Spurs ride Ginobili's hot return

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...i.2ec0cb6.html
Spurs ride Ginobili's hot return

Web Posted: 12/15/2006 11:03 PM CST

Johnny Ludden
Express-News

The spring in Manu Ginobili's step has returned, along with his shot. His 3-pointers are falling, his drives to the basket are as daring as ever. His coach doesn't even recall him playing this well a year ago.
So why now? How did Ginobili seemingly relocate his All-Star form the moment he returned from a painful back injury?

"With him," Tim Duncan said, "it's just a matter of time."

Since Ginobili made his return on Dec. 4, the Spurs have won six of seven games with an average margin of victory of 25 points.

The injury-depleted rosters of a few opponents have factored greatly in the routs. But Ginobili's contributions also have had a sizeable impact: He led the team in scoring in three of the games; in assists in one other.

"Everybody kept asking why we missed Manu so much," Tony Parker said. "It's because then I'm the only one who penetrates. You only have shooters on our team besides Manu.

"So when Manu plays we can alternate and have double weapons. It's never the same guy who penetrates. It's hard to guard because you never know where it's going to come from."

The New Orleans Hornets realized as much Thursday night. Ginobili and Parker combined for 43 points and 14 assists, though neither played much in the fourth quarter.

"When both of them are shooting like that ..." said Hornets point guard Chris Paul, shaking his head.

Ginobili didn't inspire such awe early in the season. Prior to bruising his back against Dallas on Nov. 24, he was shooting a career-worst 41.1 percent. During one five-game stretch, he missed 46 of 67 shots, including 19 of 25 3-pointers.

Ginobili has warmed up considerably since the injury forced him to the sideline. In the past five games, he's made 31 of 55 shots, including 15 of 26 3-pointers.

For the season, he's now shooting 45.1 percent from the field, 41.8 percent from the 3-point line and 90.1 percent from the foul line. His 3-point and free-throw percentages are the highest of his career.

"I don't think enough credit is given to a player's rhythm, just getting a little bit of confidence going again," Duncan said. "That's everything with him. He gets a couple shots, plays a good game here and there and all of a sudden he starts rolling."

Ginobili never really settled into a rhythm last season, when he missed 17 games. His production didn't drop much from his All-Star season the previous year, but every time he started to find some consistency, he sprained his right ankle or was slowed by one of his many quadriceps contusions.

"Last year I had a lot of slumps," Ginobili said. "I play very good for a part then I got hurt and didn't play as well and went back again.

"The only time I was doing good for a long period of time was against Dallas in the playoffs. Now I'm feeling good."

After missing four games with his latest injury, Ginobili admitted to being a little nervous when he returned against Golden State. Hesitant to attack, he instead distributed nine assists to his teammates. Near the end of the game, he used a behind-the-back dribble to get past a defender along the sideline, then tossed an underhand pass that Brent Barry banked in for a layup.

Ginobili's confidence continues to grow. He's still wearing a protective pad over his lower back, but that doesn't seem to have limited him. Though Spurs coach Gregg Popovich initially brought him off the bench and guarded his minutes, the team's lopsided victories have done more to cut back his playing time of late.

Thursday in New Orleans, Ginobili scored 24 points, 11 of which came in the opening quarter, jump-starting the Spurs' rout. Popovich praised Ginobili afterward, saying he is playing as well as he was two years ago. At least one of Ginobili's teammates agrees.

"When he starts playing confidently," Duncan said, "he's one of the best in the league."

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Originally Posted by Article

His coach doesn't even recall him playing this well a year ago.

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Neither can I.

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Originally Posted by Tim Duncan

"When he starts playing confidently," Duncan said, "he's one of the best in the league."

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Amen! :king

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Ginobili didn't inspire such awe early in the season. Prior to bruising his back against Dallas on Nov. 24, he was shooting a career-worst 41.1 percent. During one five-game stretch, he missed 46 of 67 shots, including 19 of 25 3-pointers.
Ginobili has warmed up considerably since the injury forced him to the sideline. In the past five games, he's made 31 of 55 shots, including 15 of 26 3-pointers.

For the season, he's now shooting 45.1 percent from the field, 41.8 percent from the 3-point line and 90.1 percent from the foul line. His 3-point and free-throw percentages are the highest of his career.

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I'm amazed he brought his season averages up so high, so fast. He's doing great.

Hope he keeps it up, He and Tony have been tearing it up this past week.

Living in Houston and without cable I don't get to see many games, but saw the Hornets game on TNT the other night. Two comments.

1. The Spurs movement and team play was so smooth that it often resembled a team working on plays in practice against the scrubs. The pick and roll resulted in Layup after layup uncontested. Of course the Hornets defense was hapless, but I choose to think that was due to flawless execution on the part of the Spurs.

2. Ginobili made one classic Manu move that left his defender shaking his head. He dribbled behind his back from left hand to right and passed his defender, drove left to the basket while executing a cross-over back to his left hand, dodged past a second defender by crossing back over to his right hand and finished with an incredible reverse layup.

SUPERMANU IS BACK.

