Schoening: Manu: More Than Just A Scorer

[duncan228]

Manu: More Than Just a Scorer
by Bill Schoening

Monday night's game at Miami is a good example of why Spurs guard Manu Ginobili can have a huge impact on a game, even when he's having a tough shooting night. Ginobili came up empty from three point range despite five shots, most of them pretty good looks. He also miss-fired on some mid-range jumpers. When it came to crunch time, however, he helped save the game with a defensive play.

When Dwyane Wade stole the ball at midcourt, he had only Tony Parker to beat for a layup that would have brought the Heat to within a single point of the Spurs with 1:30 remaining. When he slipped past Parker, everyone in the American Airlines Arena thought Wade had a layup...everyone except Ginobili, who had raced the length of the floor and, from behind, rejected Wade's shot at the rim.

The stunned Heat players were late in getting back, and just seconds later, Roger Mason buried an uncontested jumper from the left corner that gave the Spurs a five point lead they would not relinquish. Mason said without a doubt Ginobili's defensive gem was the play of the game.

In the waning seconds of the Spurs' previous game against Philadelphia, it was Ginobili who deflected a pass by Andre Miller that gave the Spurs the opportunity to win in regulation, which they did, thanks to Tony Parker's rainbow 15 footer from the right baseline after a Manu missed three.

While Ginobili may not be introduced with the starters at the beginning of the game, he is always on the floor at the end of the game, because of his ability to make plays at both ends of the floor.

[ManuTP9]

manu has impproved well hope he continues to be a beast

[mrspurs]

If Manu doesnt get back to his usual terror in the post season. We better hope this team continues to kill it from the launching pad they have behind the arc. That launching pad will determine how far this team will go into the post season. And we already heard Timmy saying, we are gonna go with this roster the whole way.