2005 Finals MVP

[ElNono]

its the defenders fault a 7 foot big man shot 31% in 2 games?

You should ask Kobe, who shot 38% in 5 games a year earlier against the same defense.

lol 17% from downtown

[dunkman]

I think that Manu would have won the finals MVP, however he tried to win the series in game 6 for the Spurs. The problem is that the Pistons were able to stop him. Pop made adjustments for game 7, the ball went trough Duncan, and at some point he was able to make points while the Pistons were not able to score anymore, and Larry Brown ordered to double Duncan, the Pistons defense collapsed, which also allowed Manu to score in the fourth quarter. That's not showed in your stats.

Duncan played slowed down by injuries during the playoffs, though. It was still a close call for the finals MVP and Manu was in his prime that year.

[Jose Canseco]

Considering Kobe's shooting, an argument for Gasol as 2010 Finals MVP is absolutely credible.

Gasol suffered a similar drop in shooting in the 20101 Finals as well.

Kobe
Regular season: 45.6% FG
Playoffs before the Finals: 48.3% FG
NBA Finals: 40.5% FG

Pau
Regular season: 53.6% FG
Playoffs before the Finals: 56.5% FG
NBA Finals: 47.8% FG

It doesn't excuse the poor shooting of either. But the poor shooting wasn't a factor because the two leading candidates for Finals MVP both saw a noticeable drop in their shooting efficiency. The big difference in points was enough to secure the Finals MVP for Kobe.

[Jose Canseco]

Ginobili had a very strong argument for the 2005 NBA Finals MVP. He was probably the biggest difference maker for the Spurs throughout the series as a whole. However, just like Duncan, Ginobili had a few bad games as well. It wouldn't have been injustice to give Manu the MVP, but it wasn't wrong that Duncan won it either.

Duncan did have a really big impact late in the 3rd quarter and I believe through the opening minutes of the 4th quarter of game 7. It should be noted that the Pistons doubled him a few times only because their bigs got into foul trouble and Larry Brown stubbornly went small with Tayshaun Prince at PF. That's part of the stretch where Duncan went off. Larry Brown played his line-up wrong as if he were saving Rasheed and Dice for game 8. If they fouled out, then they foul out. At least it wouldn't have been stick Prince guarding Duncan at times.

Duncan had some horrible stretches during the Finals but he was still a beast defensively and on the boards. And he scored enough in a few of the games to put up enough offense to give him the nod. It was definitely close. I probably would have given it to Ginobili too.

[rmt]

4th quarter of game 7

Manu - 11 points
Duncan - 5 points

game 7
Manu - 23 points on 13 shots
Duncan - 25 points on 27 shots

TS% of game 7
Manu - .757%
Duncan - .422%

With his unique multidimensional talent, Duncan depleted and dissected the Pistons, collecting 25 points and 11 rebounds. He was the fulcrum of virtually every key play down the stretch.

"His complete game is so sound, so fundamnetal, so unnoticed at times, because if he didn't score, people think, 'Well, he didn't do anything,'" Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "But he was incredible and he was the force that got it done for us."

"You follow your leader," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "Timmy is the leader of the team, and he just carried us tonight."

"He put his team on his shoulders and carried them to a championship," Pistons center Ben Wallace said. "That's what the great players do."

"You could tell when he caught the ball, how much more physical he was, getting in position and bumping and grinding and getting shots and making sure he got toward the rim, so that when people came at him he was in good position to open up a teammate," Popovich said.

"A lot of the shots they made, open shots, came as a result of us having a hard time guarding him," Brown said. "That's why he's such a great player."

Brown said. "If you don't have your big people with the ability to play aggressively on Duncan, you've got no shot.'

http://web.archive.org/web/200902192...SAS/recap.html

[Deuce Bigalow]

^
cool, doesnt mean he was the best player in the series
manu was

[rmt]

However, just like Duncan, Ginobili had a few bad games as well.

Duncan had some horrible stretches during the Finals but he was still a beast defensively and on the boards. And he scored enough in a few of the games to put up enough offense to give him the nod. It was definitely close. I probably would have given it to Ginobili too.

game 1
TD 24/17/2
MG 26/9/2

game 2
TD 18/11/1
MG 27/3/7

game 3
TD 14/10/4
MG 7/4/0
Manu didn't show up for game 3

game 4
TD 16/16/2
MG 12/4/3

game 5
TD 26/19/2
MG 15/6/9
This is the game that so many knock TD because he missed the game-winning layup (too concerned about time IMO).

game 6
TD 21/15/1
MG 21/10/3

game 7
TD 25/11/3
MG 23/5/4

[rmt]

^
cool, doesnt mean he was the best player in the series
manu was

And what about TD anchoring the defense (seeing as this series was a defensive battle)?