I challenge the Choppers to replace Sloths Shirt with a Ginobili Jersey and have it say at the bottom "SLOTH LOVES GINO"

http://www.weirdcrapmymombought.com/...es/sloth_0.png

after watching the last couple of games, it's clear that Manu confident is UP there. That move against the Hornets was simply SICK.

the injury was a blessing
it waked him up

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"When he starts playing confidently," Duncan said, "he's one of the best in the league."

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Manu can be unstoppable. Unfortunately he wasn't blessed with the body of a Lebron James.

I am very glad to see manu playing soo good. I hope he doesnt get a new injury (please) so that the spurs keep having a excellent level, if parker, manu and tim continue scoring up 10 points per game, spurs can really make a difference this year.

Ginobili has so many hot returns every year, when is he going to play warm for 82 games?

alls you see on the front page is "Spurs ride Ginobili's hot..."

made me laugh.

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Originally Posted by SequSpur

Ginobili has so many hot returns every year, when is he going to play warm for 82 games?

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As long as he can play hot for 30-35 games in the playoffs (pretty much what he did in 2005, when he was the playoffs MVP), who the fuck cares?

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Originally Posted by SequSpur

Ginobili has so many hot returns every year, when is he going to play warm for 82 games?

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he'll never play 82 games, but I don't think that's all that important. I remember Drob missing a lot of games in his career.

All I have to say is...


MANU GINOBILI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by 2centsworth

he'll never play 82 games, but I don't think that's all that important. I remember Drob missing a lot of games in his career.

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David missed 17 games in his first seven years in the league. 14 of those games were in the same season.

Manu missed 17 games last season :lol

Total, Manu has missed 47 games in his first four and a third seasons. Robinson missed 27 games in his final five seasons.

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Originally Posted by 2centsworth

Manu can be unstoppable. Unfortunately he wasn't blessed with the body of a Lebron James.

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having the body of Lebron wouldn't help the way he plays, he wouldnt be able to slide in between defenders or contort his body like he does so well

Manu is the rubberman from fantastic 4

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Originally Posted by timvp

David missed 17 games in his first seven years in the league. 14 of those games were in the same season.

Manu missed 17 games last season :lol

Total, Manu has missed 47 games in his first four and a third seasons. Robinson missed 27 games in his final five seasons.

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I thought david missed an entire season once. Also, didn't he miss a couple of playoff seasons. Not to say David is the same as Manu, because obviously Manu gets hurt more, but I'm saying missing regular season games to injury isn't as crucial as some make it out to be.

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Originally Posted by nkdlunch

having the body of Lebron wouldn't help the way he plays, he wouldnt be able to slide in between defenders or contort his body like he does so well

Manu is the rubberman from fantastic 4

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Dwayne Wade is a pretty good example of someone who has a Lebron like body and plays a Manu style game.

Manu misses alot of games, that's objective, real and got damn true.

how in the hell can you argue that?

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Originally Posted by 2centsworth

Dwayne Wade is a pretty good example of someone who has a Lebron like body and plays a Manu style game.

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Wade has missed an average of 10 games per season for his first three. While that doesn't qualify him for China doll status, he's only 24. Call me when he's Manu's age in 5 years, and we'll compare games missed.

Oh, and Manu averages 11 games missed per season for his first four.

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Originally Posted by SequSpur

Manu misses alot of games, that's objective, real and got damn true.

how in the hell can you argue that?

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not arguing against it if you're talking to me. He gets hurt a lot, but that's who he is.

He's a player who can give us Dwayne Wade type of production in the most important games, but misses a few or a lot, depending on your view, regular season games.

All players have weaknesses. When people harp on a players weakness when in the overall scheme of things it matters very little I try to defend that player.

I do the same with Tony and always used to do the same with Drob.

Dwade plays nothing like Manu. totally different players

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Originally Posted by nkdlunch

Dwade plays nothing like Manu. totally different players

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I think the comparisons are that they both play with their foot mashed on the accelerator. Wade is a better distributor, Manu the better shooter. They both penetrate recklessly.

Not doing well tonight so far. 5 points on 2-8 shooting, 5 boards, 0 assists, 3 turnovers.

manu plays better away this season for some reason
on the road in playoffs he plays worse though
plays great at home in playoffs

yeah weird..oh well the law of averages made sure Manu was due for a bad shooting night, 5-15 so far?

lol, oh well. Tim and Tony had theirs, now they've made all their shots again.

Manu saves the Sixers game single-handedly in crunch time.

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Originally Posted by ducks

the injury was a blessing it waked him up

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It's like Barry said
... "Contussion":dizzy ....so whenever Manu slow his game, please send someone to kick his ass :)

Ya gotta love Manu. Even when he has a shitty shooting night, he never gives up, always plays full speed and contributes to the win in other ways.

The radio announcer said it best last night: Manu is everywhere. It's like there are three Manus out there.

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Originally Posted by wildbill2u

Ya gotta love Manu. Even when he has a shitty shooting night, he never gives up, always plays full speed and contributes to the win in other ways.

The radio announcer said it best last night: Manu is everywhere. It's like there are three Manus out there.

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only three? manu is :king

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Originally Posted by phyzik

I challenge the Choppers to replace Sloths Shirt with a Ginobili Jersey and have it say at the bottom "SLOTH LOVES GINO"

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I challenge someone to translate WTF this guy just said!

choppers = photoshopers, chopper

DWade finishes better, but Manu actually plays defense and that's what counts