duncan228
04-24-2008, 12:17 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA042408.SpursNotebook.en.343f35c.html
Spurs notebook: Ginobili has proven he's top sub in series
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
The NBA handed out its Sixth Man of the Year award this week without controversy.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, a near unanimous selection, accepted the trophy before Game 2 of his team's playoff series with Phoenix on Tuesday night. Looking on that night was the distant runner-up for the award, the Suns' Leandro Barbosa.
Ginobili garnered 123 of 124 first-place votes, then promptly proved that the balloting was not undisputed enough.
Ginobili scored 29 points in the Spurs' 102-96 Game 2 victory. Barbosa, who won the award last year and pulled the lone remaining first-place vote this year, missed all seven of his field-goal attempts and went scoreless.
Even before Tuesday's object lesson, Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni had no qualms with how the voting turned out.
"I think he's one of the best players in the league, sixth man, first man, third man," D'Antoni said. "He should be on the All-Star team. He's a little undervalued, I guess."
So far, Ginobili is winning the battle of super-subs in this series, which resumes Friday night in Phoenix.
Ginobili, who scored at a team-leading clip of 19.5 points per game for the Spurs during the regular season, is averaging 26.5 in two playoff games. Barbosa is averaging six points in the postseason, down from 15.6 in the regular season.
Even after seeing his team outscored 40-13 off the bench Tuesday, however, D'Antoni wasn't ready to call bench production a concern for the Suns.
"The (bench-point) differential doesn't bother me, because Ginobili is about 90 percent of it," D'Antoni said Wednesday. "(Brent) Barry was the only bench guy besides Ginobili to score in the first half, and he had just the one three."
Ball-hogging Big Three: In Game 2, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Ginobili combined for 51 of the Spurs' 54 points in the first half.
Barry was the only other Spurs player to score before halftime, courtesy of a 3-pointer in the second quarter.
"You'd think those guys would want to pass once in a while," Barry said jokingly. "They were selfish."
R&R day: With Game 3 not scheduled until Friday, both teams took Wednesday off.
The Spurs will work out this morning before boarding their charter flight to Phoenix. The Suns, meanwhile, also have a practice scheduled for today.
Hacked off: Suns center Shaquille O'Neal made 5 of 6 free throws during a stretch of Tuesday's third quarter when the Spurs intentionally fouled him before Phoenix could set up an offense. Nevertheless, D'Antoni expects Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to revisit the tactic through the series.
"I think he'll always use it," D'Antoni said. "You're always going to stick your toe in the water and test it. If they feel that's a viable option to stopping the half-court (offense), they'll try it. I was glad to see Shaq do that. He was great. But I think they'll always try it."
Staff writer Mike Monroe contributed to this report.
Spurs notebook: Ginobili has proven he's top sub in series
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
The NBA handed out its Sixth Man of the Year award this week without controversy.
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, a near unanimous selection, accepted the trophy before Game 2 of his team's playoff series with Phoenix on Tuesday night. Looking on that night was the distant runner-up for the award, the Suns' Leandro Barbosa.
Ginobili garnered 123 of 124 first-place votes, then promptly proved that the balloting was not undisputed enough.
Ginobili scored 29 points in the Spurs' 102-96 Game 2 victory. Barbosa, who won the award last year and pulled the lone remaining first-place vote this year, missed all seven of his field-goal attempts and went scoreless.
Even before Tuesday's object lesson, Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni had no qualms with how the voting turned out.
"I think he's one of the best players in the league, sixth man, first man, third man," D'Antoni said. "He should be on the All-Star team. He's a little undervalued, I guess."
So far, Ginobili is winning the battle of super-subs in this series, which resumes Friday night in Phoenix.
Ginobili, who scored at a team-leading clip of 19.5 points per game for the Spurs during the regular season, is averaging 26.5 in two playoff games. Barbosa is averaging six points in the postseason, down from 15.6 in the regular season.
Even after seeing his team outscored 40-13 off the bench Tuesday, however, D'Antoni wasn't ready to call bench production a concern for the Suns.
"The (bench-point) differential doesn't bother me, because Ginobili is about 90 percent of it," D'Antoni said Wednesday. "(Brent) Barry was the only bench guy besides Ginobili to score in the first half, and he had just the one three."
Ball-hogging Big Three: In Game 2, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Ginobili combined for 51 of the Spurs' 54 points in the first half.
Barry was the only other Spurs player to score before halftime, courtesy of a 3-pointer in the second quarter.
"You'd think those guys would want to pass once in a while," Barry said jokingly. "They were selfish."
R&R day: With Game 3 not scheduled until Friday, both teams took Wednesday off.
The Spurs will work out this morning before boarding their charter flight to Phoenix. The Suns, meanwhile, also have a practice scheduled for today.
Hacked off: Suns center Shaquille O'Neal made 5 of 6 free throws during a stretch of Tuesday's third quarter when the Spurs intentionally fouled him before Phoenix could set up an offense. Nevertheless, D'Antoni expects Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to revisit the tactic through the series.
"I think he'll always use it," D'Antoni said. "You're always going to stick your toe in the water and test it. If they feel that's a viable option to stopping the half-court (offense), they'll try it. I was glad to see Shaq do that. He was great. But I think they'll always try it."
Staff writer Mike Monroe contributed to this report.