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Still the best Spurs Guard and Best spurs PG ever.
Love the playoffs, but it's a different experience for me now
by Manu Ginobili
SAN ANTONIO.- The start of the playoffs is special. We know what it's all about. And in this case we're going to be facing a tough team in Memphis. Any team, at this stage, is difficult. We already knew we wouldn't be playing against the worst team in the NBA: the 7th seed in the West is always tough. It is what it is. We believe that playing at a good level and elevating our potential, we should be able to win. But you never know. We have to do anything we can to reach the peak of our game play. They're a team that limits you, that can create mismatches, that plays rough. It's a tough team, like Oklahoma City, Utah, Houston or Clippers. There's not a single team you can think it could be an easy series.
What was particular about these playoffs is that we knew with 4 games to go that our compe ion would be the Grizzlies. We don't think that benefit any team in particular. It's true that you start focusing on that opponent, thinking about matchups (defensive strategies), how will the team play. We're well, even though in the last four games we had our heads more in what's coming. Despite trying to play well and gain some rhythm, it just wasn't the same because we already knew the challenge that's coming. We want the playoffs to start and we know it's a great time in the season.
We'll have to improve our fluidity on offense. The times we faced them [the Grizzlies] we had trouble. Defensively we knew how to play them, but not offensively. We're still at a point where our offense needs to stop getting stuck. Find a way to move the ball the way we want to move it. We shouldn't rely on a stationary offense against a very physical team that defends very well. The key, I think, is to speed up the game.
Our style is changing, we went from a team with a lot of ball movement to more of a isolation team for LaMarcus [Aldridge] and Kawhi [Leonard]. It's a natural process, because when you have players of that caliber, the balance shifts. We just need to adjust that offensive balance to make sure it has the dynamism it needs. There's up and down during a 82 game season and we expect to adjust for this instance. But despite all that, we had another 60 win season. It's a big number. It might look more 'normal', because Golden State did it in the past few seasons, but it's not easy to achieve and we've been able to sustain that over time.
In particular, I love the playoffs, but it's a different experience for me now. In the past, the regular season was some sort of anxious wait for the playoffs. Now, if the regular season would go on for another 20 games, I wouldn't mind. It's just that I'm fine and enjoying the moment. That said, playing in the playoffs is awesome, because it's a different game, but I don't have that kind of adrenaline waiting for them to start right away.
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Original in spanish here:
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/2009545-l...de-otra-manera
Still the best Spurs Guard and Best spurs PG ever.
I get the impression this is his final run. Doesnt want to set high expectations, but wanting to enjoy the game of basketball for the last time. Knowing Manu, hes not going down without a fight. Hes got some game left in the tank and you know hes going to sacrifice everything he has for the final time.
Dear Manu,
Have you talked about this with Coach Cementhead and his staff, as well as the other players?
Are any of the coaching staff and/or players having a problem with accepting this ball movement style?
Thanks for sharing Nono.
Theres some melancholy there.
Have to enjoy the Manu that's left. Feels like a farewell, that's why he feels he could have played 20 more games if he needed to in his mind and is not anxious for the playoffs to start this season.
Just a different experience IMO... maybe I am readig too much into it but that's what it feels like.
Manu when the time comes, please take with you Porker D-League and Fathead.
You are my
td, then manu... at least we'll have kawhi.
Haven't seen much of it this year and if we make it to GS it won't be used, but does anyone have any data on how much small ball the Spurs have played this year and how effective it has been. Aldridge, Kawhi, Green, Manu & Patty sounds like a pretty good 2 way lineup to close games, although I know TP normally finds Aldridge in his sweet spots so not sure how it would go.
Data, no. Eye test: almost no small ball the entire season whatsoever. When you have the bigs Spurs do, and Bertans can't even get enough minutes, Pop looked to stay with 2 bigs on the court at all times. In a very few ocasiona he tried. Anderson as a 4, with some success but it was very very few minutes/games. Sometimes he did it to close out a game with Kawhi at the 4 but it was for a couple of defensive possessions. Pop stayed big I would say 95% of the entire season.
Doesn't sound too confident about the playoffs imo...
To me.... it's like the results don't matter to him.
I placed it in the light of him retiring and it feeling like a farewell,
but in reality the team is going to need some hungrier dudes to step up. He sounds content, satisfied and about to retire.
Those Nocioni farewell words though
The team lacks hunger, only Kawhi gives a damn at this point.
Gonna miss Manu so much when he's gone
Spurs could have played PG-Manu-Nocioni-Scola-DuncanThose Nocioni farewell words though
Again it's all about realistic expectations...
Spurs over achieved this year...
We're not supposed to win a le the year after Duncan retires...
GSW was the favorite since July (KD) and should win it all...
But if you've watched postseason sports this year ANYTHING can happen...
Just like Manu said enjoy the ride....
Believe
Definitely feel that this is Manu's last season.
This will be interesting. The Spurs' athleticism will be relied upon (contrary to popular belief).
I think he should go ahead and help them win it all this year. That way he could come in as a champ and go out as a champ as well.
I think someone should tell him that. That way he knows.
Incredible that even when Manu looses his hunger like this he still is the most hungry player on the team, maybe with Kawhi, but he is less emotional.
Hope Manu doesn't try to be the hero one last time. He's shat the bed 3 of the last 4 years in the postseason. He needs to play his role which is a spot up shooter or slasher and that's it. Shouldn't play more than his 10-15 minutes a game.
FG% by Distance
At Rim: 52.7%
3-10ft: 29.1%
10-16ft: 35.0%
16ft-3Pt: 12.0%
3-Pt: 39.4%
2015 Playoffs
8.0pts, 3.4reb, 4.6ast, 2.0TO, 34.9FG%
2016 Playoffs
6.7pts, 2.7reb, 2.5ast, 0.7TO, 42.6FG%
^ It's not surprising that when Manu plays well, we win championships, tbh... he will be missed when he's gone...
We win and die by Manu. Doesn't mean he would be the best player.
Not sure why some of y'all take this as his compe ive fire dwindling. A guy like him never loses that. The great Timothy Duncan didnt lose it either, he fought till the end with no knees.
All Manu is saying is that before he wanted the regular season to be over with so the playoffs could start. Whereas now he's enjoying the whole ride since he doesn't have much time left.
I don't want to believe this statement but I've seen nothing from this version of the Spurs that says otherwise. Manu used to be a beast but all this feel-good , enjoy the ride, doesn't bode well for the rest of the team. He used to be able to bring the "Nasty" but can no longer do so mentally or physically. I don't blame him - 4 rings and all. Its natural for him to lose his edge. The Spurs need someone else to bring it and its not in LMA, Parker or Green. Those are some "ho-hum" mother ers. Like Amused said, Kawhi has it, but he needs help.
I can't stand Raymond Green but that dude plays with passion and energy. He's the heart and soul of that team and without him, they would be a bunch of pussies that don't win . We know it gets him and his team in trouble some times but it also helps him / them find another gear. Who on the Spurs has that?
I think the personnel on the team has the talent to win but its going to be up to Pop to help them there. He's going to have to drive them to perform.
He has stated that his at ude has changed in other ways as well. He used to be very hard on himself when he or the team didn't perform well. He was borderline inconsolable and manic when they lost. I think it was that obsession that made him so great. He can say what he wants about still wanting to win, but we all know its not the same. The bigger issue with him is that he is 39 years old now and his body can't do what his mind asks from it.
As Shaq often says, its going to come down to the "others" playing above their norms. --> Patty Mills, David Lee, Danny Green, Anderson, Simmons. These are going to have to be the difference makers.
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