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over 10 million a year
most players making that play 40 plus minutes a night
he has alot to do in his 25 minutes a game
Healthy again, Spurs' Ginobili hopes to earn his keep
Jeff McDonald
It seemed like an innocuous question, the kind one might pose to any acquaintance one hasn't seen since April.
“Hey Manu,” someone asked a certain Spurs guard earlier this week, “how was your summer?”
Manu Ginobili was quick with the answer.
“Winter,” he corrected. “It was a lot of winter.”
Ginobili spent most of what North America would call summer at home in Argentina, where the seasons are flip-flopped and winter comes in May.
The second winter of Ginobili's 2008-09 calendar went much like the first. There wasn't much basketball involved.
After missing 43 games last season — including all of the playoffs — with various ankle ailments, the prescription for Ginobili's offseason included rest, rest and more rest.
The one non-negotiable rule: No picking up a basketball.
“I guess they didn't trust my judgment,” Ginobili said.
Ginobili arrived at training camp completely healed of the stress fracture in his right distal fibula that ended his season on April 5, and had transformed one of the league's most feared postseason performers into a helpless spectator for the Spurs' first-round playoff ouster against Dallas.
Of all the additions the team made during the offseason, and there were many, the one they might be most excited about is a healthy Manu Ginobili.
The Spurs were 36-12 with him in the lineup last season. They were 23-20 without him, including five playoff games.
“Hopefully, Manu will just be Manu,” Tony Parker said.
The last time Ginobili took an entire Argentine winter off — in 2007 — he responded with the best season of his NBA career.
A repeat would be nice for the Spurs. It would also be nice for Ginobili's pocketbook.
At age 32, Ginobili is entering the final season of his contract. Spurs general manager R.C. Buford says there is no firm timetable for talking to Ginobili about a new one.
“It could happen during the season, or it might happen after,” Buford said. “We'll just have to see.”
Even then, the Spurs will have to decide how much a 33-year-old Ginobili with a history of leg injuries is worth. The team will almost certainly want him to prove he isn't damaged goods before committing more money to him.
Coach Gregg Popovich will do what he can to keep Ginobili well enough to earn his keep.
Popovich estimates Ginobili, though physically healthy, arrived at camp in “C-plus shape” due to his offseason of relative inactivity. Even so, Popovich doesn't plan to push him too hard toward an A-plus.
Ginobili went through about three-fourths of Tuesday morning's practice, and sat out the evening session entirely.
“We'll keep him on that sort of schedule and try to be smart about it,” Popovich said.
Ginobili's injury saga began 18 months ago.
He originally injured the ankle during the 2008 playoffs, aggravated it while competing for Argentina in the Beijing Olympics, then underwent surgery just before the start of training camp last year. He missed three separate swaths of last season dealing with lingering complications.
By the time the playoff series against Dallas rolled around, Ginobili was shackled to the bench in street clothes, helpless. He felt he had let his teammates down.
“Not being able to lose with them, to win with them, to share the same emotions,” Ginobili said. “I really suffered.”
The Spurs are happy to have Ginobili back, because it makes the team better. But they are also happy to have Ginobili back, because it makes Ginobili happy.
“He's been a basketcase for at least year now, with his health so up and down,” Tim Duncan said. “He just wants to be a basketball player.”
His long winter finally over, his bum leg at last healed, Ginobili will have that chance again.
*********************
The Manu factor
Manu Ginobili missed 43 games last year, including the playoffs, while nursing various ankle ailments. Here is a look at how the absence affected Ginobili and the Spurs:
GINOBILI
• Games: 44 *
• Scoring average: 15.5 ppg
• FG percentage: 45.4
• 3-point percentage: 33.0 *
SPURS
• Record with him: 36-12
• Record without him: 23-20 (including playoffs)
* — career low
Source: Express-News research
over 10 million a year
most players making that play 40 plus minutes a night
he has alot to do in his 25 minutes a game
# of players that averaged at least 40 minutes per game in 2008-09 = zero
Oh christ, Ducks has ruined the thread already.
Congrats.
how did I know that you'd be the first one to comment in here ducks. By the way Congrats to Manu for hitting his 14th year of playing professional basketball and he sounds really upbeat about this year. Hopefully an offseason of rest will do the trick and he can stay healthy.
Manu Ginobili
Un día como hoy hace 14 años, debutaba como basquetbolista profesional en Argentina. Qué lindo momento y cuántas cosas pasaron en este tiempo, no? Muchas totalmente inesperadas... /// Exactly 14 years ago I was playing my first official game as Pro P...layer in Argentina. Great day! So many amazing things happened in all these years! More are on their way...
ok 40 is high
35 plus minutes a game
that's 2007-08 and there are only three players.
oh, the comedy factor is high tonight on spurstalk. lets keep this level up until opening night. will keeps this from getting stale.
In the year you cited, manu averaged 31.0 mpg. That was 86th in the NBA. Parker averaged 33.5 mpg and was 68th. Duncan averaged 34.0 mpg and was 64th.
So what was your point?
that is why I said maybe 40 was high 35 plus minutes
if you read the post above
how many minutes did he manage when it counts
NONE again
Duncan has averaged less than 35 mpg for the last 5 seasons.
Parker has averaged less 35 mpg in all 8 seasons of his NBA career.
So what is your point?
I am so excited to have Manu back. He creates this certain kind of energy that the Spurs need. As glad as I am to see all of the new faces and how this team will come together, I am extra excited to watch Manu work his way back.
Ducks, I think there are far more people who made 10M and averaged 35 MPG or less than there are players who made 10M+ and averaged 35+ MPG.
Again?how many minutes did he manage when it counts
NONE again
He missed the 2009 playoffs. He played in every Spurs playoff game in all previous seasons.
When did the Spurs play at their best last year?
ding ding ding.
Late March when Ginobili came off the bench and he felt good...
Question:
WHEN DOES DUCKS EVER HAVE A POINT?
Answer:Never, because his posts give us the answer...he really doesn't know about basketball.
feed the ducks !
IT's always unknown about that kind of injuries because it must be tested in the season when you put maximum pressure on it and give it a heavy lifting all the time.
How it will respond gonna say much about spurs chances in the playoffs
Ducks is priceless, with Sequ sleeping, KBP out, Dr House hibernating, SD lost in the Amazonian forest and LEONARD useless without SD, we need him !
I am just hyped about Ginobli being back this year and healthy... Let hom put the crtics to rest once and for all....
Its a great time to be a SPURS FAN.........
By the way did anyone hear Manu say in the interview with Don that he knows he'll probably have to pay for it sometime this season for playing for his country and he still talked about the possibility of leaving (even after Pop said all those nice things). Interesting.
lol @ Ducks being owned yet again. Don't you ever get tired?
As for Manu, I don't doubt he'll be back to his best, pretty sure he'll get an extension offer before next summer.
I too would rather have employees sitting on their ass for 16 hours a day, rather than doing some real work, and getting things done by spending 8 hours in the office.
36+12 = 48 <> 44
Hey Jeff, do math much?
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