TD was up against both Wallaces/Dice. Manu vs Rip/Prince.

[Deuce Bigalow]

game 1
TD 24/17/2
MG 26/9/2

game 2
TD 18/11/1
MG 27/3/7

game 3
TD 14/10/4
MG 7/4/0
Manu didn't show up for game 3

game 4
TD 16/16/2
MG 12/4/3

game 5
TD 26/19/2
MG 15/6/9
This is the game that so many knock TD because he missed the game-winning layup (too concerned about time IMO).

game 6
TD 21/15/1
MG 21/10/3

game 7
TD 25/11/3
MG 23/5/4

Duncan in games 3-4:
30 points on 10/32 shooting
he didnt show up either

[Deuce Bigalow]

And what about TD anchoring the defense (seeing as this series was a defensive battle)?

TD was up against both Wallaces/Dice. Manu vs Rip/Prince.

you sure that duncan is even the best defender on his own team?

[ElNono]

you sure that duncan is even the best defender on his own team?

He was in 2005.

[Jose Canseco]

And what about TD anchoring the defense (seeing as this series was a defensive battle)?

TD was up against both Wallaces/Dice. Manu vs Rip/Prince.

Not really a strong argument tbh. That Pistons team was a jumpshooting team who ran its offense through its guards, and guards who did not really penetrate to the lane on slashes and dribble drives. And the Pistons' frontcourt had a bad offensive player in Ben Wallace and a three point happy jumpshooter in Rasheed. Now Duncan still controlled the glass really well in the series, but anchoring the interior defense against that particular Pistons team isn't as impressive say against a team that would have Shaq or a lot of penetrating guards. Bruce Bowen on both Rip and Chauncey late in games was more of a key defensively for the Spurs that series.

[rmt]

Duncan in games 3-4:
30 points on 10/32 shooting
he didnt show up either

So his 26 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks in the 2 games don't count? Only scoring matters?

[z0sa]

So his 26 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks in the 2 games don't count? Only scoring matters?

that's all has argued in like 3 threads (LMAO assists>rebounds)

he's either extremely stupid or a very bad troll, probably both

[MR.SILVER&BLack]

So his 26 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks in the 2 games don't count? Only scoring matters?

hes a kobe fan. only stat that matters to him is PPG.

[SpursDynasty85]

This is a legit argument in hindsight, but if you remember from 1999 - 2006, it will always be Duncan's team. He was the backbone of those teams. Even after 2006, he didn't shoot the ball as much, but it was his unselfishness that carried the spurs to Multiple 50+ win seasons.

No matter how much you deny it, When you think of 1999-2006 Spur's team you think "Timmy's team". When you think of 2000-2003 Lakers Teams you think "Shaq". Kobe has had a great 3 year run from 2008 - 2010, but he doesn't own any of the years before that.

[DeadlyDynasty]

We keep hearing how Dirk still has a few years of his prime left. I'm here to tell you all that his prime blew by us, and we're witnessing the decline right now.

His scoring is up - great. His scoring is up only because he's taking more shots. His jumper used to be consistently great and automatic. A 4 for 18 night was a blue moon shock. Nowadays, he's just another streaky shooter who from time to time can get dialed in and never miss. Nowadays, a 4 for 18 shooting night is "Dirk's stinker of the week".

He never drives anymore, and when he does, he's almost guaranteed to miss the layup. He never had much of a post game, but at least before he could get a low post hook shot or two in every game.

His rebounding is way down, and his defense is far worse. There was a point a couple year's ago when Dirk's defense was actually pretty decent, and anybody who actually watched him on D regularly would know this. But he's right back to being the piss-poor defender he used to be, only now it's not because he's not focused, it's because physically he can't do it anymore.

This isn't meant to on Dirk because he can't help that his body is deteriorating. I'm sure he's working just as hard, if not harder, on his game.

This is just a wakeup call to all Mavs fans that Dirk simply isn't the superhero he used to be, that he is past his prime, and that at this point he is best served being a secondary option. And that things are only going to get worse from here for Dirk. Hopefully Mark & Donnie pull their head out of their ass and see the same thing, and do something about it (yeah, right).