McDonald: Spurs' Ginobili almost himself again

Spurs' Ginobili almost himself again
Jeff McDonald

LOS ANGELES — The ball swung to Manu Ginobili in the corner, followed by the sound of 20,572 fans at the Rose Garden inhaling at once.

The Spurs trailed Portland by three with 10 seconds left Thursday, and Ginobili was loading up for a 3-pointer that couldn't have been more uncontested had it come during shootaround.

As has been the case with the Spurs for much of the season, Ginobili's potential game-tying shot came with a glitch. He hadn't been expecting the pass from George Hill, who had eschewed an open look, and the surprise threw him out of rhythm. The ball bounced off the rim, and Portland hung on to a 96-93 victory.

“I had plenty of time; I stayed with the shot,” Ginobili said. “But it didn't look good from the beginning.”

For Ginobili, the Spurs' star-crossed shooting guard, the 3-point stroke is about all that hasn't looked good lately.

The Spurs are off to an uneven start to their annual rodeo trip, winning a defensively challenged shootout in Sacramento before blowing a chance at a season-altering win at Portland.

The one constant in both games, and the thing that gives the Spurs the most hope going forward: Manu Ginobili is beginning to look like Manu Ginobili.

In two games on the trip, Ginobili is averaging 20.5 points and 5.5 assists, has made 15 of 28 field goals and has reeled off the sort of breakneck drives that can only be described as “Ginobili-esque.” The lone pockmark has been his 3-of-11 performance from 3-point range, a persistent flaw this season.

Overall, it is a positive turn of events for Ginobili, who has been struggling to return to form after a pair of injury-plagued seasons that, for the first time, made him feel destructible.

“I'm feeling better and better,” said Ginobili, 32. “I think in the long term, everything is going to come together, and I'm going to feel like I felt two seasons ago.”

If that is Ginobili's ceiling, it cannot arrive soon enough for the Spurs, whose up-and-down season continues tonight against the Clippers.

Two seasons ago, Ginobili produced a career year (19.5 points, 4.5 assists, 40.1 percent 3-point shooting). He hasn't been healthy since, riddled with injury woes culminating in a stress fracture in his right distal fibula that ended his 2008-09 campaign.

For the first time in two seasons, Ginobili — who is averaging 13.3 points and a career-best 4.7 assists — has been consistently getting to the rim, and consistently finishing. In Sacramento, six of his seven field goals came on drives, including one 2005-vintage dunk over Spencer Hawes, the Kings' 7-foot center.

“He looks healthy,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “I think his body is starting to feel good.”

Trading the tentative Ginobili, who began this season, for something approximating the classic model would be the most significant roster upgrade the Spurs could muster.

All that remains missing from Ginobili's arsenal is his outside shot, which he believes he is days away from reclaiming. He is shooting 35.5 percent on 3-pointers this season, up 2.5 percentage points from last season but down nearly 5 percentage points from his career zenith.

“In 20 interviews at the beginning of the season, I said I was concerned about not getting to the rim, but at least my outside shot was going in,” Ginobili said. “Now, it's the opposite.”

Popovich says he has been satisfied with Ginobili's shot selection “for the most part.” Ginobili admits he's never been perfect in that regard.

“Sometimes I take bad shots,” he said, “because that's basically who I am.”

In the days to come, Ginobili hopes to rediscover more pieces of who he is, and once was.

“The shots are feeling good,” he said. “It's not like when I let it go, it feels bad. So I think they are going to start falling soon.”

if ginobili can shoot lights out like 2 years ago and parker plays like last year and jefferson plays like he did 2 years ago also maybe we will have a chance :)

bullshit


manu of old would have been been better in the 4 against portland

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducks

bullshit
manu of old would have been been better in the 4 against portland

---

:lol

oh I guess he would he would foul and give the other team free throws very late in the game like a dumbass

manu's better when he's reckless. he's been holding back because his body wasn't up to it, but his recent play is really encouraging.

If you watch that play you can tell Manu was expecting George to take the shot. Those saying Pop drew up the play for Manu are probably wrong. Yeah, with the exception of that very important miscue, Manu is looking better in every way. We can't wait much longer for the tide to turn.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by spurs10

If you watch that play you can tell Manu was expecting George to take the shot. Those saying Pop drew up the play for Manu are probably wrong. Yeah, with the exception of that very important miscue, Manu is looking better in every way. We can't wait much longer for the tide to turn.

---

If Manu wasn't prepared to take a shot then he shouldn't have been on the court. You usually draw plays with 2nd and maybe 3rd options in case the opposing team does a certain thing to counter. Manu's man left him to contest George's shot and George responded by passing to a wide open man for the tie. It was the right call on George's part. Sometimes the shots just don't fall.

