McDonald: Popovich says Ginobili starts out of ‘necessity’

[duncan228]

Popovich says Ginobili starts out of ‘necessity’
Jeff McDonald

Some observers might have been surprised to see Manu Ginobili inserted into the Spurs' starting lineup in the wake of Tony Parker's fractured hand.

Ginobili wasn't one of them.

“It's not that I was expecting it,” Ginobili said, “but there weren't many other options.”

Ginobili earned just his second start of the season Monday at Cleveland, scoring a season-high 38 points and making seven 3-pointers in the Spurs' 97-95 loss.

In his only other start, Nov. 18 at Dallas, Ginobili left in the first quarter with a strained groin. After, he joked that he never wanted to start again.

Had it not been for Parker's injury, which is set to keep him out six weeks, Ginobili would have gotten his wish. Instead, coach Gregg Popovich now needs Ginobili's scoring and playmaking ability in the starting lineup, even if it creates a void on the bench.

“It was a necessity,” Popovich said.

Ginobili, a former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, was averaging 14.4 points and 4.8 assists in a reserve role.

One of the reasons Popovich preferred to bring Ginobili off the bench is that it provided a ready-made way to keep his minutes in check. Popovich vows to keep careful tabs on Ginobili's playing time as a starter, as he has with Tim Duncan's.

Ginobili, who is averaging 27 minutes, 41 seconds this season, logged nearly 37 in Cleveland, his most of the season in a non-overtime game.

“We'll try to keep his minutes where we always have,” Popovich said. “No matter where we are at the end of the season, he and Timmy's health is really important.”

Feel-good flashback: Popovich has taken a philosophical approach to the prospect of losing Parker for the remainder of the regular season, a year after losing Ginobili for the playoffs.

To soothe the feeling of woe-is-us, Popovich often thinks about the 1997 draft lottery that netted Duncan.

“The basketball gods giveth, and they taketh away,” Popovich said. “When somebody like Manu or Tony goes down, I think about the way the ping-pong balls bounced and we got Timmy. Which would you rather have? We have to shut up, take our licks and move on.”

Viva Los Spurs: Tonight's game against the Knicks marks the first of three this month for “Los Spurs.” As part of the NBA's fourth annual “Noches Latinas” celebration, the Spurs will don jerseys reflecting San Antonio's Hispanic heritage.

Other “Los Spurs” games are scheduled for March 16 at Miami and March 24 at home against the Lakers.

[ace3g]

I'm hoping Manu goes back to the bench, Pop needs to keep something consistent while Parker is out with injury. Our bench has been the best in the league all season, don't change that. Put Mason or Hairston as the 2 in the starting linuep, because our bench and rotations after the first subs utions helped finish games during that 4 game winning streak.

Plus you could see what Manu in the starting lineup did to Blair's confidence. Which could be fixed by putting Blair in the starting lineup with Manu, if Manu stays in the starting lineup

[The Truth #6]

I agree. Blair and Manu should continue to play together.

My hunch is that Manu will get overplayed while Tony is out and will be gassed by the end. It seems annoying to be over protective of him but the worst thing would be for him to overplay and get injured on an already wasted season. Come on Pop just give Malik some minutes.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I agree. Blair and Manu should continue to play together.

My hunch is that Manu will get overplayed while Tony is out and will be gassed by the end. It seems annoying to be over protective of him but the worst thing would be for him to overplay and get injured on an already wasted season. Come on Pop just give Malik some minutes.

[phxspurfan]

No Pop, ride your 10 Million Dollar Horse. Ride him all the way out of town!

[lennyalderette]

if pop is going to start manu he needs to start blair with duncan

[BillMc]

if pop is going to start manu he needs to start blair with duncan

+1

[Manu-of-steel]

if pop is going to start manu he needs to start blair with duncan

Pop won't do that. I guess, it will be bonner, instead of blair in the line.

[santymrc]

If Manu doesnt start, the 1st unit will get so blown away it wont matter our 2nd unit.
That's why Manu's starting.
You guys want the best bench with the worst starters, its incredible.

[MrFundamental]

You guys want the best bench with the worst starters.

Is that necessarily worse then having the best starters and essentially no bench?

[honestfool84]

Los Spurs is dumb. just saying.

[Mr Bones]

If the Spurs are relatively sure that Splitter is coming this summer, I'd offer Blair straight up for Milwaukee's Luc Mbah a Moute: If you look at all the stats, Blair is the more effective player right now, but Mbah a Moute would be a better defender for the system that the Spurs have in place and a front line of Splitter/ Duncan/ Moute would be very strong defensively. Don't take this as a knock on Blair-- I like him a lot but don't think he fills the current shortcomings on the Spurs as well as Mbah a Moute would.

[silverblackfan]

Anyone know the w/l history with the Los Spurs jerseys?
I am hoping these next 3 games gets everybody playing right again.

[DAF86]

Is that necessarily worse then having the best starters and essentially no bench?

Yes, 'cause the starters usually play more minutes.

[sa_kid20]

Is that necessarily worse then having the best starters and essentially no bench?

Well, would you want to try and establish some sort of a lead early and try to maintain it, or dig yourself a deficit early on and hope you can eventually dig out of it??

I'll take the first option every day of the week.

[timvp]

If the Spurs are relatively sure that Splitter is coming this summer, I'd offer Blair straight up for Milwaukee's Luc Mbah a Moute.

Holy .

[Blake]

I thought RJ responded well playing off the bench with Manu.

Clearly RJ needs a creative passer to make him effective.

Playing arm chair coach, my starting 5 is Manu at the 1, RJ 2, Bonner/Dice 3, TD 4 Blair 5.

[portnoy1]

I thought RJ responded well playing off the bench with Manu.

Clearly RJ needs a creative passer to make him effective.

Playing arm chair coach, my starting 5 is Manu at the 1, RJ 2, Bonner/Dice 3, TD 4 Blair 5.

Kinda like when Pop did the triple towers in the 97-98 season. That was a cool frontline of Duncan/Robinson/Perdue. Imagine that, 3 7footers. What I would give to have at least 2 7footers on the court at the same time. FYI - times have changed, Duncan can only guard Centers and slow PF's unlike 97-98 when he played SF. Dice is to short to guard Centers and to slow to guard SF's. And Blair is to short to guard Centers and once again like Dice to slow to guard Any SF not named Artest. And Bonner is to slow guard.....?......?.....? well anybody, actually. I like the triple tower idea, but like small ball we dont have the Personnel to do it. Jamison is a good person to play the PF spot if you wanna go small. Bargnani is a good Person to play the SF spot if you wanted to go large. We have neither and nothing close to those 2 players.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Holy .

[Mr Bones]

Holy .

Aw, that's such a cute and quirky response!

[polandprzem]

Holy .

I need to use it.

[Josepatches_]

“We'll try to keep his minutes where we always have,” Popovich said. “No matter where we are at the end of the season, he and Timmy's health is really important.”

Really important? We are at the end.It had a lot of sense the previous months but now it's coming the time to play at full strenght.

If we talk about Manu it's not sure he's going to stay here next year so while he's not tired there is not reason to limit his minutes. His health next year couldn't be our problem.