team wins so much, everything gets masked. It was an impeccable season for everyone.
The other argentines had different seasons. Pablo had a very rough season. New York was built to fight at the top, but didn’t make it. I’m sure he’s disillusioned, but I think Pablo was solid, regular and did what was expected of him. Under no circumstances he’s guilty of that situation. And Luis… It was weird what happened with Indiana, like Miami. They started really well, but in the last month they lost a lot, but Indiana ended up with the #1 seed in the East. And Luis was very consistent, despite the limited minutes he would be getting in any other team. It’s difficult to have just 14 minutes for a guy that was a starter all his life, and he had to overcome that. The good news is that the team is a contender; he’s already suffered losing often and being in the bottom of the standings. On that aspect, the change was welcome.
Lastly, I want to highlight certain situations that give some perspective. Since I’ve been here, this is the 4th season that we win 60 games, and the 12th that we make the playoffs. No other team has such a track record; even more, San Antonio has 17 consecutive seasons making the playoffs. After so many years, the constant relevancy of this team is amazing. It’s not normal that a team can be so consistent for so long, always fighting at the top. That dream could end 10 days from now, because we could lose to Dallas and not being a champion always leaves a bitter taste. But that doesn’t have to erase all that has been accomplished for so long. Something extraordinary.
-----
Link to original story (in spanish): http://canchallena.lanacion.com.ar/1683342-la-columna-de-manu-el-n-1-es-un-gran-logro-pero-empezamos-0-0
Excuse any typos/errors.