The Second Banana: Dirk vs. Manu

[benefactor]

There is also that health thing......

[portnoy1]

And please! please people, don't underrate what IMO is Manu's biggest atribute: the ability to make teammates better. Mohamed and Oberto should give half of the salaries they earned in the Spurs to Manu.

AMEN, Oh and by the way Manu doesnt have MELTdowns.

[dirk4mvp]

Meh...Manu is overrated defensively. He is a gambler and a good team defender but he is not a great individual defender. One could easily argue that Dirk's lack of defense has been the result of his environment. Dirk is a very intelligent player and I think he could be a pretty good team defender if he was put somewhere that it was stressed....kinda like I think Manu would probably be a turnstile on defense if he played for Golden State.

Exactly. I don't know many people who consider Paul Pierce and Ray Allen top notch defenders.

[Findog]

And please! please people, don't underrate what IMO is Manu's biggest atribute: the ability to make teammates better. Mohamed and Oberto should give half of the salaries they earned in the Spurs to Manu.

You're right, Dirk doesn't have this ability to make his teammates better. He beat the Spurs all by himself three months ago and role players like Brandon Bass and JJ Barea didn't contribute at all...or look like All Stars because of the defensive attention paid to Dirk.

[Findog]

AMEN, Oh and by the way Manu doesnt have MELTdowns.

Are you seriously trying to argue Manu is better than Dirk?

[Leetonidas]

How many times have the Spurs won a le as a direct result of Manu's "defense"?

I seem to remember him making a key defensive play in Game 6 of the 2003 Finals as a rookie that started a huge run for the Spurs that won them the game after being down double digits...

[BadOdor]

You have to be pretty damn stupid to pick manu over dirk.

Dirk as number 1 = maybe no championship, but pretty damn close.

Manu as number 1 = , can he even carry the load the whole seaon without breaking down?

[DAF86]

There is also that health thing......

So you should take the "prime" word out of the original post. Besides Manu's had one season ending injury same as Dirk.

[Findog]

You have to be pretty damn stupid to pick manu over dirk.

Dirk as number 1 = maybe no championship, but pretty damn close.

Manu as number 1 = , can he even carry the load the whole seaon without breaking down?

A team with Dirk as its best player came as close to winning a le as Al Gore came to being President.

A team with Manu as its best player will struggle to make the playoffs.

[BadOdor]

I seem to remember him making a key defensive play in Game 6 of the 2003 Finals as a rookie that started a huge run for the Spurs that won them the game after being down double digits...

So the spurs directly won a le as a result of manu's "key defensive play" ?

Got it.

[portnoy1]

You're right, Dirk doesn't have this ability to make his teammates better. He beat the Spurs all by himself three months ago and role players like Brandon Bass and JJ Barea didn't contribute at all...or look like All Stars because of the defensive attention paid to Dirk.

Bass has Been known to give the Spurs Problems ( ala David West type Forwards ). We also had Matt Bonner Guarding the Basket, Therefore Barea and several little guys got layups all season long. What Did Barea do in the Mavs-Nuggets series?

[BadOdor]

A team with Dirk as its best player came as close to winning a le as Al Gore came to being President.

A team with Manu as its best player will struggle to make the playoffs.

I could see him making the playoffs, possibly even winning a series. But that's about it.

[portnoy1]

Are you seriously trying to argue Manu is better than Dirk?

For the spurs yes For another team Dirk is the man hands down.

[Findog]

Bass has Been known to give the Spurs Problems ( ala David West type Forwards ). We also had Matt Bonner Guarding the Basket, Therefore Barea and several little guys got layups. What Did Barea do in the Mavs-Nuggets series?

The Nuggets employed a very different strategy than San Antonio did. And FWIW, Dirk absolutely dominated in that series. It's just that Denver was much better than Dallas.

[dbestpro]

It's fun to watch people miss this question. The poll does not ask whether Dirk or Manu would be the better player. it asked who would be better along side Duncan. Dirk is a fine frontline player and would pile up the stats whether it was Dallas, Minnesota or the Clippers. It takes a unique person to play "second banana" for the good of the team. Dirk simply could not do it because he does very little else but score. The greatest frontline Spur player to take that backseat? DRob when Duncan arrived. He did it for the good of the team.

[Old School 44]

Talent wise, I think it's a wash. They both bring different things to the table.
I would choose Manu for the intangibles, the passion for the game, the leadership, the fire. In this regard, Manu>>>>Dirk.

[portnoy1]

The Nuggets employed a very different strategy than San Antonio did. And FWIW, Dirk absolutely dominated in that series. It's just that Denver was much better than Dallas.

Just like Dallas was obviously better than Spurs.

[Findog]

For the spurs yes For another team Dirk is the man hands down.

Sorry...I'm pretty sure a frontline tandem of Dirk/Duncan and an average player at SG beats the out of Duncan/Fab and Manu at SG.

[Findog]

Talent wise, I think it's a wash. They both bring different things to the table.
I would choose Manu for the intangibles, the passion for the game, the leadership, the fire. In this regard, Manu>>>>Dirk.

Homer take #3

[Findog]

It's fun to watch people miss this question. The poll does not ask whether Dirk or Manu would be the better player.

And I'll reiterate: A frontline tandem of Duncan/Dirk and an average player at SG >>> Duncan/Fab and Manu at SG.

The question was understood perfectly.

[portnoy1]

It's fun to watch people miss this question. The poll does not ask whether Dirk or Manu would be the better player. it asked who would be better along side Duncan. Dirk is a fine frontline player and would pile up the stats whether it was Dallas, Minnesota or the Clippers. It takes a unique person to play "second banana" for the good of the team. Dirk simply could not do it because he does very little else but score. The greatest frontline Spur player to take that backseat? DRob when Duncan arrived. He did it for the good of the team.

That was my point to begin with, IF Duncan is the Man, then can Dirk find something else to bring to the table. DROB took a new found priority in being a defensive stopper. Dirk Could never be that kind of defensive player. He would end up like Glen Rice or Glenn "Big dawd" Robinson.

[BadOdor]

I like how spur fans always love to bring "intangibles", without realizing that it's all a result of playing with duncan.

Switch dirk with manu from 2002/2003, and do the spurs have more or less les?




If you answer less or equal, you need to gtfo.

[dbestpro]

Sorry...I'm pretty sure a frontline tandem of Dirk/Duncan and an average player at SG beats the out of Duncan/Fab and Manu at SG.

Strikeout take #1

[sonic21]

dirk was a decent defender when avery was his coach, so i don't think his D would be a problem with Pop

[Findog]

That was my point to begin with, IF Duncan is the Man, then can Dirk find something else to bring to the table.

Yeah, Popovich wouldn't spooge his pants if Donnie were dumb enough to call him up and offer him Dirk/Quentin Ross for Manu/Bonner.