McDonald: Ginobili Wants A Real Break

[duncan228]

Ginobili wants a real break
Jeff McDonald

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili did not make the All-Star team this season. After an inconsistent start to the season while fighting back from ankle surgery, he didn't expect to.

Instead, Ginobili will spend his break getting exactly what he needed most. A break.

“I need it,” Ginobili said. “I'm going to use it wisely.

Ginobili's ankle has responded to the pounding of the past three months. His body, however, has absorbed the usual amount of bumps and bruises.

With that in mind, Ginobili will forgo his annual All-Star tradition. He usually takes a trip somewhere. Last year, it was Las Vegas. This year, Ginobili is staying home.

“I'm going to rest, of course,” Ginobili said. “I'm going to do some treatment, and a couple (weight) lifts, to be stronger for the last part of the season.”

Ginobili went into the All-Star break on a bit of a tear, topping 30 points in three of his past six games.

No rest for Pop: Though he wasn't tabbed to coach the game — that honor went to the Lakers' Phil Jackson, by virtue of producing the Western Conference's best record at the halfway pole — Gregg Popovich expects to have a typically busy break.

“I always use that time as a personal time, to try to assess the team, think about what should come next, trying to be critical about things,” Popovich said.

At the top of his to-ruminate-upon list is team defense. The Spurs rank 18th in the league in field-goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 45.8 percent. That is actually an improvement from the first month of the season, but nowhere near where Popovich would like it.

“We need to be in the top 10 by the end of the year,” Popovich said.

Hairston replaced as All-Star: Malik Hairston's Dec. 22 call-up to the Spurs ended up bumping him from the Development League All-Star game.

Hairston was selected for the game based on 23 games with the Austin Toros, during which he averaged 21.1 points. He is ineligible to play in the game, however, after spending the past six weeks with the Spurs.

Hairston was replaced in the D-League game by Marcus Williams, who was once a second-round pick of the Spurs.

One other player with Spurs ties — Dakota's Blake Ahearn — will also participate in the game. Ahearn appeared in three games with the Spurs in November.

[SpursFan0728]

“We need to be in the top 10 by the end of the year,” Popovich said.

w00t go pop!

[completely deck]

I'm curious to what kind of things Pop has go through in his head about the team when he has a break like this.

[rayray2k8]

Glad to hear that the ankle is holding up..

[hater]

Pop is a machinist

[Rogue]

Manu really needs it, spurs would have beaten lakers in the WCF last season if manu hadn't injuried his ankle.

[CubanMustGo]

I'm curious to what kind of things Pop has go through in his head about the team when he has a break like this.

[spurspokesman]

Ginobili wants a real break
Jeff McDonald

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili did not make the All-Star team this season. After an inconsistent start to the season while fighting back from ankle surgery, he didn't expect to.

Instead, Ginobili will spend his break getting exactly what he needed most. A break.

“I need it,” Ginobili said. “I'm going to use it wisely.

Ginobili's ankle has responded to the pounding of the past three months. His body, however, has absorbed the usual amount of bumps and bruises.

With that in mind, Ginobili will forgo his annual All-Star tradition. He usually takes a trip somewhere. Last year, it was Las Vegas. This year, Ginobili is staying home.

“I'm going to rest, of course,” Ginobili said. “I'm going to do some treatment, and a couple (weight) lifts, to be stronger for the last part of the season.”

Ginobili went into the All-Star break on a bit of a tear, topping 30 points in three of his past six games.

No rest for Pop: Though he wasn't tabbed to coach the game — that honor went to the Lakers' Phil Jackson, by virtue of producing the Western Conference's best record at the halfway pole — Gregg Popovich expects to have a typically busy break.

“I always use that time as a personal time, to try to assess the team, think about what should come next, trying to be critical about things,” Popovich said.

At the top of his to-ruminate-upon list is team defense. The Spurs rank 18th in the league in field-goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 45.8 percent. That is actually an improvement from the first month of the season, but nowhere near where Popovich would like it.

“We need to be in the top 10 by the end of the year,” Popovich said.

Hairston replaced as All-Star: Malik Hairston's Dec. 22 call-up to the Spurs ended up bumping him from the Development League All-Star game.

Hairston was selected for the game based on 23 games with the Austin Toros, during which he averaged 21.1 points. He is ineligible to play in the game, however, after spending the past six weeks with the Spurs.

Hairston was replaced in the D-League game by Marcus Williams, who was once a second-round pick of the Spurs.

One other player with Spurs ties — Dakota's Blake Ahearn — will also participate in the game. Ahearn appeared in three games with the Spurs in November.

Let him rest. We need ginobilli at his best to go far. Opposing teams wont like this guy come playoff time.

[TMTTRIO]

Originally Manu said he was going to spend a lot of time in the gym working on his game but it would be good too if he rested.

[csr3159]

He needs to be rested for playoff. Go Spurs Go!!!!

[SpursDynasty]

I have been bugged by our field goal percentage defense too this season, but then I look at the league as a whole and realize it's a rather meaningless stat, this season at least.

Teams that are ranked 7th through 19th in field goal percentage defense are all between 45.1% and 45.9%...there is no real significant difference between Dallas' 45.1 FG% defense (ranked 7th) and Utah's FG% defense (ranked 19th). The league since 2006 has gone back to a jump shooting league. There are more shooters than anything else. More open outside jump shots and less field goal attempts in the paint equals higher field goal percentage. Even with the best defense, players will be making their shots. We'd like to think there's a correlation between field goal % defense and how good a team is. There isn't. Not anymore. Denver, Miami, Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia, Phoenix , Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Milwaukee, New Orleans, and Toronto all statistically have a better field goal percentage defense than the Spurs, but yet the majority if not all of those teams are jokes this season and are nowhere near le contention.

If you are #1 or #2 in the league in field goal percentage defense, then it's important. If not, there are others way to win. You're either going to make your shots or you're not. Simple as that.

The Spurs are good to go.