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Excuse some of the typos. I'm fixing as I re-read it.
(link to the original article in spanish)
"I feel better than I thought I would at this age"
Manu talked about how he's going to redesign his game looking at the future. Denies the window has closed for the Spurs.
In February, thanks to playing at a very high level, he played his second All-Star Game. But around that time they peaked. Both the team and Manu. What came afterwards was downhill and a quick elimination in the 1st round of the playoffs. "The season gives us reasons to think we're not finished. We were the best in the regular season up to almost the end. We won 61 games with an old team, a team nobody gave anything for… It gave us an edge and allows us to think we can do it again next season. But what happened in the playoffs was a big disappointment, we all thought we would get far. But the reality is that we reached the playoffs downhill, and Memphis completely uphill. And they beat us fair", he explains.
- How do you explain it?
It's simple. Memphis played really tough, defended us well and had a very inspired Zach Randolph.
- And the explanation for the drop of production? Was it physical, because of the age?
I don't think it was physical. We peaked in February when the rest of the teams do it more slowly or like it happened with us in other seasons when we were at our best during the playoffs. This time just wasn't like that.
- Is it a dynamic that can't be controlled?
You really can't control it. You start sliding down, and you just don't stop… There isn't just one reason. That said, I'm not saying we were a lot better than anybody else…
If you look at Dallas, that ended up winning it all, they had to battle for seven games to get past the 1st round. It's not that rare for a 1st or 2nd in a Conference to lose in the 1st round.
- Now, with this result, the saying that the Spurs are too old will get a boost…
Sure. But it's been hearing that for a decade now. Since 2007 when we won it all, they've been saying we're old…
- And you don't think they're right?
Yeah, we're older, but that doesn't mean we can't win.
- Did the window close?
I don't think so. Boston two years ago played the Finals and they were an older team than us. Depends if you play well, you score when it matters and don't suffer injures. Luckily, we didn't have injuries this season.
- Did you get upset with Parker for saying that the team was old and the championship window was closed?
It's not closed, but it's closing. I'm going to be 34, Duncan 35 and this doesn't last forever. But we won 61 games and in six months you don't get that old. We can win again, and if you win a series you gain confidence and then anything can happen. If we could've beat Memphis we had the same chances as Dallas.
- What's your balance at 33 years old?
I played very well, and made the All-Star team. I can't complain. I felt very well, played 80 games…
- Is it more than you expected at this age?
Yes, I feel better than I thought I would at this age
- Nowadays you have more weapons?
Yes, I think I figured it out because it's clear that I don't run or jump like I used to, or dunk in traffic as much anymore. I've tried to find a way to remain important in the team. Since I know the system so well, the coach, Tony, Tim and the new guys, I just feel like a reference point in the team. It gives you tranquility and extra confidence.
- This is very satisfying for you, right? Jordan also redesigned his game to keep on being effective as years went by and this is another big step in your career.
Honestly, yes. It's been a yearly challenge and I've been able to do it. The physical drop is inevitable and you have to get better, be smarter and have a more reliable shot.
- And how are you going to transform your game going forward?
I don't see myself as a pure shooter like Ray Allen, but I can shoot 40% on 3 pointers. I see myself more as a creator and distributor because I enjoy doing it and I can help the team by scoring, for example, 17 points or so.
Last edited by ElNono; 06-29-2011 at 06:54 PM.
Excuse some of the typos. I'm fixing as I re-read it.
Thanks for posting ElNono.
Obviously Manu saying the Spurs arent done is probably his compe iveness talking... but i dont buy the notion the Spurs window is closed either.
IMO Duncan Manu and Parker are enough offensively to win a championship... its the defense that really needs an overhaul. Im hoping a jump in minutes for Splitter from 10-15 to 25-30 will result in a significant improvement in key defensive stats such as opp. FG% and opp. FTA. Throw in a potential rebounding/defensive beast in Leonard.. and Tim is still a top 5 big man defender in the league... and i think the Spurs team has the potential to be a top 5 defensive team. They wont be in the Orlando, Miami, Chicago, Boston tier.. but they can be the best of the next group.. which i think can be enough if they dont suffer a drop offensively.