:toast All I have to say really. Can't wait until we see a complete Manu, hoping (I know he will) he'll get it together by the playoffs

This thread would be more fitting if Manu made that 3-pointer to tie.

The thing is Manu's never been very good when it comes to last second or game winning shots and they should know that. That's why I thought it was weird that they didn't have Mason or even Finley out there instead to shoot it. Manu's better at driving and creating shots for others or driving through the lane and getting to the FT line to shoot some important FT's than he is at shooting it at the finishing moment. I really don't ever remember Manu making a game winning shot since he's been here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducks

oh I guess he would he would foul and give the other team free throws very late in the game like a dumbass

---

Ducks chiming in with the bullshit. Right on time I suppose...:lol

Tim, Tony and Manu all blew late opportunities last night. Your such a scrub ducks.:wakeup

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducks

oh I guess he would he would foul and give the other team free throws very late in the game like a dumbass

---

Not his fault Tony wasn't in the game...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducks

oh I guess he would he would foul and give the other team free throws very late in the game like a dumbass

---

Oh and I guess parkers miss to put us up one was any better hater? I guess that one was just a perfect miss to you! The perfect miss from TONY! After Timmay tips it out he misses a good look! Guess you forget that KEY PLAY TOO! You only see what you want man, thats all you see.

If Parker took the three it would either clank hard or airball late, right? Yes or no?

What kind of name is ducks anyway:lmao

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Emanuel David Ginobili

“Sometimes I take bad shots,” he said, “because that's basically who I am.”

---

Something about that statement leads me to believe we're in for a rather indecisive retirement down the line...

That's cool that Manu recognizes and admits that..nothing new, he's been taking bad shots forever and he makes a lot of them..same with his risky passes..that's just who he is though, he wouldn't be Manu without the risks..

Yeah, but that's a Favreian quote if I've ever heard one. lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Truckules

If Manu wasn't prepared to take a shot then he shouldn't have been on the court. You usually draw plays with 2nd and maybe 3rd options in case the opposing team does a certain thing to counter. Manu's man left him to contest George's shot and George responded by passing to a wide open man for the tie. It was the right call on George's part. Sometimes the shots just don't fall.

---

Its not that he isnt ready or willing to take big shots, if you watch the replay I just think he was expecting George to shoot it...you can can see him getting ready to go for the offensive rebound, he has to sort of step back when he receives the pass to get behind the line. Overall great signs from Ginobili as far as progress goes, but that was still a complete meltdown from the team that old Manu wouldnt have allowed. He still has ways to go.

We need to extend his contract pronto... I would hate to see him play anywhere else.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

That's cool that Manu recognizes and admits that..nothing new, he's been taking bad shots forever and he makes a lot of them..same with his risky passes..that's just who he is though, he wouldn't be Manu without the risks..

---

I just wish Manu would resist the urge to commit unnecessary fouls, that result in an "and 1" for the opposition, when the Spurs are up by three in critical Game 7 situations, thereby forcing overtime.

Oh God, there it goes again. Why Manu? Why? :bang

But, I digress...

I agree, but I bet Manu thinks about that and-1 every other day..

Athletes that fuck up in big moments can probably never forget those situations, especially guys as competitive as Manu..I remember hearing that a couple of MLB pitchers killed themselves for allowing big hits in the World Series IIRC..crazy..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by easy7

We need to extend his contract pronto... I would hate to see him play anywhere else.

---

He's been quoted as saying he owes it to himself to explore free agency.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TMTTRIO

The thing is Manu's never been very good when it comes to last second or game winning shots and they should know that. That's why I thought it was weird that they didn't have Mason or even Finley out there instead to shoot it. Manu's better at driving and creating shots for others or driving through the lane and getting to the FT line to shoot some important FT's than he is at shooting it at the finishing moment. I really don't ever remember Manu making a game winning shot since he's been here.

---

Really!?



3:33 mark

There's also a dunk against Memphis and a jumper against the Bucks and I'm sure there are some more that I'm forgetting.

Think of it this way:

Spurs are a #1 seed without a healthy Ginobili = no chance.

Spurs are a #8 seed with a healthy Ginobili = chance.

Ginobili getting to the line is a great and more accurate measure to his overall health not his jump shot falling. Attacking the rim and getting to the line which he hadn't done since before the Lakers series in the payoffs in 2008

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducks

oh I guess he would he would foul and give the other team free throws very late in the game like a dumbass

---

rofl you calling anyone a dumbass. The only thing that would be funnier would be you calling someone a retard.

If Parker wouldve missed that last possesion shot, He wouldve been murdered here...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by xtremesteven33

If Parker wouldve missed that last possesion shot, He wouldve been murdered here...

---

Not by me. I thought he carried us in the first half, even if he was hobbled. I like what I saw from Tony in that game.