What the 's wrong with Manu?

[spurschick]

Can we close this thread now?

[Manu'sMagicalLeftHand]

And this thread should slowly sink into the Spurs Talk history.

[Vashner]

It's the haircut...

[Nikos]

I'm bringing back the argument that I had with you and others last year on Manu vs Carter. Now you even agree Carter is better. Manu won't avg 20 ppg during the regular season. Sure over a course of a few playoff games he can but he won't over the course of a season in the spurs system.

I never said Manu was not a good player just that Carter is better and the spurs should have traded for carter when they had a chance to even if it meant trading away manu. I remember almost everyonre except Sequ Spur saying carter wasn't any good.

Manu did not deserve an all star selection last year. Its about regular season numbers for the all star selection and other players had better regular season numbers than manu at last years all star break. Manu was likely put in last year to add another ex international player because the nba wants to market outside the us.

I also never said parker was the better player last year. But Parker willl go to the all star game this year and manu won't.

My own team? I don't own any team. I realize which players are better even though they may not wear a spurs jersey.

I have never said Manu was better than Carter, if I did I only said it in the context where Carter is half-injured or not trying (aka Toronto).

I am not saying to 'own' any team, just don't discount anything positive that Manu does just because he doesn't average 20ppg over the regular season. You said the Spurs couldn't win with a second star or 20ppg scorer, and Manu did that in the playoffs. MUCH BETTER than most of the players who score 23ppg in the regular season then come playoff time they flame out and shoot worse % and average 4-5ppg less. This also happens with role players as well. Players tend to do worse playoff time, leader, all star, or role player. It happens, and Manu rose above it, and helped his team win the le.

Manu wasn't scoring 20ppg in a couple playoff games, he scored it in 20+ games against GREAT playoff competetion. I would wany that over 20ppg on 42% FG shooting in the regular season wouldn't you? What is with your fixation on scoring 20ppg on a measly % in the regular season on one of the slowest paced teams in the league?

If Manu can do it in the playoffs I'll take it and not complain. He plays like an all star in the playoffs and thats all that counts. Why can't you just give the man some credit for a change? He played awesome in the playoffs and more than did what he was supposed to. Same with Horry (they stepped up the most, but Horry wasn't nearly as valuable overall).

But its cool, rascal, ignore it and use all your energy dismissing Manu. Thats fine. You have your opinons, but I disagree, and I don't really like that you do not explain any rationale for your opinions other than 'scoring 20ppg' and then when the player does it in the playoffs you deem as simply 'a few games'. Manu in 29 minutes was producing quality basketball, and the coaches saw it. Can he help it if he such a great producer in limited minutes? Surely coaches could see that his 16ppg in 29mpg on insane points per shot was worth more than someone who took tons of shots on a bad team at a poor percentage and played mediocre defense etc.... The coaches wouldn't vote someone who has poor stats if they weren't deserving.

I am not saying Manu is god. He is a borderline all star, who typically plays better in the playoffs than in the regular season. The stats back it up. And Manu does other things on the court that stats don't represent either. He is a solid all around player. I am not a Ginobili homer so don't accuse me of being one -- I am seeing him for how he was as a player for the team last season. Is it wrong to beleive he deserved the all star award last season? I remember you did say Parker should have made it over him, but its ok, change your opinions and post 'homer' every time someone mentions Ginobili in a positive light.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I'm bringing back the argument that I had with you and others last year on Manu vs Carter. Now you even agree Carter is better. Manu won't avg 20 ppg during the regular season. Sure over a course of a few playoff games he can but he won't over the course of a season in the spurs system.

I never said Manu was not a good player just that Carter is better and the spurs should have traded for carter when they had a chance to even if it meant trading away manu. I remember almost everyonre except Sequ Spur saying carter wasn't any good.

Manu did not deserve an all star selection last year. Its about regular season numbers for the all star selection and other players had better regular season numbers than manu at last years all star break. Manu was likely put in last year to add another ex international player because the nba wants to market outside the us.

I also never said parker was the better player last year. But Parker willl go to the all star game this year and manu won't.

My own team? I don't own any team. I realize which players are better even though they may not wear a spurs jersey.

When Manu makes the All- Star this year, you'll eat your words jackass

[Kori Ellis]

Manu was amazing on the glass tonight. Good job, Manu.

