First Round MVP Goes To...

[servalli]

[Kidd K]

Manu shot 45% for the series and 38% from three. Stop making stuff up.

Stats were through game 6 and didn't include the irrelevant game 7 stats (same way I didn't include Splitter's game 7 stats). Half his points in game 7 were scored after we were up over 20 and there was just 15 minutes or less left in the game. Excuse me for not counting irrelevant stats during irrelevant minutes of a game we were winning by 30 since our whole team was shooting 70% for nearly the entire first half and was practically over already.

[smaka]

To me, it has to be Splitter for that awesome D.

[Kidd K]

Awful analysis. Ginobili only had one more turnover than Parker throughout the series(same amount of assists too). Considering the fact that Manu upped his apg from reg season to post-season(4.3 to 4.7) it makes sense that he'd turn it over a little more too. Parker saw a considerable drop in his production though(5.7 apg in reg season to 4.7 apg in post-season) which is unacceptable considering he's the youngest of the big three and our best playmaker.

And why are you using FG% in regards to Ginobili? Manu's an excellent three-point shooter in addition to being one of the best in the league in regards to drawing fouls. Manu attempted 47 free throws in this series - the next highest was Dirk and Monta both at 31. FG% doesn't take this into account. In this case, TS%(true shooting percentage) is more useful. Manu's TS percentage against the Mavs was 61.6% which is excellent. His TS% in the regular season was 59% - Manu basically upped his volume(12.3 ppg to 17.7 ppg) in addition to his efficiency. Great production from a 36 year old. Compare that to Parker who's TS% is a very mediocre 51.5% against Dallas. A considerable drop from his regular season percentages(55%).

Parker had more assists and Manu, not the same, and Manu had more turnovers despite handling the ball less and playing 40 less minutes. So his turnover rate was even higher than it first appears to have been. Of course, I didn't argue Parker was an MVP of the series so I'm not sure why you're arguing against him so much here. You should be arguing Manu vs the people I actually said were MVP candidates: Duncan and Splitter.

Season averages don't matter here. Pretty sure this is an MVP thread, not a most improved player thread. Why should an unreliable, shaky, up and down player throughout a season get more credit than a stable producer like Timmy just because he temporarily discovered he still had game a few times during the same series and played above his season averages? Timmy had a better series, he does not and should not get penalized for also being more reliable during the season too.

[ElNono]

As I posted on my PER thread, Timmy did his thing... he definitely looked old for stretches, but he certainly put up some stealthy solid production that had a good impact on the stat sheet throughout the series.

Thiago, Tim and Manu are certainly the guys that brought it more consistently, IMO, and it's no surprise. The Spurs had a major advantage running the P&R with Gino/Tiago and Gino/Tim attacking Blair/Dirk. They really went at it very successfully pretty much this whole series. The added bonus of Manu rediscovering his way to the free throw line was also great, especially since he was pretty much our whole bench until game 4, where Boris and Mills started to play better.

[Kidd K]

Parker is the leading scorer of that serie with 20 ppg not Duncan: he had .58 shooting not .55

Parker shot .47 which is below his season average but to be fair he took inumerous last seconds shots.

Manu had a great serie all things considered, he played way above expectations while Parker played inconsistently and had pretty bad first games but no way he was not bothered by something. Difference is huge in terms of speed and energy between first games and game 7 for instance.

Based on exceeding expectations I'd say 1. Tiago, 2. Manu

The stats were through 6 games. Timmy was our leading scorer until game 7 where Tony scored 32.

Manu did play above his season averages, but I wouldn't say he played way above expectations. But like I said, it's an MVP award, not MIP award. Timmy or Tiago deserve the MVP. Tiago deserves the MIP. Manu doesn't deserve either imo. I will be more content with Manu if he continues to play well and stops having 1-8 5 TO games (amidst other bad plays) sandwiching his occasional impressive ones. His game still feels like Russian Roulette to me. And we're not even touching on his bad defense this series.

Timmy and Tiago had better series than Manu to me. But other than game 6, I had no complaints with Manu's series. He did well and deserves props. . .just not an honorary series MVP award imo. Timmy and Tiago deserve it more.

[ManuGinobiliArg]

Manu was the most consistent player of the round

[ElNono]

The stats were through 6 games. Timmy was our leading scorer until game 7 where Tony scored 32.

Manu was actually the Spurs leading scorer through the first 5 games.

Manu did play above his season averages, but I wouldn't say he played way above expectations.

uh? Averaging almost 20ppg through 5 games when he averaged 12ppg in the regular season is not way above expectations? I think you might need to adjust to what you expect from him.

