greens
02-24-2008, 02:59 AM
Buck Harvey: Old Manu instead of New Orleans
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA022408.01C.COL.BKNharvey.spurs.3e173d0.html
Web Posted: 02/24/2008 12:24 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Anybody else, this would be payback. This would be a shunned superstar, a prideful guy. He would be trying to show the world he deserved to be in New Orleans for the All-Star Game.
Manu Ginobili began this run, after all, about the time he learned he'd be free last weekend.
But Ginobili isn't anybody else. He's an odd assortment of arms and legs, with a big nose and a bigger engine, and he's spent a career getting revved up and taking his chassis places it shouldn't go.
It just happened Saturday, instead of going to New Orleans, New Orleans came to him.
A week ago, Dwight Howard wore a Superman outfit for a dunk contest, and now it's clear he borrowed it. The big "S" has been under No. 20.
Ginobili has gone from 34 points and 15 rebounds in Toronto to a 46-point, eight-assist night in Cleveland. Minnesota got to see both a 44-point exhibition and a game-winner, and then came Saturday when he let down his teammates.
A mere 30 points and a dozen assists is, by his standard, a dip.
The Spurs needed all of it against a talented Hornets team that was well represented as the All-Star host. These teams are now tied for the division lead, and the Spurs wouldn't be close without Ginobili. It's not a stretch to say the Spurs would have lost five of their last six games without him wearing the cape.
At least they would have beaten Charlotte without Ginobili, although he led the Spurs in scoring that night, too. That also was the night he argued about a call with a ref, and Gregg Popovich told him to stop.
Ginobili said something back to Popovich, and Popovich went Bobby Knight. He pointed to the bench, told Ginobili to sit down and brought in Bruce Bowen to replace him.
Anybody else, this would have been an issue. Ginobili responded by, well, sitting down. Within a few minutes, Ginobili was back on the floor, his feelings intact.
Every coach should love this. So why didn't the Western Conference coaches, who voted for the All-Star reserves?
P.J. Carlesimo would have voted for Ginobili, naturally. Mike D'Antoni, George Karl, Nate McMillan, Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan and Rick Adelman should have. Ginobili has helped eliminate each of them from the playoffs.
But pressed with tough choices in a competitive conference, they opted for, among others, a gifted, young player in Portland named Brandon Roy. Roy impressed in December when the Blazers went on a winning streak; now he's heading for the lottery again.
Maybe the finger that required a splint scuttled Ginobili's chances, as did a so-so stretch earlier in the season. But he also put together back-to-back 37-point games without Tim Duncan to beat both Utah and Dallas. Given what Ginobili has done every spring in fourth quarters, why would the coaches ignore that to reward someone for a great December?
When asked, Ginobili is diplomatic. He would love to be an All-Star, but he needed the rest. Besides, he said, "I know who I am."
But maybe he doesn't know this Manu Ginobili. He says he never scored more than 40 points even once in his years in Italy, and now the basket looks bigger than it ever has.
It must have with about two minutes left against the Hornets. Then, with a seven-point lead, Duncan rebounded and threw a long outlet pass to Ginobili. None of the Spurs were within 20 feet of the basket, meaning Ginobili should have pulled up and dribbled down the clock.
He instead fired. As the ball left Ginobili's hands, Duncan raised his into the air to signal a 3-pointer. Popovich stood with arms folded and didn't change his expression.
"He was waiting," Ginobili said, smiling, "for the result."
The result was a swish. The engine inside of him revved again, and he drove fullcourt as if he couldn't build the lead fast enough. On the next possession, he threw a pass to Duncan that required a radar gun.
Minutes later, Duncan had Ginobili's head in his hands, in a gesture of appreciation.
One All-Star. And one who should have been.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA022408.01C.COL.BKNharvey.spurs.3e173d0.html
Web Posted: 02/24/2008 12:24 AM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Anybody else, this would be payback. This would be a shunned superstar, a prideful guy. He would be trying to show the world he deserved to be in New Orleans for the All-Star Game.
Manu Ginobili began this run, after all, about the time he learned he'd be free last weekend.
But Ginobili isn't anybody else. He's an odd assortment of arms and legs, with a big nose and a bigger engine, and he's spent a career getting revved up and taking his chassis places it shouldn't go.
It just happened Saturday, instead of going to New Orleans, New Orleans came to him.
A week ago, Dwight Howard wore a Superman outfit for a dunk contest, and now it's clear he borrowed it. The big "S" has been under No. 20.
Ginobili has gone from 34 points and 15 rebounds in Toronto to a 46-point, eight-assist night in Cleveland. Minnesota got to see both a 44-point exhibition and a game-winner, and then came Saturday when he let down his teammates.
A mere 30 points and a dozen assists is, by his standard, a dip.
The Spurs needed all of it against a talented Hornets team that was well represented as the All-Star host. These teams are now tied for the division lead, and the Spurs wouldn't be close without Ginobili. It's not a stretch to say the Spurs would have lost five of their last six games without him wearing the cape.
At least they would have beaten Charlotte without Ginobili, although he led the Spurs in scoring that night, too. That also was the night he argued about a call with a ref, and Gregg Popovich told him to stop.
Ginobili said something back to Popovich, and Popovich went Bobby Knight. He pointed to the bench, told Ginobili to sit down and brought in Bruce Bowen to replace him.
Anybody else, this would have been an issue. Ginobili responded by, well, sitting down. Within a few minutes, Ginobili was back on the floor, his feelings intact.
Every coach should love this. So why didn't the Western Conference coaches, who voted for the All-Star reserves?
P.J. Carlesimo would have voted for Ginobili, naturally. Mike D'Antoni, George Karl, Nate McMillan, Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan and Rick Adelman should have. Ginobili has helped eliminate each of them from the playoffs.
But pressed with tough choices in a competitive conference, they opted for, among others, a gifted, young player in Portland named Brandon Roy. Roy impressed in December when the Blazers went on a winning streak; now he's heading for the lottery again.
Maybe the finger that required a splint scuttled Ginobili's chances, as did a so-so stretch earlier in the season. But he also put together back-to-back 37-point games without Tim Duncan to beat both Utah and Dallas. Given what Ginobili has done every spring in fourth quarters, why would the coaches ignore that to reward someone for a great December?
When asked, Ginobili is diplomatic. He would love to be an All-Star, but he needed the rest. Besides, he said, "I know who I am."
But maybe he doesn't know this Manu Ginobili. He says he never scored more than 40 points even once in his years in Italy, and now the basket looks bigger than it ever has.
It must have with about two minutes left against the Hornets. Then, with a seven-point lead, Duncan rebounded and threw a long outlet pass to Ginobili. None of the Spurs were within 20 feet of the basket, meaning Ginobili should have pulled up and dribbled down the clock.
He instead fired. As the ball left Ginobili's hands, Duncan raised his into the air to signal a 3-pointer. Popovich stood with arms folded and didn't change his expression.
"He was waiting," Ginobili said, smiling, "for the result."
The result was a swish. The engine inside of him revved again, and he drove fullcourt as if he couldn't build the lead fast enough. On the next possession, he threw a pass to Duncan that required a radar gun.
Minutes later, Duncan had Ginobili's head in his hands, in a gesture of appreciation.
One All-Star. And one who should have been.