[smdanss]

Manu was amazing on the glass tonight. Good job, Manu.

13 board, 14 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block. Great.

[1Parker1]

He's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Manu's just warming up.

[Horry For 3!]

5-16 FG 1-3 FT 3-10 3PT 14 PTS 13 REBS 3 ASTS 3 STLS 1 BLK 4 TO


He could have shot better from the 3 pt and ft line.

[Nikos]

He's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Manu's just warming up.

He is still playing strange on offense. He missed 2-3 easy shots near the basket again tonight. His timing is still off underneath, and it always seems to surface after missed perimeter shots. I doubt it was the injury, Manu just seems out of sync on offense. Almost all of his last 7 three point attempts were semi-contested, but he should have knocked 1 or 2 of those down.

But at least tonight he was battling on defense, and on the boards (a few of his rip away steals from Deng were probably not technically rebounds). He looked like he cared tonight. Had two nice passes where Bowen should have converted but didn't, and one were Parker was just slightly off (that play they do).

But nonetheless, I like to see Manu make the simple shots. He did so well with that last year. It's almost like he is returning to his 03-04 form where he struggles to score, but battles harder on defense (or at least it seems that way).

I just hope Manu can get back to being efficient on offense, and not having to settle for three point shots and missed chippies.

I wouldn't say Manu is 'back' by any stretch of the imagination though. He still needs to be productive on offense, right now he is horrible on that end.

[Kori Ellis]

He doesn't have much lift do to his thigh. I'm not worried about Manu's offense.

[MI21]

I like how he is still getting a solid amount of points whilst in his slump, and 13 rebounds is nothing to sneeze at.

I'm sure he will be himself again shortly.

[Nikos]

He doesn't have much lift do to his thigh. I'm not worried about Manu's offense.

To be honest I have no idea if that is really affecting him. I am thinking that the injury is a bit overstated and that Manu is just struggling. Is it really that much of an issue, that his close in basket misses are partially due to that? At least in the last few games?

[Kori Ellis]

I've seen the bruise and the huge wrap on his leg. It's an issue; how much of an issue, I don't know.

[smeagol]

Agreed with Nikos on Manu's offense. Too many missed shots. But I'm not worried. His O will come back.

His hustling on D on the other hand, was encouraging. It certainly looked as if he had more than three steals and 13 board I believe is a record for him.

Again, his shot will eventually, but his aggressivness is back.

[ChumpDumper]

Is it really that much of an issue, that his close in basket misses are partially due to that? At least in the last few games?

From what I saw, yes. He doesn't seem to be releasing from his usual heights due to the lift issue. He found his range from the arc tonight due in no small part to being wide open, and i think that may have given him alot of confidence that he could be effective. I remember he barely got up for that last dunk against the Mavs. Give him another week with the huge pads and all will be well.

[sprrs]

He probably needs some time to find his rthym since he wasn't playing all summer. Give him a few more games and he'll reach last year's level.

That being said, he played a great game tonight. I think those early threes helped his confidence, hopefully he'll keep it up.

[Kori Ellis]

This is for Nikos ...

CHICAGO — Manu Ginobili had to talk his way into playing Monday night against the Chicago Bulls.

Concerned that Ginobili's right leg wasn't getting any better, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was leaning toward giving his starting shooting guard a couple of games off to rest.

But Ginobili felt confident enough after testing his leg during warm-ups to ask to play.

"I told him I wanted to give it another try," Ginobili said.

Ginobili has lacked his usual explosiveness since bruising his right quadriceps in practice three days before the start of the season. His right ankle also began to trouble him Saturday when he missed nine of his 11 shots in the Spurs' loss in Dallas.

Ginobili also went 2 for 9 in the season opener. Several of his misses in the first three games were shots at the rim he usually finishes.

Ginobili said Monday his ankle felt better, but his leg obviously had yet to completely heal.

"We're very concerned," Popovich said before the game. "We're hoping we're making the right decision by letting him go one more night. He seems to think he's improving every day a little bit, but we don't see it.

"We'll just respect his decision to play, but if we don't like what we'll see, we'll sit him down."

[T Park]

Ankle now too??

Dudes a walking Mash Unit.

[40minus8]

It's that he is not 1 hundred percent, be is playing with a small injury, give him time, or maybe he is pretending he is hurt, when the time is right he is going to explode, ya I think thats what it is......