time to shut Manu down for a few weeks

[TMTTRIO]

The last game he looked injured and tonight he's been horrible. I'd rather have him sit if he's going to play like this.

[exstatic]

Naw, he just needs a few days off. He looked spent tonight, but last game he just looked reckless, not good decisions.

[ElNono]

Pop wouldn't play him if he was injured. He just had an awful game... those will happen here or there

[kaji157]

As horrible as he played on offense, he played great on defense.

[exstatic]

Pop wouldn't play him if he was injured. He just had an awful game... those will happen here or there

He's not injured, he just had no legs at all tonight. That's fatigue, and not uncommon in older players.

[urunobili]

Those three straight missed FT's looked extremely ugly... No legs or too much legs on everything

[KimmyGib]

As horrible as he played on offense, he played great on defense.

[DarrinS]

Outlier, I hope

[DAF86]

There's no excuse for the missed free throws. C'mon Manu. WTF?

[UNT Eagles 2016]

There's no excuse for the missed free throws. C'mon Manu. WTF?
He knew Dallas had no timeouts, the game was over, didn't care, blah blah meh

[From Downtown]

He'll sit against Denver and then will be fine on Saturday
We're not going to get good Manu for 82 games

[Agloco]

Outlier, I hope

This. You take the good with the bad. Overall he's been a big positive for us.

[Keepin' it real]

I agree with OP's sentiment. Maybe not to same extreme (few weeks), but Manu should definitely sit out at least one game a week and also stay home on Spurs road trips (except RRT).

[exstatic]

~60 effective games is all you can really expect from a 38YO SG. I think he's missed 2 so far.

When Manu misses jumpers early, it's a bad sign. He almost never pulls out of an early game shooting slump, and they then play off him and his passing angles are compromised.

[Johnny RIngo]

The last game he looked injured and tonight he's been horrible. I'd rather have him sit if he's going to play like this.

Dude, he's almost 40. You gotta expect some bad games here and there from athletes at that age. Duncan looked ancient against the Pelicans just last week. A couple days rest will be more than enough.

[spursistan]

looking at Paul Pierce for example and others in the same age group, Manu is playing at an all star level, tbh..Yesterday 29 mins, were more product of Pop trust in his close out pedigree than a satisfaction with actual play..He would been shutdown if this was 10 point game in the fourth..

[DAF86]

~60 effective games is all you can really expect from a 38YO SG. I think he's missed 2 so far.

When Manu misses jumpers early, it's a bad sign. He almost never pulls out of an early game shooting slump, and they then play off him and his passing angles are compromised.

I can recall several games where he pulls out of early game shooting slumps. Not going too far back, his season high of 17 against the Blazers was a case of this.

[sasaint]

I agree with OP's sentiment. Maybe not to same extreme (few weeks), but Manu should definitely sit out at least one game a week and also stay home on Spurs road trips (except RRT).

I agree. Manu is currency we need to spend like misers. The problem with that is that we apparently have only 3 players who can truly play the wing in a manner that Pop trusts. And Kawhi is the only one who can reliably create in Manu's absence. Kyle and Butler are both tweeners that do not providle anything remotely like Manu. Simmons is raw and only beginning to develop. If we save Manu now, we will lose some games we would not otherwise lose. If we spend him now, we will not have him to bank on in the playoffs. I am beginning to think we need to do what we rarely do and make a trade for somebody who will allow us to rest Manu with less of a drop-off. Judging by the minutes that Manu is already amassing and the very high minutes Kawhi is playing, I think PATFO may also be thinking more seriously about a trade.

[exstatic]

I agree. Manu is currency we need to spend like misers. The problem with that is that we apparently have only 3 players who can truly play the wing in a manner that Pop trusts. And Kawhi is the only one who can reliably create in Manu's absence. Kyle and Butler are both tweeners that do not providle anything remotely like Manu. Simmons is raw and only beginning to develop. If we save Manu now, we will lose some games we would not otherwise lose. If we spend him now, we will not have him to bank on in the playoffs. I am beginning to think we need to do what we rarely do and make a trade for somebody who will allow us to rest Manu with less of a drop-off. Judging by the minutes that Manu is already amassing and the very high minutes Kawhi is playing, I think PATFO may also be thinking more seriously about a trade.

Kawhi is playing 34.9 minutes, high by Spurs standards, but middle of the road by league starter standards. Manu is playing 20.1 minutes.

[kaji157]

~60 effective games is all you can really expect from a 38YO SG. I think he's missed 2 so far.

When Manu misses jumpers early, it's a bad sign. He almost never pulls out of an early game shooting slump, and they then play off him and his passing angles are compromised.

Disagree during his whole career Manu used to star very low and convert most of his production during the second halves. Hence Pop´s "He´s Manu Ginobili".

He is still, a player that can get hot at any time and break the game open by himself, that´s why Manu is still important, he can be complimentary at times, but from time to time you get a 20 minutes all star out of nowhere.

