Series was all about Manu

[greens]

I guess you didn't read anything else I posted. Manu ALWAYS talks about his injuries. HE ALWAYS says when he's hurting. He doesn't use it as an excuse but he ALWAYS is honest about it. Even before Game 1 he was saying how bad his ankle was hurting him. I didn't say there was nothing wrong with him. Obviously he's not 100 percent. I said that he says, Pop says and everyone else in the Spurs organization says that he was hurting alot more in the other series than he was in Game 2 and 3 of this series. I don't know about tonight .. he might have tweaked something again.

I honestly have never heard Manu complain about injuries. He might say something small about it. But he never complains, saying stuff like, "I'm in a LOT of pain, etc..." He doesn't whine.

When did he say that something was hurting him? In the playoffs? I didn't hear anything about his ankle vs Suns or NO. Only recently vs the Lakers game, EVERYONE is talking about his ankle. Why did he only now get an MRI if he is fine? That is what I don't get. And why is the media suddenly asking so many questions about Manu's ankle? He also had some bad games vs NO, and no one asked about the ankle.

I really believe it is so much worse than what Manu is saying...I saw him play in today's game, he has no lift. He didn't attack the basket once. It's like he has no speed anymore.

All I'm saying is that I don't expect Manu to suddenly start complaining about his ankle in the Conference Finals, maybe during the regular season or whatever, but not during this series.

Plus with a no-nonsense coach like Pop, I don't even think Manu is allowed to complain if something is really bothering him, especially now.

[kace]

Manu's Injured. Everyone knows it.

But that's not his fatal flaw as player.

His problem is I don't think he thinks of himself as a scorer. He think of himself as a problem solver. That's the way Pop has used him for years: Problem solver. The team needs energy, give them energy. They need passing, pass the ball. They need shooting, shoot, etc. Manu comes into the game, sees what the problem is and tries to fix it.

But sometimes HE's the problem. Sometimes his shot doesn't feel good or he can't jump or whatever. So he fixes it by simply refusing to shoot. Sometimes he tries to be a playmaker, but other times he goes into a s and just floats, goes five, ten possessions without touching the ball or even looking at the basket. It's his way of solving the problem. He has to physically be ordered to shoot the ball when he's in a funk, but I don't think that's Pop's style.

Look at the box score. To hear people describe Manu's night, you'd think he missed more shots than Tim and Tony combined. Tim missed 16. Tony missed nine. Manu missed six.

He took eight shots all game.

Somebody like TPark or Ducks will rave at the numbers Tony or Tim or Kobe put up in a game and they'll never consider how many possessions it took for them to get those numbers. Manu has never been a volume shooter, he's always been an efficient scorer.

Kobe took 29 shots to get 28 points today. Tim took 26 shots to get 29. Manu took eight to get seven.

will freeze over before Manu ever takes 29 shots in a ballgame. But you better believe, no matter how poorly he shoots, he could muster a 1/1 ratio. It's not that hard.

You really want Manu to take 12 crappy shots when he clearly doesn't feel it just so he can sink six or seven? If he finished 7-19 with 20 points, would the rubes of the world rejoice?

He gives up the ball because sometimes he thinks other people can do better than he can. If they win, he's a footnote. If they lose, it looks like he played terrible. To some people, the game is that simple.

The Spurs missed 45 shots. Manu missed six. Please, let's have some common sense about this.

lame post.

basically, we need each one of our big three to score 20 ppg at a good % in order to win. everybody knows that, everybody was saying that before the PO.
if one or more of them score at 30 %, it's not enough. if one or more score less than 15 points even at a good %, it's not enough. not to talk if one or more score less than 15 points at a bad %.

how many games in these PO did manu score 20 ppg at a good % ? maybe two ? not to talk about his defensive weakness and lot of bad choices/TO in these PO.

fuch the hate, the bashing, the trade X, the manu vs tony vs tim things....

you want a fact, there's a fact: manu's isn't playing well enough in these PO. maybe because of his injurie. maybe because of his bad way to deal with it. maybe because he's simply cold. we managed to win some games despite it (even if some few also thanks to him), but we're not the same team if one of our big 3 is playing poorly.

i don't like it, i hope it will end before it's too late, but it is what it is right now.

[greens]

Back to the topic of this thread, this series wasn't all about Manu. Manu is a damn good player but the Spurs are best when they can win even when Manu isn't at his best. Go look at last year in the playoffs. They won more games than they lost when Manu was held to under ten points.

