TMTTRIO
05-01-2006, 02:16 AM
Ginobili's gaffe stays with him
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050106.7D.BKNspurs.ginobili.ddba4bf.html
Web Posted: 05/01/2006 01:12 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The fear for the Spurs, going into Game4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings, was that shooting guard Manu Ginobili would be trying too hard to compensate for what he called the worst turnover of his career, one he believed cost his team a victory in Game3 on Friday.
"I think just the opposite was true," Ginobili said after he scored only three points, on 1-for-4 shooting in the Spurs' 18-point loss to the Kings that left the teams tied at two games each in the best-of-7 series.
"I was playing still like my head wasn't ready after what happened in that game. I can't believe it, because I've been in situations that were tough, and you come back and put it behind and play strong, but today I just couldn't.
"So you've just got to give the Kings credit," he said. "They played their butts off and beat us."
Indeed, the Kings so thoroughly dominated the game, especially the second half, that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich emptied his bench with 6:35 remaining, giving Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker some rest.
Popovich had spent time on Saturday trying to counsel Ginobili to get over his gaffe at the end of Game3, when he lost the ball on a drive to the basket with about seven seconds left and the Spurs leading by a point. That turnover resulted in a game-winning, buzzer-beating basket by the Kings' Kevin Martin, and Ginobili was disconsolate and angry with himself afterward, to the point some of his teammates worried about him.
Popovich got a hint on Saturday that Ginobili would not easily get past the mistake.
"I tried to give him all sorts of stuff (to help)," Popovich said "I told him it was my fault; I should have called another play.' But he just said, 'Bull.'
"If that's the worst thing that ever happens in his life, he will have a good life."
Ginobili's tentative play on Sunday showed he still was thinking about his costly error. On one play, when a Kings miss was batted in his direction, he took one step toward the ball before hesitating and turning to go back on defense. The Kings got the loose ball and turned it into a basket, which earned Ginobili a tirade from Popovich.
Ginobili said the Spurs, including himself, now must focus on regaining their aggression.
"I think they were able to beat us with aggressiveness on the boards," Ginobili said. "We played ... well, I don't know how we felt. We just didn't play like ourselves. We didn't move the ball enough. Too many one-on-one plays. We looked too static, but I want to see the film.
"Once you play the game and lose, you are angry so you don't have a good game feel in your head. But that is what it seemed like in my mind, that we were static."
Ginobili's counterpart on the Kings, Bonzi Wells, had 17 rebounds and 25 points. Much of the Spurs' attention in Game5 will be directed toward him.
"A lot of his rebounds, he was in the right place at the right time," Spurs forward Robert Horry said. "There were a lot of long rebounds that just seemed to come out to him, but he went after them really aggressively."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA050106.7D.BKNspurs.ginobili.ddba4bf.html
Web Posted: 05/01/2006 01:12 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The fear for the Spurs, going into Game4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Sacramento Kings, was that shooting guard Manu Ginobili would be trying too hard to compensate for what he called the worst turnover of his career, one he believed cost his team a victory in Game3 on Friday.
"I think just the opposite was true," Ginobili said after he scored only three points, on 1-for-4 shooting in the Spurs' 18-point loss to the Kings that left the teams tied at two games each in the best-of-7 series.
"I was playing still like my head wasn't ready after what happened in that game. I can't believe it, because I've been in situations that were tough, and you come back and put it behind and play strong, but today I just couldn't.
"So you've just got to give the Kings credit," he said. "They played their butts off and beat us."
Indeed, the Kings so thoroughly dominated the game, especially the second half, that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich emptied his bench with 6:35 remaining, giving Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker some rest.
Popovich had spent time on Saturday trying to counsel Ginobili to get over his gaffe at the end of Game3, when he lost the ball on a drive to the basket with about seven seconds left and the Spurs leading by a point. That turnover resulted in a game-winning, buzzer-beating basket by the Kings' Kevin Martin, and Ginobili was disconsolate and angry with himself afterward, to the point some of his teammates worried about him.
Popovich got a hint on Saturday that Ginobili would not easily get past the mistake.
"I tried to give him all sorts of stuff (to help)," Popovich said "I told him it was my fault; I should have called another play.' But he just said, 'Bull.'
"If that's the worst thing that ever happens in his life, he will have a good life."
Ginobili's tentative play on Sunday showed he still was thinking about his costly error. On one play, when a Kings miss was batted in his direction, he took one step toward the ball before hesitating and turning to go back on defense. The Kings got the loose ball and turned it into a basket, which earned Ginobili a tirade from Popovich.
Ginobili said the Spurs, including himself, now must focus on regaining their aggression.
"I think they were able to beat us with aggressiveness on the boards," Ginobili said. "We played ... well, I don't know how we felt. We just didn't play like ourselves. We didn't move the ball enough. Too many one-on-one plays. We looked too static, but I want to see the film.
"Once you play the game and lose, you are angry so you don't have a good game feel in your head. But that is what it seemed like in my mind, that we were static."
Ginobili's counterpart on the Kings, Bonzi Wells, had 17 rebounds and 25 points. Much of the Spurs' attention in Game5 will be directed toward him.
"A lot of his rebounds, he was in the right place at the right time," Spurs forward Robert Horry said. "There were a lot of long rebounds that just seemed to come out to him, but he went after them really aggressively."