TMTTRIO
02-14-2008, 02:11 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA021408.01C.BKNspurs.cavs.gamer.38065a6.html
Spurs' Ginobili singes Cavs: Guard's 46 points, eight 3-pointers seal 6-3 road trip
Web Posted: 02/14/2008 12:21 AM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
CLEVELAND — Since he wasn't invited to New Orleans for the NBA All-Star Game, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili made other plans for the weekend.
"I'm going to Vegas," he said. ;) this one might be good for the ditka thread :p:
And why not? With the hot streak he's been on, Ginobili might come back from Sin City the proud owner of the Hoover Dam.
Picking up where he left off two nights earlier in Toronto, Ginobili pumped in 46 points Wednesday night — including 18 during a seesawing, reach-for-the-Dramamine fourth quarter — to lift the Spurs to a 112-105 victory over Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena.
"It was unbelievable," Cleveland's LeBron James said afterward, looking like he had lost a blackjack hand by sitting on 20.
The Spurs (34-17) closed another successful rodeo trip by snapping a four-game regular-season losing streak against a Cavs team they swept in last season's NBA Finals.
They ended the trek 6-3, winning six of seven heading into the All-Star break. For the final two victories in the string, credit one Emmanuel David Ginobili, who carried the Spurs through a wild fourth quarter Wednesday that saw the lead change on nine consecutive possessions.
When the chips were down, he even out-LeBroned LeBron — in the King's home arena, no less — burying 15 of 20 field goals and a career-best eight 3-pointers.
"Manu Ginobili," Cavs coach Mike Brown said, "is a bad boy."
One quick question before Ginobili prints his boarding pass for Las Vegas: Is it still too late to reroute him to New Orleans?
James was no slouch himself, with 39 points to go with nine assists. Yet even he left the building awestruck by the 6-foot-6 Argentine with the guts of a Cirque du Soleil acrobat and the sleight-of-hand of a master magician.
In the fourth, Ginobili hit shots from every spot on the floor, a one-man game of H-O-R-S-E.
"I guess that's how opposing teams feel when I get going like that," James said.
Two nights after torching Toronto for 34 points and 15 rebounds, Ginobili encored with what was very nearly the best night of his career. He finished two points off his NBA high of 48, set Jan. 21, 2005, in an overtime victory at Phoenix.
Oh, and he also had eight assists, five rebounds and three steals.
"It was a special game," said Ginobili, who is 28 of 42 from the field the past two games. "It felt like every shot I took was going to go in."
For much of the second half, he was right. Ginobili made his last nine shots to keep the Cavs (29-23) at bay.
Tim Duncan had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, while Bruce Bowen scored eight of his 10 points during a span of 1:51 of the fourth quarter to help the Spurs grab the lead for good.
Cleveland played without three top reserves — Anderson Varejao, Sasha Pavlovic and Daniel Gibson.
The Spurs, playing again without last year's Finals MVP Tony Parker, trailed by 12 points in the second quarter and 10 in the third. Pulling a page from last year's postseason, they refused to let the Cavs finish them.
"Guys never gave in," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They just kept playing. I thought that was the most impressive part of the game for us."
After what he did to them, the Cavaliers might well hope that Ginobili would happen to go to Vegas — and then stay there.
Ginobili took over at point guard in the fourth quarter. Then took over the game.
His seventh 3-pointer gave the Spurs a 100-95 lead with 3:53 to go. Moments later, Ginobili buried his eighth — this one from 25 feet, to put the Spurs up eight.
All told, Ginobili made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter without a miss.
By night's end, he had helped pull a victory out of nowhere for the Spurs, like a rabbit out of a hat. He was feeling hot. He was feeling lucky.
And so Ginobili was off, perhaps to press his luck some more.
* * *
SPURS RODEO ROAD TRIP
Date Result Highlight
Jan. 28 @Utah 97, Spurs 91 Parker goes 1 for 7 from the floor.
Jan. 29 @Seattle 88, Spurs 85 Durant: Go-ahead jumper with 32.6 seconds left.
Jan. 31 Spurs 84, @Phoenix 81 Nash misses 3-pointer with two seconds left.
Feb. 5 Spurs 116, @Indiana 89 Duncan tallies 19 points, 15 rebounds.
Feb. 6 Spurs 85, @Washington 77 Duncan's 23 points lead team to third win.
Feb. 8 Spurs 99, @New York 93 (OT) Finley hits 3-pointer to force overtime.
Feb. 10 @Boston 98, Spurs 90 Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combine for 54 points.
Feb. 11 Spurs 93, @Toronto 88 Ginobili scores 34 with career-high 15 rebounds.