Off topic, i was reviewing Manu´s per 36 Stats from his prime and now, they are pretty identical.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html#per_minute::none

Prime Manu Per36 is:

2004-05 ★ 27 19.5 points 5.4 rebounds 4.7 assists 2.0 steals 0.4 blocks 2.8 Turnovers 3.1 FG% .471 3PTFG% .376

11 years later:

2015-16 38 19.3 points 6.1 rebounds 5.6 assists 2.1 steals 0.3 blocks 3.0 Turnovers 3.1 FG% .460 3PTFG% .367

[sasaint]

Kawhi is playing 34.9 minutes, high by Spurs standards, but middle of the road by league starter standards. Manu is playing 20.1 minutes.

You are right - averages are not bad. It's games like the Mavs game where Pop rides both of them much harder that worry me. Ideally, Pop would be able to rely more on our bench guys and keep Manu at a MAX of 21 minutes, with some DNPs and Kawhi at a MAX of 34. This Denver game will be a very interesting test. We are without two of our legends, Kawhi just played 40, the Nuggets provide some matchup problems (Jokic?) and it is the Mile High City. I expect to see the whole bench, and I hope the young guys AND guys like Danny and Patty come through in a big way.

[sasaint]

Disagree during his whole career Manu used to star very low and convert most of his production during the second halves. Hence Pop´s "He´s Manu Ginobili".

He is still, a player that can get hot at any time and break the game open by himself, that´s why Manu is still important, he can be complimentary at times, but from time to time you get a 20 minutes all star out of nowhere.

Off topic, i was reviewing Manu´s per 36 Stats from his prime and now, they are pretty identical.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/ginobma01.html#per_minute::none

Prime Manu Per36 is:

2004-05 ★ 27 19.5 points 5.4 rebounds 4.7 assists 2.0 steals 0.4 blocks 2.8 Turnovers 3.1 FG% .471 3PTFG% .376

11 years later:

2015-16 38 19.3 points 6.1 rebounds 5.6 assists 2.1 steals 0.3 blocks 3.0 Turnovers 3.1 FG% .460 3PTFG% .367

Wow, cool stats. Who'd a thunk it? Thanks for the post.

You are absolutely right about occasionally still getting a 20 minute all star out of the blue. Those occasions are getting more and more scarce, but when they happen they are electrifying for both team and fans.

[Spurtacular]

Kawhi is playing 34.9 minutes, high by Spurs standards, but middle of the road by league starter standards. Manu is playing 20.1 minutes.

I'd like to see that number down at about 17 mpg.

[TMTTRIO]

He shouldn't have come back in the game after he got injured. It's time to shut him down for a month and give Simmons all his minutes the way he's playing. There's no need for him to get injured more. The rest of the team will be just fine without him.

[100%duncan]

Manu needs rhythm tbh.

[ElNono]

Again with this? :lol

He's going to play if he's healthy and available

[timtonymanu]

:lol this poster always pops up when Manu is hurt or struggling

[steeledl]

I think it's a good idea to give him extended periods of rest as well.

[GSH]

Again with this? :lol

He's going to play if he's healthy and available

Since the team is "supposed" to go 15-0 in this stretch, it would be a good time to get him some rest. But he "looked" just fine tonight. Simmons is developing nicely, but Manu is a crafty bastard, with the heart of a lion.

I'm sure Pop won't let him near the court if there is any doubt about his health. Otherwise, this isn't even a discussion.

[ElNono]

Since the team is "supposed" to go 15-0 in this stretch, it would be a good time to get him some rest. But he "looked" just fine tonight. Simmons is developing nicely, but Manu is a crafty bastard, with the heart of a lion.

I'm sure Pop won't let him near the court if there is any doubt about his health. Otherwise, this isn't even a discussion.

He'll get rest when he needs it, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play the next game after that bruise.

But this notion that he'll get rested for weeks or months at at time when available is ridiculous stuff...

[ElNono]

And I like Simmons too, his time will come... Just not yet

[GSH]

Disagree during his whole career Manu used to star very low and convert most of his production during the second halves. Hence Pop´s "He´s Manu Ginobili".

He is still, a player that can get hot at any time and break the game open by himself, that´s why Manu is still important, he can be complimentary at times, but from time to time you get a 20 minutes all star out of nowhere.


You really should run that on a Per 100 Possessions basis, to adjust for pace. Don't worry - it's even more amazing.

The biggest difference in Manu's Per 100 stats is that he doesn't go to the FT line as often as he used to, and he shoots a few more 3's than he used to, as a percentage of shots taken. (Obviously related.) If Manu and Tim were getting the number of FTA's that they used to, no team could beat them, including the Dubs. But that's just a function of age and athleticism.

[SAGirl]

Manu needs rhythm tbh.

^^ This ^^

Also, Simmons will get play time because there are sufficient minutes without benching anyone.

[Spurtacular]

Injured or not; I agree with sitting Manu for parts of this cream puff stretch while the bench is doing pretty well. Manu needs to be at full strength come playoff time. A depleted Manu is a recipe for disaster.