From HOOPSWORLD.com
Spurs: Can Tim, Manu, and Tony Get it Done?
By Bill Ingram
Oct 11, 2006, 13:42
Tony Parker shot an incredible 55% from the field last year in what was easily his best season as a pro. How effective will he be this season, given that teams will be looking to stop his penetration? On the other side of the backcourt, does Manu need to evolve in order to be the force the Spurs need him to be this season? Is his frenetic style of play actually hurting the team? The answers to these questions coming soon in this edition of The Spurs Report!
Today we rejoin special guest Gregory Moore of the San Antonio Informer as we continue breaking down the 2006-07 edition of the San Antonio Spurs. Is this the season they get back to their championship form? If so, they will largely have Tony Parker to thank. Coming off of what was easily his best season as a pro (18.9 points, 5.8 assists), Parker will certainly garner more scrutiny from the opposition than he has in the past. The good news for Spurs fans is that Parker has been working on his shooting touch all summer, and the early results are incredibly good. He scored 48 points in the Spurs’ first two exhibition games (both wins) and shot 69% from the field and made all 12 of his free throw attempts. Can he sustain that kind of performance? Greg takes the first shot.
GM: Tony hit that field goal percentage due to penetrating the lane. Teams are going to be up on him now and they are going to do to him what I like to call the Avery Johnson defense; make him shoot the jumper. If Parker has worked hard during the summer on his mid range jumper and if he has added a couple of jump stop moves that frees him for that 12 to 18 foot shooting range, he could very well find the 50% FG range this season. But he will have to be willing to realize that dribble penetrations will not get him his shot nearly as much this season as in seasons past. Teams are going to shut the lane down so that mid range jumper will be needed.
In regards to a three point shot, I think Tony may be more useful if he spots up for the open two-pointer than the three. Giving him the green light on such a shot could be more detrimental to the team's offensive sets than him rubbing off a screen for the open two or penetrating for the lay up. For this season, Tony needs to be more accommodating as a passer in some instances and let the three point specialists do their job. He can space the floor on the line, but he should only take that shot if he has a wide open look at it.
BI: For the record, Tony only attempted one three-pointer in those first two preseason games and he did hit it. One three every other game would seem to be a good pace for him to set. Greg makes a great point in that the Spurs have added some nice shooters and Tony should feel free to use them liberally.
On the other side of the backcourt is Manu Ginobili. The immediate fan favorite is known for his mind-boggling frenetic style of play and for making impossible moves to get to the basket. Unfortunately, his style of play lends itself to injuries, as much of the time Manu seems to be determined to play outside of the limitations of his body. It’s time for Manu to evolve. He needs to understand that his team needs him on the court and under control. He’s a veteran now, and it’s time for him to rise to that status.
GM: Manu's style of play has actually hurt this team some in last season. Gregg Popovich had to limit his minutes because he uses so much energy and in crunch time he was just not good for the team. Plus the bumper car style that Manu played in seasons past was nice in the beginning but now the league is wising up. What some may consider a frantic style of play can be now perceived as a player out of control. Manu reminds many of a very young Pistol Pete Marovich and basketball purists will tell you that Pistol Pete was fun to watch but his teams didn't win. Well Manu is that and then some at times but because he is reckless and he sacrifices his body so much, he will have to learn how to conserve energy and play more conventionally.
BI: Rounding out the Spurs’ Big Three, of course, is Tim Duncan. He spent much of last season playing through injuries and never really showed us the Tim Duncan we’ve become accustomed to seeing until the second round of the playoffs. The Spurs need Duncan to elevate his level of play to where it was the three previous seasons if they are to stay ahead of the curve in the Southwest Division.
GM: Tim Duncan needs to find the Duncan of championships past and be in that aura for this season. Duncan's play over last season was very sub par at times. But this season should be a better one for him. He hasn't had any distractions with USA Basketball and fatherhood should be an old habit now. Duncan needs to be ready to accept the role of team leader and be more vocal but also lead by example. in order for this team to win the Southwest division, Duncan will need to bring his field goal percentage back up to the 54% range or better and his free throw shooting percentage has got to be in the 70% range or better. If he wants the MVP title this season, he will need to be averaging 30 ppg, 12 rpg and be able to hit free throws down the stretch of a game. If Duncan can put those types of numbers together this season, there is no reason why the Spurs cannot be the top seed in the Western Conference. Of course that is barring any injuries and what his teammates do to complement him.
BI: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are the heart of the Spurs’ rotation, and if Greg is right, they may be enough to assure the Spurs of another season at or near the top of the NBA standings. Parker is certainly off to a wondrous start after two preseason games, though granted they were not against NBA competition. We’ll conclude our preseason breakdown with Gregory Moore on Saturday, when The Texas Triangle returns to HOOPSWORLD.COM!
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