[superjames1992]

Man, so much moving the goalposts in this thread, tbh.

[ElNono]

I would personally make it a 3 player award for Thiago, Tim and Manu... All 3 of them played solid basketball and attacked the Dallas' weakest link successfully, which is a big reason why we moved on.

[Kidd K]

Manu was actually the Spurs leading scorer through the first 5 games.



uh? Averaging almost 20ppg through 5 games when he averaged 12ppg in the regular season is not way above expectations? I think you might need to adjust to what you expect from him.

Yeah he was, then game 6 happened.

No it isn't that far above expectations. Manu has been playing below expectations to me for years, so he isn't going from 12.5-17.5 to me. He was already about -3 PPG from what I expected all season, so he's just +2 to me on the series above my expectations.

Again, I'm not going to reward a guy with extra postseason props just because he played a mediocre regular season (by his former standards) or penalize a guy for being more reliable all season. Timmy had a better series. Tiago played further above expectations. Manu's a third wheel. Note: I didn't say he sucked. I'm simply saying he wasn't the series MVP.

[ElNono]

No it isn't that far above expectations. Manu has been playing below expectations to me for years, so he isn't going from 12.5-17.5 to me. He was already about -3 PPG from what I expected all season, so he's just +2 to me on the series above my expectations.

I think you might need to adjust to what you expect from him.

[Kidd K]

Nah I don't ElNono. I expect 15 PPG from a player who is given the ball that much and is taking 15 shots a game.

Man, so much moving the goalposts in this thread, tbh.

You clearly don't know what that means if you're referring to my posts. I separate MIP from MVP. The only person moving any goalposts is you if you think a player deserves more credit than someone who played better because he was tier in the regular season.

Manu was not the best Spur in the series period. There are no goalposts that need to be moved for that to be true. You have to cloud the argument with your fan expectations and other nonsense while ignoring defense to even argue otherwise.

[DrSteffo]

Splitter was dominating and ting on the haters per par tbh

[diego]

What bad game was game 6 sandwiched by, kidd k? Was tiago consistent in game 2?


I'm ok with giving tiago the MVP, he was great, no need to make up.

[hater]

Splitter was dominating and ting on the haters per par tbh

/thread

[ElNono]

Nah I don't ElNono. I expect 15 PPG from a player who is given the ball that much and is taking 15 shots a game.

You're mixing up numbers. He's averaged 9 FGA *for the past 3 seasons* (and averaging roughly 12.5 ppg). As a matter of fact, this past season, he ranks #6 in FGA on the team. Even Beli, Mills and Kawhi have taken more shots than him.

He is given the ball a lot because he's a playmaker. He's no longer primarily a scorer. He's been ranked #2 in assist for this team for the past 3 seasons in a row.

[littlecoyotecoin]

After this picture, I am willing to change my vote

It puts the lotion in the basket.

[ElNono]

Damn looking through the numbers... 16 steals for Gino this series... wow... Kawhi coming in second at with 8...

[diego]

Manu hasn't averaged 15 fga ever in his career by the way, he had less than 12 fga this series for 17.7 pts. Manu also had the best drtg of the guys who got minutes, forced a lot of turnovers by drawing fouls and getting steals. Again i've no problem giving splitter his props for his d on dirk but manu was hardly a liability like you are implying.

[kuato]

Luis Scola's son, aka Splitter, deserves it, give Manu the finals mvp

[z0sa]

Manu, undoubtedly.

[Kidd K]

You're mixing up numbers. He's averaged 9 FGA *for the past 3 seasons* (and averaging roughly 12.5 ppg). As a matter of fact, this past season, he ranks #6 in FGA on the team. Even Beli, Mills and Kawhi have taken more shots than him.

He is given the ball a lot because he's a playmaker. He's no longer primarily a scorer. He's been ranked #2 in assist for this team for the past 3 seasons in a row.

Nah man, he took 15 shots a game in the Mavs series. 11.4 FGAs + (6.7 FTAs - .3 for his And 1s /2) and you have 15 shots. I mean like if Durant has 30 points and 19 FGAs it doesn't mean he only took 19 shots when he has like 18 FTAs, you know? It's really 28 shots. FGAs to points usually doesn't explain it. FTAs still consume a possession. I'll specify I don't mean just FGAs next time when I say "shots" :P

[DMC]

/thread

Which is ironic seeing how you're "hater".

[Capster]

After this picture, I am willing to change my vote

I saw Ginobili with the chap stick yesterday on the bench.......Hilarious!!!