Manu will be the scapegoat as usual, but...

[ElNono]

ElNono was trying to put some of the blame on Tiago for not making shots off the pick and roll with Manu, but in reality this - to some degree - is Manu's fault for being such a non-threat on offense, which in turn is a function of him being so passive throughout the season. He's so passive and he's so scared to shoot the ball (and he's so inefficient when he does shoot the ball) that it's all too easy to sag off him and keep the roll man well covered.

You can't be a pick and roll facilitator if you're not an offensive threat. Period.

But this isn't true either. Tiago wasn't blocked by the guy guarding him, who recovered. That guy was still trapping Manu.

He was blocked by help coming from the weakside. What Miami knows is that once the pass is made, Tiago won't handle the pressure. A guy like Tim will see the help and pass to the open shooter or finish at the basket. Tiago just isn't anywhere near as mentally sharp.

Manu won't be a treat with two guys trapping him. I mean, he could start chucking contested 3s (and he had one today), but that's not the solution to be an 'offensive treat'.

[ElNono]

Manu should have demanded a couple of 20 FGA games long ago in the regular season to shoot himself out of his slump. As one of the big 3, he certainly had the green light to do that, but he didn't. Now it's too late to give Manu 20 FGA knowing that he's in such a poor shooting slump. We can't afford it.

We're here now. If Tony can't heal quick enough, Pop will have to find a way to get him open looks or a line to the basket, and Manu will have to take them. If he makes them good, if not, so be it.

The Spurs had 82 games to find a relatively solid backup PG that would free Manu to play SG. They didn't find him. We're here now, and gonna have to make lemonade.

[spurraider21]

I've always been a CoM > CoP guy (although I've easily recognized Parker being the go-to for the past 2 seasons), but all I can say is we are going to need the "big 3" version of Manu to start showing up, especially if Wade is picking up his game. we got away with passive manu when wade was playing like garbage. but we are going to need 2012 WCF manu to show up.

[Sean Cagney]

Good enough to be the second best assist man on a team that's 2-2 in the NBA Finals. Might not be enough to beat the champs, but that's still damn good.

Oh yeah he has played great out there!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get off the drugs you are on NONO Manu has been horrible these finals, stop it! You biased Argie you. . He has played like utter numbers wise, get real! He is not there anymore.

I can not believe you are trying to say this guy is playing well right now! Are you serious? Are you serious?

yea he might of only had 1 turnover

but i saw a few plays where he passed the ball to someone that put them in a terrible position

and led to a turnover

They should keep track of Passes that Lead to Turnovers

Exactly! AND PERIOD!!!!!! You are correct, not a TO in the stats but basically one.

[hommeaetage]

What frustrate me about Manu is he seems to forget that there are other ways to score when your 3 pt shot is not falling. I can live with a wide open miss, but he's taking some bad shots with defenders draped all over him which result in long rebound/fast break for the Heat. Those are essentially turnovers, even if they don't show up in the stats sheet

[Sean Cagney]

What frustrate me about Manu is he seems to forget that there are other ways to score when your 3 pt shot is not falling. I can live with a wide open miss, but he's taking some bad shots with defenders draped all over him which result in long rebound/fast break for the Heat. Those are essentially turnovers, even if they don't show up in the stats sheet

Exactly, and he keeps this up! OVER AND OVER! This is like a TO, period.

[ElNono]

This isn't even a CoM vs CoP argument. I want Tony to heal and play great because I want the Spurs to win. I'd love Manu to put together a couple of 15-20 point games.

The problem for the Spurs is that in Manu's current role, he isn't young enough to bolt those traps like Tony does. So if Pop wants Manu to go more one-on-one to the rack, he's going to have to play him as a SG somehow.

[ElNono]

Oh yeah he has played great out there!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get off the drugs you are on NONO Manu has been horrible these finals, stop it! You biased Argie you. . He has played like utter numbers wise, get real! He is not there anymore.

I can not believe you are trying to say this guy is playing well right now! Are you serious? Are you serious?

He played ok tonight. 'numbers wise' tells me nothing. He's the only guy outside of Tony that can bring the ball up and start the offense. He sets the table so guys like Green and Neal and Tiago can shine out there. That's his role now. It isn't to gobble up numbers. And that's Gino in a nuts , he always been about helping the team win, not his personal stats.

He will have to carry a bigger load if Tony is still hobbled though. That's just the reality of the situation from here on out.

[Sean Cagney]

This isn't even a CoM vs CoP argument. I want Tony to heal and play great because I want the Spurs to win. I'd love Manu to put together a couple of 15-20 point games.

The problem for the Spurs is that in Manu's current role, he isn't young enough to bolt those traps like Tony does. So if Pop wants Manu to go more one-on-one to the rack, he's going to have to play him as a SG somehow.

Well EMAIL him to do that then! Because I am sure he will not do that!

[Sean Cagney]

He played ok tonight. 'numbers wise' tells me nothing. He's the only guy outside of Tony that can bring the ball up and start the offense. He sets the table so guys like Green and Neal and Tiago can shine out there. That's his role now. It isn't to gobble up numbers. And that's Gino in a nuts , he always been about helping the team win, not his personal stats.

He will have to carry a bigger load if Tony is still hobbled though. That's just the reality of the situation from here on out.