Wed. Spurs 112, @Cleveland, 105 Ginobili scores a season-high 46 points.
Spurs' Ginobili singes Cavs: Guard's 46 points, eight 3-pointers seal 6-3 road trip
Web Posted: 02/14/2008 12:21 AM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
CLEVELAND — Since he wasn't invited to New Orleans for the NBA All-Star Game, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili made other plans for the weekend.
"I'm going to Vegas," he said. ;) this one might be good for the ditka thread :p:
And why not? With the hot streak he's been on, Ginobili might come back from Sin City the proud owner of the Hoover Dam.
Picking up where he left off two nights earlier in Toronto, Ginobili pumped in 46 points Wednesday night — including 18 during a seesawing, reach-for-the-Dramamine fourth quarter — to lift the Spurs to a 112-105 victory over Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena.
"It was unbelievable," Cleveland's LeBron James said afterward, looking like he had lost a blackjack hand by sitting on 20.
The Spurs (34-17) closed another successful rodeo trip by snapping a four-game regular-season losing streak against a Cavs team they swept in last season's NBA Finals.
They ended the trek 6-3, winning six of seven heading into the All-Star break. For the final two victories in the string, credit one Emmanuel David Ginobili, who carried the Spurs through a wild fourth quarter Wednesday that saw the lead change on nine consecutive possessions.
When the chips were down, he even out-LeBroned LeBron — in the King's home arena, no less — burying 15 of 20 field goals and a career-best eight 3-pointers.
"Manu Ginobili," Cavs coach Mike Brown said, "is a bad boy."
One quick question before Ginobili prints his boarding pass for Las Vegas: Is it still too late to reroute him to New Orleans?
James was no slouch himself, with 39 points to go with nine assists. Yet even he left the building awestruck by the 6-foot-6 Argentine with the guts of a Cirque du Soleil acrobat and the sleight-of-hand of a master magician.
In the fourth, Ginobili hit shots from every spot on the floor, a one-man game of H-O-R-S-E.
"I guess that's how opposing teams feel when I get going like that," James said.
Two nights after torching Toronto for 34 points and 15 rebounds, Ginobili encored with what was very nearly the best night of his career. He finished two points off his NBA high of 48, set Jan. 21, 2005, in an overtime victory at Phoenix.
Oh, and he also had eight assists, five rebounds and three steals.
"It was a special game," said Ginobili, who is 28 of 42 from the field the past two games. "It felt like every shot I took was going to go in."
For much of the second half, he was right. Ginobili made his last nine shots to keep the Cavs (29-23) at bay.
Tim Duncan had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, while Bruce Bowen scored eight of his 10 points during a span of 1:51 of the fourth quarter to help the Spurs grab the lead for good.
Cleveland played without three top reserves — Anderson Varejao, Sasha Pavlovic and Daniel Gibson.
The Spurs, playing again without last year's Finals MVP Tony Parker, trailed by 12 points in the second quarter and 10 in the third. Pulling a page from last year's postseason, they refused to let the Cavs finish them.
"Guys never gave in," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They just kept playing. I thought that was the most impressive part of the game for us."
After what he did to them, the Cavaliers might well hope that Ginobili would happen to go to Vegas — and then stay there.
Ginobili took over at point guard in the fourth quarter. Then took over the game.
His seventh 3-pointer gave the Spurs a 100-95 lead with 3:53 to go. Moments later, Ginobili buried his eighth — this one from 25 feet, to put the Spurs up eight.
All told, Ginobili made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter without a miss.
By night's end, he had helped pull a victory out of nowhere for the Spurs, like a rabbit out of a hat. He was feeling hot. He was feeling lucky.
And so Ginobili was off, perhaps to press his luck some more.
* * *
SPURS RODEO ROAD TRIP
Date Result Highlight
Jan. 28 @Utah 97, Spurs 91 Parker goes 1 for 7 from the floor.
Jan. 29 @Seattle 88, Spurs 85 Durant: Go-ahead jumper with 32.6 seconds left.
Jan. 31 Spurs 84, @Phoenix 81 Nash misses 3-pointer with two seconds left.
Feb. 5 Spurs 116, @Indiana 89 Duncan tallies 19 points, 15 rebounds.
Feb. 6 Spurs 85, @Washington 77 Duncan's 23 points lead team to third win.
Feb. 8 Spurs 99, @New York 93 (OT) Finley hits 3-pointer to force overtime.
Feb. 10 @Boston 98, Spurs 90 Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combine for 54 points.
Feb. 11 Spurs 93, @Toronto 88 Ginobili scores 34 with career-high 15 rebounds.
Wed. Spurs 112, @Cleveland, 105 Ginobili scores a season-high 46 points.