Harvey: A reason Ginobili will want to be back

[temujin]

I love Manu, but we need to remember that we lost the 2008 playoff sereis to the Lakers because he was hurt. We had an excellent shot to beat them if Manu was Manu, and I believe 100% that we would have if he had been healthy.

Yet two months later he plays in the Olympics, starting practice with the National Team probably a month after we lost the playoff series.

I don't know about all Spurs fans, but I was livid. Even he if he stayed "healthy" through the Olympics, how much damage was he doing to an already injured foot/ankle/ whatever?

Adding insult to injury, we all know the Duncan Window is a finite amount of time, and by choosing to play in the Olympics, Manu cost Tim and the Spurs a chance at a le in 2008 and 2009.

I'd love ot have him back, but I can see how the Spurs would be livid about this as well. After all, when Manu missed the first four weeks of the 2009 season, you'd better believe he got his $900K check that month.

When Jefferson get his monthly salary of 1.3 M, the Spurs FO should remember those 900K salaries of Manu in April-June of 2005 and 2007.

[urunobili]

l. After all, when Manu missed the first four weeks of the 2009 season, you'd better believe he got his $900K check that month.

He sure did... payed by the insurance company not the Spurs though...

[diego]

I love Manu, but we need to remember that we lost the 2008 playoff sereis to the Lakers because he was hurt. We had an excellent shot to beat them if Manu was Manu, and I believe 100% that we would have if he had been healthy.

Yet two months later he plays in the Olympics, starting practice with the National Team probably a month after we lost the playoff series.

I don't know about all Spurs fans, but I was livid. Even he if he stayed "healthy" through the Olympics, how much damage was he doing to an already injured foot/ankle/ whatever?

sometimes the timeline blurs. remember:
manu's best seasons were after the 04 olympics (05), no rest, and the 07-08, after a summer of rest. remember he played very well that year but got hurt just before the playoffs. then tweaked it game 1 vs the suns at the end of the first OT if my memory serves me, till it got so bad he was a s of himself vs LA (i'm pretty sure he played on that tweaked ankle for more than a month in the playoffs).

i agree if manu were healthy those playoffs, we finish off the hornets quicker and beat LA.

in the olympics, happened and he tweaked it.

apart from this injury, the only other serious injury manu had was his ankle injury coming in as a rookie. the rest have been (a lot) of bumps and bruises (and low mpg- I'm not saying he's iron man)

from manu's pov, his best playoffs came when he had no rest, and his "worst" (in the sense that he got injured, though he still produced a lot on his bad wheel) was the year he didnt play before. after that came the 08/09 disaster season and now here we are: manu has played 35 of 41 games (dont count the dallas game he tweaked his groin). thats 3 games less than the disaster season 08/09. so we can still hope that he'll get there for the PO.

I agree it sucks for duncan. but injuries happen to all teams. do people resent david for his back injuries and missing his potential because of it? or even duncan in 99/00? I looked up an article just to see some quotes and I couldn't pass this up:

The Spurs enter the playoffs with other injured players.

David Robinson has a sore right knee, Sean Elliott has a jammed finger on his right hand and Terry Porter has a bruised right shoulder.

Popovich abruptly shrugged off the seemingly dismal scenario.

"People have bumps and bruises all year long," he said.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas...urs_duncan_ap/

[spurs10]

When Jefferson get his monthly salary of 1.3 M, the Spurs FO should remember those 900K salaries of Manu in April-June of 2005 and 2007.

Good one.

[pawe]

Spurs should re-sign Manu if they want the team to earn money. Manu is an integral part of the reason why the Spurs have a worldwide appeal.

[ElNono]

I love Manu, but we need to remember that we lost the 2008 playoff sereis to the Lakers because he was hurt. We had an excellent shot to beat them if Manu was Manu, and I believe 100% that we would have if he had been healthy.

I think it was an important factor, but not the sole reason. Now, I don't think we get to the WCF without Manu closing off the Suns at home or taking over game 7 against the Hornets.

Yet two months later he plays in the Olympics, starting practice with the National Team probably a month after we lost the playoff series.

He was cleared to play by the Spurs medical staff. So your anger is misdirected. He even announced after the playoffs he might not be able to play the Olympic games and had a press conference in Argentina to announce that.

I don't know about all Spurs fans, but I was livid. Even he if he stayed "healthy" through the Olympics, how much damage was he doing to an already injured foot/ankle/ whatever?

According to Pop he required surgery regardless and he rather Manu have the surgery before the season started than mid-season. Obviously neither Pop or Manu knew he would get injured on the other leg later down the season.