Another thing we shouldnt forget is the Spurs really have two lottery level picks coming in this year... Kawhi Leonard and James Anderson. JA wasnt a factor at all last year, and he has a similar game to guys like Klay Johnson and Alec Burks who went 11 and 12 in this years draft. Sweet shooting/scoring 6'6 wings. Similar games/impact at the collegiate level.
Manu didn't bite on the question about whether he was mad at Tony for "the comment." That was expected.
Manu is a fighter and will go down swinging. He has to believe they can do it again because he is such a compe or that he only knows how to play full speed, regardless of whether they actually can win.
Although he has changed his game to become more of a shooter and playmaker, I noticed that he was slashing into the paint more as the playoffs came nearer. He can still do it if needed. However, with Ghill gone, I don't know that we have enough guys capable of getting to the hole.
Probably because he's not mad.
I don't agree with the bolded part (among other things). But there's really no shame in being maybe top 10 at his age. I agree that defense is what's going to make or break any chances, as dim as they might be. Realistically speaking, building a very good defensive team normally takes more than just a season, especially when rookies are involved. But hey, whatever happens we'll be watching and rooting for them to do well.
I commend Manu for his confidence in the team, but it's not about wins or even peaking at a certain time. The fact is we haven't seen championship Spurs basketball consistently for several seasons now. Pop can talk about getting back to it all he wants...but he's done very little to prove that he still believes in it. The Spurs have done things like re-sign Bonner and throw desperation cash at RJ hoping these things will be parts of an "all in" effort to put one more trophy in the case. The reality of it is these moves reeked of desperation and were more "we're pray that this works" instead of "we're all in"...and none of these moves did anything to promote the type of basketball we've come to know during the Duncan era.
If you ask me to pick a side I say that the book is closed. If the Big 3 want to play out their contracts here while the Spurs go out in the first couple of rounds then so be it. They've earned the right. I've enjoyed the les and I'm prepared for the potentially long transition if that happens.
lol... please do name 5 big defensive big men better than Tim Duncan right now.
IMO,
1) Dwight
2) Bogut
3) Noah
4) Ibaka
5) Gasol (Pau)
Some good choices after that too: Bynum, Marc Gasol, Camby, Perkins, Okafor...
Oh, add KG and Tyson Chandler to that list after 5th spot too...
Noah, Bogut, the Gasols, Camby, Perkins, and Okafor are not better defensively than Duncan but thanks for the translation. A lot of those players also missed a significant amount of games compared to Duncan as well and were dealing with injury factors. Duncan's still a good candidate for being the second best defensive center and a top 5 defensive big still.
I think you underrate Bogut severely, but I'll agree to disagree.
I'm also taking into account that some of those guys can play considerably more minutes than Duncan on a regular basis.
Even taking that into account most of the guys aren't better defensively and several of them played significantly fewer games than Duncan like Bogut. Bogut's still one of a good defensive center but hasn't been the same since his injury and seems to be injury prone in general. The names you listed have more years left in the NBA but Duncan's presence still ranks in the top 5, imo.
Bogut played more minutes than Duncan this (regular) season.
Gracias El Nono
No way.
Bogut, both gasols and Ibaka are definitely not better all around defenders as Duncan.
Also, I'd like to see how good their defense is with Matt Bonner next to them. All those teams have a better second defensive big next to them and better perimeter defenders that anything the Spurs have had next to TD in the last couple of seasons.
And played 11 fewer games in the reg season.
That's what I'm trying to point out. He played 11 fewer games and still played more minutes than Duncan.
BTW, while I don't agree, I don't have a problem with your opinion that TD > Bogut right now.
Bogut is the second best defender in the league behind Howard.. and to me it's quite a clear second. He is a top 3 shotblocker .. Probably the best at taking charges.. and his one on one defense is pretty good too. He is also an elite rebounder.
I think he and Howard are the only two guys clearly better than Tim on D.. you can argue few others like Noah Chandler and Pau.. but I wouldn't call any of those guys a level above Tim.
This is just making me miss basketball more.
Thanks, ElNono.
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