Manu: I'm doing everything possible to be ready for the playoffs

[Splits]

I would venture to guess that no one on that panel knew that Manu had a broken elbow and/or that he would miss any time. Once people found out he was going to be out at least a game, many changed their picks.

Link?

[timtonymanu]

Nobody picked the Grizzlies to upset us/they were playing without R.Gay/their franchise had never won a single game in the playoffs

You're still not getting the point. The Spurs relied heavily on Manu in 2011. He was their best player that year. Of course we need a healthy Manu for the playoffs, but I don't think it's out of the question that the Spurs can beat the Warriors/Rockets or that it should be compared to the 2011 Grizzlies who were far better than both of those teams while the 2013 Spurs are still better than that 2011 roster that made the playoffs. Let's not forget who our starting small forward was in that series. Thankfully he's been gone for quite some time now.

[EricB]

People said the same thing before the Memphis series

This team is better equipped with a healthier Duncan and Leonard splitter to pick up the slack.

[DPG21920]

Except there is still an unhealthy Manu and now an unhealthy TP/Boris/Jack to add to the mix at the moment.

[Sean Cagney]

wow

so having Manu with a broken arm and trotting out Bonner to defend Gasol and Randolph had nothing to do with it. got it

I agree with you, everything he posts I tend to laugh at most of the time. You hit it on the head though.

[spurraider21]

Randolph hit a game winning 3 a la Chris bosh smh

[DarrinS]

What REALLY sucks is Tim has gotten himself back to peak form at the same time so many others are banged up.

[SpursBills]

This team is better equipped with a healthier Duncan and Leonard splitter to pick up the slack.

Given his recent stretch of play, don't see splitter doing to pick up the slack tbh. If he can't punish smaller defenders in the post and he's already a subpar rebounder, so it's just begging teams to go small to exploit that matchup.

[SpurPadre]

If he misses 1 or 2 playoff games it's not the end of the world. Getting Parker, Diaw and Jackson back is enough to hold the fort down till then.

Uh, it pretty much was the end of the world when he missed one game vs. the 8 seeded Grizzlies in '11. In other words, we ING NEED HIM ASAP.

[Brunodf]

Randolph hit a game winning 3 a la Chris bosh smh

Don't forget about Batier transition 3 after Tony tried 2-for-one and the buzzer beater at the end of the 1st half that shouldn't have counted because the shot clock started 2 seconds late.

[TheGoldStandard]

We're good enough to beat Houston or LA in a 7 game series, neither team plays defense but its the second round that we'll need all our guns.

[emanueldavidginobili]

Manu will be fine he has about 3 weeks of rest and conditioning he will be relatively fresh

[spurs10]

Thank you ElNono. It's always great hearing Manu's honesty, even when it's not what we want to hear. I feel like he was likely even more concerned with this last injury than he is letting on. Although it's not encouraging, at least he is resting and has a chance to heal. With all these injuries it's hard to realistically not be concerned our playoff chances. At least we know these guys will give it everything they got!!
Maybe the universe owes us some good luck for a $^$%ing change!

[superjames1992]

We won at the end of the David Robinson Era. We will win at the end of the Duncan/Ginobili Era. Bookmarket.

[Man In Black]

Ice, the answer is - it's hard to tell. Manu's game is full of moves that would injure 3/4th's of this board if tried. He could probably play facilitator ball and relegate himself to jumpshots but the Spurs already have a player like that in Nando. It's Manu's unpredictability, his tendency that shows no tendencies, that helps the Spurs remain dangerous. Yes he's the X Factor, the issue is his health. Manu is a math equation. He is x and x in math is unknown... if he can stay upright and his body responds to treatment...then perhaps x can be another team's problem to try to solve.

[Bruno]

Thanks for the translation.

Manu is just a great guy. I damn hope he will be able to have a good playoffs run to redeem a somewhat crappy season.

All these injuries seems to take a toll on him. Without a strong playoffs performance, I wouldn't be overly surprised to see him retiring.

[EricB]

Given his recent stretch of play, don't see splitter doing to pick up the slack tbh. If he can't punish smaller defenders in the post and he's already a subpar rebounder, so it's just begging teams to go small to exploit that matchup.

Thats fine. Then you put Jackson at the four which he has played in small ball quite well in the past.

[EricB]

Uh, it pretty much was the end of the world when he missed one game vs. the 8 seeded Grizzlies in '11. In other words, we ING NEED HIM ASAP.

Different cir stances players and opponents. Keep the razor from your wrists clown.