This year if Manu is held under ten points, the Spurs have almost no shot. Like I've said during all this complaining about Manu in the last week, his one flaw is inconsistency. If the Spurs are going to live and die by Manu, you have to expect off nights.

Manu isn't to blame. He could bounce back in Game 5 and go for 40. That's what he does. Spurs have to win with what they have and they've done so in the past.

Blaming Manu for being inconsistent is like blaming Parker for being French or blaming Duncan not hitting more three-pointers.

We know that he's inconsistent. But come on, do you really think that's just it this time? That he's playing this badly due to his inconsistency? I've watched him play in the past few weeks, and he has no lift anymore. He has no speed. He can't penetrate as well as we know he can. It's all about his physical state right now. Hence, he gets an MRI done on his ankle. No matter what he says or what Pop says, he's far from being Manu, physically wise. His ankle is probably bothering him like crazy. But he is not going to talk about it.

I get him being inconsistent. But this is just way too different. Anyone can see the difference in the way he plays. Even in Game three, the big coming out Manu party, he still made most of his shots from the three point line, not from penetrating or doing his usual stuff. I'm telling you, he doesn't look healthy at all. He looks like he's barely holding it together, physically wise.

But hey, if everyone wants to blame it on him being inconsistent or sucking during the most important games of the season, then so be it.

[rascal]

The guy has several tough injuries... he's a ing warrior and he won't let us die without a fight.

Quit blaming injuries. He was healthy enough in game 3 to put up a great game.

[Avitus1]

I'd say Manu was a factor but a bigger one was stupid coaching mistakes.

[Ginofan]

I can't believe the "Trade Manu" "Manu is a liability" "It's Manu's fault that we lost championships" posts. Seriously you to all who want to think that way, You don't deserve to celebrate the 3 rings Manu did help win for us.

[Bruno]

it's as stupid to say that it's all about Manu than Manu isn't one of the main reason why Spurs are down 3-1.

FACT: In Spurs 3 loses, Manu averages 8ppg with a 24% FG%.

[urunobili]

Kinda makes you think back to early spring when Pop was running him 40 minutes a night in those regular season games...

[mystargtr34]

The Spurs had a great run. 4 championships in 9 years is dynastic in my book. Just like the Lakers of the 80's, MJ and his Bulls, all good things come to an end. Teams age and the Spurs simply got old, and got beat by a better team tonight.

This run definately isnt over.

If you look at the 3 core guys

Duncan - He just turned 32... in other words hes only 2 years older than Kobe... except his game isnt based on athleticism and he should be able to compete at an All-NBA level until hes about 35 ala Hakeem Olajuwon. Even more so than Hakeem... Tim's game is based on skill and understanding the game... so even when his 'athleticism' detiorates he will still be a force... whether Duncan chooses to go long past that is anybodies guess.

Manu - Hes 30... and hes the wildcard... He gets banged up easily... and like timvp said you have to takwe the good with the bad... but he certaintly has at least 2 maybe 3 more good years.

Parker - He just turned 26 and he hasnt hit his prime yet... hes established himself as a top5 PG and if he can somehow improve his passing game he could join Deron and CP3 as the cream and really become a big time player... if he already hasnt.

Bowen - This part sux... the dude is amazing and hes a physical specimin but he cant go on forever... and sooner or later ... heres to sooner... the Front Offic decides to pull their head out of their ass and maybe draft a guy to groom and replace him.

The next set of guys are all an integral part of the team but to be honest im not that worried because theyre all replaceable.. and their the old guys

Finley and Horry are pretty much gone...

Barry should be the only 'old' guy along with Bowen on the team next year...

Splitter just turned 23
Mahinmi is 21

Hopefully we can pick up a good wing in the draft ... maybe Brandon Rush or Nicolas Batum.

And use the mid level to get a scorer or a backup PG.

The Spurs future still looks bright.

[Slippy]

Manu was disgraceful last night . Sure he's hurt, so fake some emotion and life for the sake of his team. It looked as if he was content with simply showing up with his presense. Aside from passing the ball, a little bit of contribution on the offensive end could of made the difference.

A lot of the blame should go to Manu .. his lethargic play set the tone, the team followed.

[SAGambler]

One reason the Spurs lost this game.

Rebounds! Lakers had like 20 second chance points. We grab those rebounds, and Spurs win by 20.

Let's hope they can get their rebounding together for the game at Staples. We need to take all the rest.