Spurs1234
06-06-2015, 10:21 AM
I can remember in 2011 thinking Manu was an all time great but the one knock was he was prone to injury. Think about it, we were coming off an amazing comeback to contention, 2010-2011 season where Manu breaks his arm in the last game. The wounds were still fresh. The 2008 season seemed derailed by his ankle and the 2009 season ended for him half way through the season. Throw in the 2010 playoffs where we broke his nose and the label of injury prone seemed destined to be etched on his amazing nba tombstone.
But sitting back and it's 2015 and I don't feel that way anymore. Granted he was not mr. Granite like lebron, who this day has never had an significant injury that I recall, but he seems as durable if not more durable than his counterparts at the two guard position. He was amazing in 2014 and hit the biggest shot in the 2014 run vs ok'd in game six. Down 2 with 30 seconds left if he misses that shot we go to game 7 with them. He did this at age 37. And since that 2011 arm injury he hasn't missed many regular seasons, sans the hamstring issues in 2013.
But seeing Kobe being unable to complete a half a season since 32 or 33 and Nash not being able to stay on the court since 35 or 36 or 30 year old tMac being done, it's hard not to compare ginobili favorable compared to these guys in regards to injury. And think about the other hot two guards in the day that flamed out by 30-Steve Francis etc.
All of a sudden when you roll his career and look at it in its simplest form the guy played championship two guard until 38 or 37. The list of guys that can say that is small. He only missed one playoff year in 2009 and that team wasn't going anywhere anyways. Same for the 2008 team vs the lakers (I think Boston was the better and hungrier team even if they beat la). And the 2011 team wasnt Good enough on defense and yet he stilled led the team in scoring in the playoffs (granted he didn't play game one which hurt their chances and opened door for upset).
I am curious to hear what others think. Am I crazy to think this? But a two guard that plays championship level until 38 and misses one playoff year and only half of one regular season is amazing if you ask me.
But sitting back and it's 2015 and I don't feel that way anymore. Granted he was not mr. Granite like lebron, who this day has never had an significant injury that I recall, but he seems as durable if not more durable than his counterparts at the two guard position. He was amazing in 2014 and hit the biggest shot in the 2014 run vs ok'd in game six. Down 2 with 30 seconds left if he misses that shot we go to game 7 with them. He did this at age 37. And since that 2011 arm injury he hasn't missed many regular seasons, sans the hamstring issues in 2013.
But seeing Kobe being unable to complete a half a season since 32 or 33 and Nash not being able to stay on the court since 35 or 36 or 30 year old tMac being done, it's hard not to compare ginobili favorable compared to these guys in regards to injury. And think about the other hot two guards in the day that flamed out by 30-Steve Francis etc.
All of a sudden when you roll his career and look at it in its simplest form the guy played championship two guard until 38 or 37. The list of guys that can say that is small. He only missed one playoff year in 2009 and that team wasn't going anywhere anyways. Same for the 2008 team vs the lakers (I think Boston was the better and hungrier team even if they beat la). And the 2011 team wasnt Good enough on defense and yet he stilled led the team in scoring in the playoffs (granted he didn't play game one which hurt their chances and opened door for upset).
I am curious to hear what others think. Am I crazy to think this? But a two guard that plays championship level until 38 and misses one playoff year and only half of one regular season is amazing if you ask me.