[diego]

Another interview, from ole:

Emanuel Ginóbili enters the room designated by the press secretary of San Antonio, Tom James, with a sad look. It is the most fragile gesture noticeable in these days of frustration in which a new injury has erased him from what's left of the regular season. The room is enormous and empty. There are only two chairs. “Lets try anyway”, he says when I propose to postpone the interview. And so he begins.

He'll never let his emotions filter through in public appearances, however, in small details he reveals -accidentally- with a spontaneous word, a temperamental response. “I don't worry anymore about injuries so long as I'm healthy for the playoffs. But the current situation busts my balls because I'm going to get back very close. We'll see how it evolves”, starts the dialog with Ole.

-¿Does the injury situation force you to think about the future?

-Well… Sometimes, when you're hurt, you think of anything. Thats the truth. But then 10 days pass and the recovery advances, everything goes back to normal. So I know that in this moment I dont have to hurry and say anything strange because I might regret it later. I have ups and downs like anyone else. Moments of euphoria and vulnerability. This is one of vulnerability. The ideal is to not give interviews when you are injured, haha.

-Some time ago you said on your webpage that you are extremely rational. Well, what makes you lose it?

-I'm impatient with a lot of things. I'm demanding and a perfectionist. When things dont turn out like I expected them to, I go a little crazy. But I think I have the virtue of pulling myself back in line. Even if sometimes it eludes me, like now. And I'm certain I'm doing everything in my power to recover as fast as possible. I try to be professional and take care of my body as much as possible. Its simply a bad streak. I can't avoid it. Its part of being an athlete.

-You seem a little deflated…

-Well thats how this is, sometimes things happen beyond your control. ¿What do you want me to say? I feel frustrated…

-¿Do you still hold on to the idea of playing 2 more years?
-I'll always be motivated as a compe or. But I dont think I'll make it to 40 physically. If later I turn out like Grant Hill, alright, I'll see. At one moment it looked like he, at 31, couldn't play anymore but, now, at 40 he's still in the NBA. My intention, as I stated recently, is to go on 2 more years. However, it all depends on the body's answer.

-¿And if the Spurs re-evaluate your continuity in the franchise? ¿Is that a possibility?

-Well yes, they might analyze it.

-¿Does that worry you, sadden you, disgust you?

-(Thinks). I think that, if I want to keep playing, I'll find a job.

-Seeing cases like Scola or other players who get stuck on bad teams, ¿do you consider yourself lucky?

-Totally. It can always be worse. You can be injured or depressed, but if you look around, there is always someone in a worse situation. Guys who miss a year, who waste years on a ty team, that dont win, that have bad coaches… I cant complain about anything. Yes, I'm having a complicated year, I'm frustrated, I cant reach consistency. But a close analysis shows, I played 60 games. And I'm on track for the most important part.

-At least you look happy with the group...

-Yes, its a great group. We're a lot of foreigners and we have good chemistry. We get together more than usual. The roster is filled with good people that push forward. That has made it so, especially on road trips, the season doesnt get that long.

-¿What happened to the guy who only cared about the game and elevated his concentration to ungodly levels?

-(Takes his time). What I changed, maybe, is before and after the games, not during. I can allow myself, with all the games on my back, to screw around more on a timeout more than before. Or not follow a pre game routine as closely as before. But you can ask my wife: I still do most everything the same as usual. My essence is intact. I play to win. Always. During the game I dont laugh, I dont joke, it just doesnt come to me. I want to win. If we win by 15 and I wasnt up to standard I get pissed, same as when I was a boy.

-¿In what have you relaxed?

-I relaxed in the sense that I'm 35 and have a thousand games on my shoulder. At this age I dont take the 74th game of the regular season the same as, one with the national team, when I was 22. Some things change.

[superjames1992]

At this age I dont take the 74th game of the regular season the same as, one with the national team, when I was 22. Some things change.

So he is coasting and he admits it.

[rpduke]

He still has a week before the playoffs start, then possibly another week and a half to two weeks after that if he needs more time before we really need him in the 2nd round. You'd think Manu will be ready to go after 4+ weeks of rest and rehab.

[CGD]

Manu is always so thoughtful and candid with his interviews. Thanks for sharing. Get the sense that retirement may be more of an option for him than we'd like to think.

[DJB]

Is there any news on Manu? Has he been participating in shoot arounds, etc?

[DJB]

Nevermind, just found this: http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/manu...164619002.html

[romain.star]

Thanx El nono

Great read as always with Manu

Damn, I'd be hugely happy if he had one last "vintage" run in him. He deserves a better way to finish his career