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If winning les were easy without really though losses like in 2004, 2006 and 2013, winning wouldn't be that great.
- What's your balance?
I don't know. I don't feel like doing balances right now. I do know that when the difference between winning the championship and losing it is a rebound, a shot, it's hard to be critical. If they would've missed one of those two shots or wouldn't have grabbed one of those rebounds, we would all be heroes now. They were inspired and beat us fairly; I shake their hands and congratulate them because they played better. But we all have Game 6 in our heads. It hurts. It's an ugly moment. On a player's career it happens many times. It happened to me in Indianapolis [2002 Worlds], in Japan [2006 Worlds]...
- Are you coming back for revenge?
Yeah, I would think so. I don't know; Right now I don't even feel like thinking, nothing. Honestly it was a couple of really ed up days, and my head is like a blender. From game 6 to 7, here, you can have them. You live those days. The remorse, reviewing every play a thousand times... I couldn't sleep, and I kept analyzing what could I do better, and I knew that if we lost Game 7 I was going to rethink a lot of things, to get mad at the mistakes without being able to fix them... So I want to be with my family, rest...
- Did the previous game influence this game?
Not me, at all. The opposite: it made me better. You have that anger, that determination, that makes you play better. But what happened today is done, it doesn't affect me. Now is when I think about Game 6. We had it won. They're phenomenal, the stars, and we could've been there. Easily. It was a coin toss. And that's what pisses me off. Because if we lose Game 6 by 20 and today like this, I would've shaken their hands without a problem because they played better and they beat me. But when it's like this, such a fine line, it hurts, and it make you rethink a lot of things...
- Are you proud about what San Antonio did this season?
Right now, no. In a week, or maybe a couple of days, we'll realize we had a phenomenal season. Every year they count us out, and we're still here. And I repeat: we didn't win games by miracle. It would've been memorable. A huge reward to Pop, to Tim at 37 years old, and this whole team of hard working people, because we don't have a Lebron, a Durant or a Kobe. We have to pass the ball, work hard... I'm proud of what we did, but... they have the trophy.
- Can you think that you won 3 les, reached a 4th Finals...?
Yeah, sure, when I'm 50 I'll think about that and feel proud. Today I can't; I'm sad, disappointed. It would've been incredible and very emotional as a team to beat the champs, on their home... I'll put it in perspective in time; right now it's complicated.
- Can you give us a definitive answer about your plans for the future?
No, it's not the moment. I'm very disappointed, very angry. I really can't say anything about that.
- Is this one of those things you keep regretting 15, 20 years later?
Yes. Yes. I had a bunch of those with the national team, with the Spurs. It's so fine the line between celebrating and this thing of feeling abysmal... We were so close to winning... One shot that can make everything look like failure or success. I'm trying to put perspective on things, but it's very tough. And the next few days are going to be really tough.
Original article in Spanish
Don't shoot the messenger, and excuse any typos.
If winning les were easy without really though losses like in 2004, 2006 and 2013, winning wouldn't be that great.
And thanks for the translation.
Damn you know this is eating away at Manu. He knows he played terrible for the most part. Manu's the ultimate compe or. One of the most compe ive dude's in the league. This will haunt him for a long time. Hopefully he returns next season and redeems himself.
We can only hope for another '04, '06 "revenge" season just sucks this time we have to get revenge for a Finals loss.
I'll tack this here too... from the same newspaper... only translated the most well known ones...
A model of professional that provokes admiration
These are some quotes La Nación collected during the Finals:
CHRIS BOSH, Miami Heat player: "He's one of the best foreigners that have played this game. He won here, across the ocean, with his national team... When other foreigners saw his success in the NBA, they tried to copy his imprint"
TIAGO SPLITTER, San Antonio Spurs player: "Manu is key in this team. Without him it's hard to play well. He has a very special style of play, a way to see the game. He's one of the leaders, along with Tim [Duncan] and Tony [Parker]. And Manu from the bench, on the court or on the lockeroom always tells us details that he sees, but a lot of other people don't. He thinks about basketball all the time, how to win the next game, how we're going to cover the pick and roll, how we're going to attack it... He's very centered. We talk about a lot of things: astronomy, food, cars, and some soccer... I'm not going to say girls, because my wife is gonna kill me"
DAVID STERN, NBA commissioner: "He's the representative of a country that has given us great players. He's been at the top of Olympic podium. It's been a pleasure to watch him lead Team Argentina. He makes tough shots in important games when you think San Antonio already lost. Being with him is a pleasure. And the way he represented Argentina, his style of play, and the way those argentines played for so many years together, in some way inspired what happened with out national team. We have a debt of gra ude with them."
MIKE MILLER, Miami Heat player: "He's fantastic. He brought experience, change to the game, made new people watch it. He was successful internationally and in the NBA. And he's an exciting player to watch"
MATT BONNER, teammate in San Antonio Spurs: "He's an all time great. He won an olympic gold medal, international compe ions, NBA... He's one of the best foreign players"
RAY ALLEN, Miami Heat player: "He's been great for the Spurs. A powerhouse on the court"
MIKE MONROE, San Antonio Express journalist: "He was one of the first foreigners to become a star, after Drazen Petrovic, who died tragically at the peak of his career. Manu had a major impact for the Spurs and for San Antonio, where he is beloved. And he's one of the two or three most compe ive players I've seen in my 28 years in the NBA. Michel Jordan, John Stockton and Manu. People consider Jordan the most compe ive in this game; I'm not so sure that Manu isn't as compe ive like Michael. To me, his legacy is how hard he plays every second. Drazen was going to be an All Star for many years, a great scorer. But I think Manu is the best foreigner that played in the NBA. He paved the way for a lot of other foreigners. Maybe in the future somebody else will be better... but maybe not."
