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04-17-2008, 01:35 AM
Spurs notebook: Ginobili finishes as top scorer
Web Posted: 04/17/2008 12:49 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
Guard Manu Ginobili, the top contender for this season's NBA Sixth Man Award, finished the season as the Spurs' top scorer, with an average of 19.6 points per game.
In the process, he became the first NBA bench player to lead his team in scoring since Chris Gatling paced the Dallas Mavericks in 1996-97, with an average of 19.1 points. However, Chicago's Ben Gordon, another bench player, also led his team in scoring this season.
If Ginobili does claim the league's Sixth Man Award, he will be the first winner since Milwaukee's Ricky Pierce, in 1990, to lead his team in scoring.
Ginobili, who played Wednesday for the first time since April 9 after straining a muscle in his left groin, scored 12 points against the Jazz and finished the season with a scoring average of 19.6 points, best on the team.
He is not the first Spurs bench player to lead the team in scoring. Dominique Wilkins, who came off the bench in 37 of the 63 games he played in 1996-97, led the team that season, with an average of 18.2.
Far more important than Ginobili's team scoring title was the fact he made it through the game without showing any effects of the muscle strain that had kept him on the sidelines for three games.
"He says he feels good," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He wanted to play even a little bit more tonight, and I had to make him sit down. I just hope he's feeling as good as he says he's feeling. He's such a competitor that he wants to be out there.
"But it's playoff time, so there's no way I'm going to be able to sit him now, even if I wanted to sit him a little bit. He'll be out there."
Right to work: There was no rest for the Spurs' coaches and support staff after Wednesday's victory.
Within an hour of the conclusion of the Spurs' game against the Utah Jazz, Popovich gathered his staff for a meeting, at which specific preparations for the first round of the playoffs would begin.
"(Tonight) will be the first opportunity to actually hone in on one team," Popovich said before Wednesday's game. "We meet after every game. That won't be any different than usual."
Never in Popovich's 12 seasons as the team's head coach had the Spurs reached the 82nd game with so many possible first-round playoff scenarios as they faced Wednesday.
Mike Wells, the Spurs' assistant coach who doubles as the team's advance scout, said he already had prepared preliminary scouting reports on the Jazz, Rockets and Suns. Over the previous 10 days, Wells had scouted the Jazz at Dallas game, Denver at Utah, Houston at Denver and Golden State at Phoenix.
The team's video staff has broken down tape of all three of the potential foes.
"I'll amend the reports slightly," Wells said, "but we're pretty well prepared to go to work on a game plan as soon as we know who we're playing."
The work began shortly before midnight at the arena.
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LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041708.06C.BKNspurs.notebook.3f85700.html
Web Posted: 04/17/2008 12:49 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News
Guard Manu Ginobili, the top contender for this season's NBA Sixth Man Award, finished the season as the Spurs' top scorer, with an average of 19.6 points per game.
In the process, he became the first NBA bench player to lead his team in scoring since Chris Gatling paced the Dallas Mavericks in 1996-97, with an average of 19.1 points. However, Chicago's Ben Gordon, another bench player, also led his team in scoring this season.
If Ginobili does claim the league's Sixth Man Award, he will be the first winner since Milwaukee's Ricky Pierce, in 1990, to lead his team in scoring.
Ginobili, who played Wednesday for the first time since April 9 after straining a muscle in his left groin, scored 12 points against the Jazz and finished the season with a scoring average of 19.6 points, best on the team.
He is not the first Spurs bench player to lead the team in scoring. Dominique Wilkins, who came off the bench in 37 of the 63 games he played in 1996-97, led the team that season, with an average of 18.2.
Far more important than Ginobili's team scoring title was the fact he made it through the game without showing any effects of the muscle strain that had kept him on the sidelines for three games.
"He says he feels good," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He wanted to play even a little bit more tonight, and I had to make him sit down. I just hope he's feeling as good as he says he's feeling. He's such a competitor that he wants to be out there.
"But it's playoff time, so there's no way I'm going to be able to sit him now, even if I wanted to sit him a little bit. He'll be out there."
Right to work: There was no rest for the Spurs' coaches and support staff after Wednesday's victory.
Within an hour of the conclusion of the Spurs' game against the Utah Jazz, Popovich gathered his staff for a meeting, at which specific preparations for the first round of the playoffs would begin.
"(Tonight) will be the first opportunity to actually hone in on one team," Popovich said before Wednesday's game. "We meet after every game. That won't be any different than usual."
Never in Popovich's 12 seasons as the team's head coach had the Spurs reached the 82nd game with so many possible first-round playoff scenarios as they faced Wednesday.
Mike Wells, the Spurs' assistant coach who doubles as the team's advance scout, said he already had prepared preliminary scouting reports on the Jazz, Rockets and Suns. Over the previous 10 days, Wells had scouted the Jazz at Dallas game, Denver at Utah, Houston at Denver and Golden State at Phoenix.
The team's video staff has broken down tape of all three of the potential foes.
"I'll amend the reports slightly," Wells said, "but we're pretty well prepared to go to work on a game plan as soon as we know who we're playing."
The work began shortly before midnight at the arena.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041708.06C.BKNspurs.notebook.3f85700.html