Monroe: No stranger to Ginobili

[Kori Ellis]

No stranger to Ginobili: Suns coach D'Antoni has seen Manu's meanderings too often
Web Posted: 05/24/2005 12:00 AM CDT

Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...2a41b42b8.html

PHOENIX — The Spurs already had beaten the basketball world to Manu Ginobili, drafting him in the second round of the 1999 draft, when Phoenix Suns coach Mike D'Antoni got his first glimpse of the whirlwind from Argentina.

D'Antoni in 2000 had returned to Italy to coach after Denver Nuggets general manager Dan Issel fired him after one lockout-shortened season. He landed a job with Benetton Treviso, one of the top teams in the Italian League with which he already had become a legend as a player and a coach.

Ginobili was a star for Virtus Bologna in 2000-01 and 2001-02, and the two became rivals, of a sort.

The first time he saw Ginobili, D'Antoni knew the Argentine was destined for NBA s om. Now, Ginobili is one of the players about whom D'Antoni is most worried as his Suns prepare for tonight's Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference finals series against the Spurs.

"He's an unbelievable player," D'Antoni said. "Am I amazed at some of the things he does? No. I've seen that from him for a long time."

Before this season, D'Antoni had a big edge in games he coached against Ginobili's team, but things are evening out quickly.

"We beat him seven out of nine over there," D'Antoni said, "and now he got me one back. But last time I played him (in Italy), their whole team folded. I don't know if San Antonio will fold if we beat them, but maybe we can move them to Anaheim, or something."

Ginobili is determined to see that does not happen, and he has adapted his game for this series against D'Antoni's Suns.

Ordinarily a fearless rebounder — he averaged nearly five a game in the regular season — Ginobili is not going to the offensive glass when the Spurs put up a shot, for fear of allowing his defender to leak out on a fast break. And when he is defending, he is staying with his man on the perimeter, lest he allow an open 3-point look.

It is moderately frustrating for a player accustomed to attacking the rim in search of rebounds, but a sacrifice he knows he must make.

"Yes, I like to go to the boards, and usually I am the one designated to go to the board, of the smalls," Ginobili said. "But now we've got to be very careful. Unless it's a very clean option, it's better to go back. We're going to get more for that."

"It's been a challenge for him," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's been geared his whole career to go to the offensive glass, and he does it great. We're just a little too scared to death against Phoenix for that. We've got to get guys back."

Ginobili managed to get six rebounds in Sunday's Game 1, all off the defensive glass.

Popovich gave Ginobili high marks for his ability to stay with his man in Game 1, which came as no surprise at all to D'Antoni.

"The bottom line," D'Antoni said, "is that he's a champion and a winner. So am I surprised? No. You tell him what you need him to do, and he will do what needs to be done to win. If he believes in that, he will do it."

[Duncanoypi]

D'Antoni > Karl

[Tek_XX]

Ya gotta love D'antoni's Bull Dog look when he's not getting his way

[SilverPlayer]

I'm just sick of D'antoni standing on the court during the game. It really pisses me off. When pop did it last game he got a T even after he had called a timeout, but D'antoni freggin stands on the court during the game.

[Dingle Barry]

uh, pop went all the way across the court to at the ref