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, Los Angeles Clippers player and winner of 2013 Teammate of the Year award: "Manu is one of the great players of our era, one of the great champions of our era, a great person. He deserves this award as much as me. He represents his country very well here. He's a tough player, but I never saw him do anything dirty. I like to compete against him"
BORIS DIAW, teammate in San Antonio Spurs: "Because of his career in the NBA, as an international player and with Argentina, and because of the way he plays the game, he's a model to follow. His professionalism is huge. And outside the court he's a nice guy, that you can dine with, relax"
UDONIS HASLEM, Miami Heat player: "He's a heck of a player. One of the most successful I've seen in a long while. The way he creates, the way he finishes plays. He's explosive, a great play maker... I enjoy watching him play. In Miami we understand he's dangerous, so we pay a lot of attention to him"
NANDO DE COLO, teammate in San Antonio Spurs: "He's a good teammate. The first time I saw him was in the Olympics in London. He came over to welcome me into the family. He's a very good guy".
PATTY MILLS, teammate in San Antonio Spurs: "He's a classy player. The way he handles himself inside and outside the court makes him a basketball ambassador"
Original article in Spanish
another one from the link
BILL BUCKNER, mentor: "I envy his carelessness and pizazz."
sorry.
i truly belive that this disappointment is other kind, different level of all disappointments that were ever as been in sports in all times, will bring bad feeling that will not end, damage to the joy of life, will rub off somthing inside of you for the rest of your life without possibility to totally recover from.
you can't put 2004, 2006 with 2013 in the same sentence, you just can't! there a lot components that make it way different, 2013 were like dying!!
If we crazy Spurs fans can be so upset about the Spurs' inability to win an almost won series.. imagine how Manu Ginobili, one of the most compe ive sportspersons ever and the winningest player in the NBA currently (check his overall winning %) feels. It must be sickening.
I wish that Manu bottles up all that frustration and gets motivated to come back again for atleast one more year and more drive for his FOUR and the Spurs' FIVE.. and improve upon his play and health. And that he understands the state of his game and health and adjusts accordingly and becomes a valuable role player for the Spurs.
I have no problem with him returning to the team as long as he allows the FO to sign the necessary components such as a backup PG and possibly a better big man than softy Tiago Splitter.
Manu will also have to accept the fact that Kawhi Leonard now took his spot as part of the Big 3. Manu will have to reduce his role on the team to that of a roll player and take the necessary pay cut to assemble the best team possible. He also needs to focus on improving his shooting with Chip Engelland. Manu will be better off becoming a spot up shooter and he needs to recover that FT % that he once had not too long ago. I think that Manu is more than capable on improving his shooting.
Otherwise then he can retire. If he does play then NO MORE PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM.
Come on, Mike. A little less homerism. I love Manu, but he's clearly not better than Dirk.MIKE MONROE, San Antonio Express journalist: "He was one of the first foreigners to become a star, after Drazen Petrovic, who died tragically at the peak of his career. Manu had a major impact for the Spurs and for San Antonio, where he is beloved... Drazen was going to be an All Star for many years, a great scorer. But I think Manu is the best foreigner that played in the NBA. He paved the way for a lot of other foreigners. Maybe in the future somebody else will be better... but maybe not."
You can see from the way Manu moves that his body can't do what his brain wants him to do. You can relate to this when you're too tired or old and you make lots of mistakes that you don't normally make when you're young and refreshed. The problem with Manu is his mistakes will cost the Spurs games that they need to win. The best solution is for the FO to choose Manu's replacement as early as possible and for Manu to sit on the bench or coach from the sidelines.
Thanks for the translation El-Nono.
Hope Manu re-sign with the spurs. We need a guy like him to give us another shot a tle.
I think Manu needs to look at his diet very closely and make changes there if needed. That is very important at his current age, then after that he needs to work on his body (while also taking the appropriate amount of rest) in the off season and try and get it in really good shape. I think if he does this then he can come back really strong next season.
I definitely want him back, but also I want him to help the Spurs financially so they have the flexibility to sign someone else that can really help.
LOL, Boris finds away to get eating in his comment about Manu.
Or Hakeem.
People can blame his age/loss of athleticism all they want. He has declined substantially even at the free throw line (which has nothing to do with age). His career free throw % is 83.2%. The last 7 seasons:
86% 06-07
86% 07-08
88.4% 08-09
87% 09-10
87.1% 10-11
87.1% 11-12
79.6% 12-13
His career playoff free-throw is 81.6%. 12-13 playoffs - 73.8%. SHOCKING.
Get it right, it's "dining."
Appreciate the thought, but hadn't we had enough before 2013?
Thanks for the translation, OP.
No way in I"m hoping for 07 or 05 Manu because that Manu is NOT coming back.
Great article, thanks for sharing El.
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