Adding insult to injury, we all know the Duncan Window is a finite amount of time, and by choosing to play in the Olympics, Manu cost Tim and the Spurs a chance at a le in 2008 and 2009.

Bull . Manu loves to win as muh as anybody else. He didn't play at all in the summer prior to 2008, and obviously he didn't injure himself on purpose, so how the he cost us the 2008 'ship? Injuies happen. It happened to Duncan with his knees twice and we're not talking about the 'ships that he costs us...

I'd love ot have him back, but I can see how the Spurs would be livid about this as well. After all, when Manu missed the first four weeks of the 2009 season, you'd better believe he got his $900K check that month.

Financially speaking, the Spurs did not pay Manu's paycheck during his recovery from the Olympic Games injury. Part of the arrangement with FIBA is that National Associations must secure insurance for NBA players to participate in their tournaments. The problem is entirely compe ive.

[kuato]

[Manu-of-steel]

Manu is a spark to the spurs engine, and i think every one here would agree. Without him, spurs are still compe ive, but will be lacking that x factor that helps a team win. Manu's is invaluable to the spurs. Some say not signing him in favor of an athletic wingman would help the timmy get his 5th ring-this is bull crap. A 70% Manu is more valuable to the spurs than any wing man available with the salary range.

[ducks]

Spurs should re-sign Manu if they want the team to earn money. Manu is an integral part of the reason why the Spurs have a worldwide appeal.

[sananspursfan21]

i almost shed a tear when the article mentioned the 2007 season (no joke)

[ducks]

He sure did... payed by the insurance company not the Spurs though...

they have to pay more for insurance now for this

[TMTTRIO]

^^ I could see that possibly happening . Houston's not that far away from here plus Manu has already said that he would love to play with his teammates again (can you picture all the crazy passes to Scola) and has mentioned a couple of times that Houston is one team he was interested in.

[ducks]

blair is going to be greater then scola

[Danny.Zhu]

It sucks if we cannot extend Manu's contract.

If he is not healthy, just give him a smaller contract.

[Danny.Zhu]

blair is going to be greater then scola

You don't know that.

[phxspurfan]

Yao
Scola
Battier
Manu
Brooks

Landry
(Ariza)

I may be a rockets fan after this season lol

[LOL@MavsFan]

He'll be back....

[ElNono]

blair is going to be greater then scola

I'll drink to that

[Bruno]

Rockets?

They suck and they will only have the MLE to offer (if they re-sign Scrubla).
And Ginobili has already said that playing with a countryman wouldn't be a big factor in his choice.


I'm sure Spurs will be Manu's first choice by a large margin. Manu staying or not will mainly depend on the money Spurs are ready to offer him.

[spurtilldeath]

Rockets?

They suck and they will only have the MLE to offer (if they re-sign Scrubla).
And Ginobili has already said that playing with a countryman wouldn't be a big factor in his choice.


I'm sure Spurs will be Manu's first choice by a large margin. Manu staying or not will mainly depend on the money Spurs are ready to offer him.

You are correct in saying Spurs would be Manu's first choice. However, he said if Spurs dont resign him, he would like to play with him National teammates somewhere.

[Bruno]

However, he said if Spurs dont resign him, he would like to play with him National teammates somewhere.

While he said he would like to, he also said that it wouldn't be a big factor in his choice.

[phxspurfan]

And Ginobili has already said that playing with a countryman wouldn't be a big factor in his choice.

ok Wizards it is!

[LoveMySpurs]

Spurs should re-sign Manu if they want the team to earn money. Manu is an integral part of the reason why the Spurs have a worldwide appeal.

Manu is a big reason seats get filled at the At&T Center. The crowd goes nuts when he comes off the bench. He screws up, but he's the most exciting player to watch, and Hill has been taking lessons. If we don't have that spark, we're done. We can win without Tim or Tony, but have a lot harder time when Manu is out.

[~Sweetmelody~]

Spurs without Manu...darn...

[mytespurs]

Manu is a big reason seats get filled at the At&T Center. The crowd goes nuts when he comes off the bench. He screws up, but he's the most exciting player to watch, and Hill has been taking lessons. If we don't have that spark, we're done. We can win without Tim or Tony, but have a lot harder time when Manu is out.

We can???!!!

I would think those 3 together, when healthy & playing on all cylinders, would be formidable. Manni-TD/Tony? Uh, don't think so.....TD has been the 1 consistent player on the Spurs this season.