He was tonight, get real! He sucked. I saw a sequence at work before heading home that had me shake my head! I was like this is Manu again, a miss three and a TO on a dumb pass and then another after that.
Manu has been horrible sir, get real!!!!!! SERIOUSLY! If he can get 15-20 or so we win the next two, if not forget it we are done. Manu is a key to this team still, he has to step it up ALOT! IF NOT forget it.

DO I TRUST HIM NOW from here on OUT with a bigger role? NO! Why should I? If he shows me wrong I will rejoice! But as of now no faith in MANU at all! NONE! He looks done to me.

[InK]

Its not encouraging to see Manu playing ok and the rest of the team damn near spectacular and Spurs still loosing.

I can only hope that Manu continues with his ok play, his ok play is the only constant in this finals.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

I thought Manu's postgame interview was kinda weak, tbh.

"Welp, my job is to pass the ball. I'm not supposed to score; that's not my role anymore. I need to feed everyone else."

Need you to be a little bit more than Diaw Jr, tbh.

This isn't fair. He's obviously asked to pass the ball and score very little.

[jestersmash]

This isn't fair. He's obviously asked to pass the ball and score very little.

Asked by who?

[SpurOutofTownFan]

He was tonight, get real! He sucked. I saw a sequence at work before heading home that had me shake my head! I was like this is Manu again, a miss three and a TO on a dumb pass and then another after that.
Manu has been horrible sir, get real!!!!!! SERIOUSLY! If he can get 15-20 or so we win the next two, if not forget it we are done. Manu is a key to this team still, he has to step it up ALOT! IF NOT forget it.

DO I TRUST HIM NOW from here on OUT with a bigger role? NO! Why should I? If he shows me wrong I will rejoice! But as of now no faith in MANU at all! NONE! He looks done to me.

Wrong again. Manu isn't getting 10 shots a game in the new Spurs world

[ElNono]

If he can get 15-20 or so

This is where your expectations betray you. That's not his role anymore. Unless Pop plays him in a different role, that's not going to happen. There isn't much Manu can do about that either. It's going to be on Pop to put him on a situation to do that.

I'm not going to go over 'why' again, since it's been extensively discussed in this thread, but feel free to read the thread, and you'll see why.

[timvp]

Both Pop and Duncan said Manu needs to do more. Manu said he's doing what he's supposed to do.

There's a disconnect somewhere . . . . .

[ElNono]

Asked by who?

The guy that tells him to play backup PG against this Heat team... this guy

[ElNono]

Both Pop and Duncan said Manu needs to do more. Manu said he's doing what he's supposed to do.

There's a disconnect somewhere . . . . .

Well, they have 3 days and a lot of tape to sort it out, tbh

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Asked by who?

His role isn't getting 20 pts a game anymore. That's super obvious. Im not sure when was the last time he attempted 10-15 shots. Maybe in the golden state series

[Yuixafun]

Since when is his role to turn over the ball and shoot stupid 3's that lead to fast breaks.

[TheGoldStandard]

Both Pop and Duncan said Manu needs to do more. Manu said he's doing what he's supposed to do.

There's a disconnect somewhere . . . . .

Manu has the disconnect, he's sticking to the script when he's running Point, he's looking for shooters off PnR especially when they both rush up on him and leave Tiago open. Problem is Tiago sucks balls and can't finish. So, Duncan & Pop saying he needs to do more means he needs to score and look for his shot rather than pass it to someone who's going to it all up. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Manu needs to score at least 10 to 15 points a game the rest of the way out, that scoring will help the drought the Spurs go on when Parker & Tim are out of the game.

The offense is stagnant when manu runs point, lots of standing around and lots of high low pick n roll which would be okay if Splitter wasn't a major . I think Diaw should get minutes with Manu and they work some pick n pop or pick n roll with diaw looking to shoot but also the option to pass to a cutting player when he gets the entry pass off the pick.

[MannyIsGod]

Can't ing believe Manu said that. What in the . er probably thinks he played OK too.

Manu owes it to Spurs fans to do more and try his ass off. Diaw Jr was the best way to put it. We have cheered him on for a long ass time and contrary to the stupid thread le Manu has NEVER been the scapegoat. Not even in 2006. He owes it to us to man the up.

Its one thing if your body is gone. But that bull at ude. Thats not cool.

[jestersmash]

His role isn't getting 20 pts a game anymore. That's super obvious. Im not sure when was the last time he attempted 10-15 shots. Maybe in the golden state series

My point was nobody asked him to reduce his scoring load this year. Manu himself took the liberty to reduce his own scoring responsibilities after a string of terrible shooting nights.

According to Pop, Pop never asked Manu to change his role on the team this year. Manu took it upon himself to reduce his own load to that of a common role player.

I mean he's taking less of an offensive load than Danny Green right now.

[ElNono]

Manu owes it to Spurs fans

He doesn't owe you .

[jestersmash]

Can't ing believe Manu said that. What in the . er probably thinks he played OK too.

Manu owes it to Spurs fans to do more and try his ass off. Diaw Jr was the best way to put it. We have cheered him on for a long ass time and contrary to the stupid thread le Manu has NEVER been the scapegoat. Not even in 2006. He owes it to us to man the up.

Its one thing if your body is gone. But that bull at ude. Thats not cool.

Yeah you know I would've respected Manu a lot more if he just said "You know what, I'm part of the big 3 and it's my responsibility to score 12-15 points per game along with a couple of assists, and I didn't do that tonight. I'm shooting terribly, etc. etc. I need to do better and look for my own shot a little bit more"