http://projectspurs.com/2010-article...and+Podcast%29Manu weaving some magic
Written by Robby Lim
Tuesday, 16 November 2010 01:33
The San Antonio Spurs are off a best start in recent years and there are many reasons for this. Richard Jefferson is playing better in his sop re year, Tony Parker is having a career season in the assists department, DeJuan Blair is beginning to settle in his starting role, Matt Bonner is hitting his shots and their bench got deeper.
All this has made the Spurs a better team than a year ago but they will not be 8-1 after nine games if Manu Ginobili has not been playing phenomenal.
Ginobili has scored at least 20 or more points in six of the Spurs' nine games and currently leads the team with 21.3 points per game and is second in assists at 4.3 per ball game. Not only that, his 40.6% 3-point shooting and 92% clip from the foul line are career bests.·
But more than just numbers, Ginobili has always provided the Spurs the extra punch that pushes them to the next level. What do I mean? Here are a few examples.
Against the Phoenix Suns, Ginobili made a critical pass that translated into a Jefferson 3-pointer late in the fourth period and then he sealed the game by making the final free throw of the game. Spurs win 112-110.
Three nights later, the Spurs found themselves trailing against the Houston Rockets 113-111 with 16 seconds remaining on the clock. Never giving up, Ginobili fouled Courtney Lee to send him to the foul line and put him under pressure. Lee missed both free throws. On the ensuing play, Manu made a 17 footer to send the game into overtime and the Spurs eventually won the game.
On the road against the Charlotte Bobcats, the Spurs looked headed to a fourth quarter collapse as the hard-fighting Bobcats made a 7-0 run to cut the Spurs' lead to 93-91. Ginobili again rose to the occasion, he made a driving layup with 4.9 seconds left that clinched another Spurs win.
If that wasn't enough, in a close game against the Thunder, with the Spurs needing some separation, Manu scored five straight points and handed an assists to a hot-shooting Matt Bonner mid-way in the final period for another 3 pointer. At that point, the Oklahoma City Thunder were done and never recovered from a 13 point deficit.
Simply put it. When Manu plays like Manu, the Spurs are better. Sure, the Spurs are still a good team with Parker, Duncan or even Jefferson at the helm. But with Manu weaving some magic, the Spurs are definitely a tougher team to beat.
we'd be a tad below 50% ball without Manu for sure
No
Good morning, Projectspurs
The confidence he has in the clutch is incredible. The other team plays good defense, but he takes some indefensible shots that almost always go in.
Manu is clutch.
lol jinx thread
I would have given the credit to RJ and I didn't know blair was settling in his role
Summary of article:
The Spurs are a better team when Manu plays well.
Thanks.
Not well, phenomenal. Get it right.
Not really. He was right.
The article's main point is given at the very end:
Gee thanks for the information you bag of a columnist/blogger.Simply put it. When Manu plays like Manu, the Spurs are better. Sure, the Spurs are still a good team with Parker, Duncan or even Jefferson at the helm. But with Manu weaving some magic, the Spurs are definitely a tougher team to beat.
You know, the Miami Heat are better now with LeBron James on the roster. You know what else? The Lakers are tough to beat when Kobe and Gasol are playing well. Also, when the Celtics hold their opponents to less than 85 points, that means they played some solid team defense.
All this has made the Spurs a better team than a year ago but they will not be 8-1 after nine games if Manu Ginobili has not been playing phenomenal.
Most teams would be without their best playmaker on offense.
As good as the Lakers are, take Gasol away from them and they're scarcely more than a .500 team.
TJastal, what's your response to the part I quoted....you know, the part where the writer gives two summary statements to the article?
Ah, missed that paragraph. My bad. It's my mission in life to correct Mel_13, and I know he'll eventually up on something.
Aside from the Kobester, there's not a more clutch performer in the NBA than Manu.
ohhhhh magic...
Thank God, I almost read that. Whew.
According to 82games 07-08 "super clutch" stats, Ginobili is the 3rd most clutch player in the game behind Kobe and Lebron James.
Nowitzki was 4th, chris paul was 5th.
http://82games.com/SCSORT11.HTM
I'd mention recent stats but I don't have them.
I will tell you that for '10-'11, the top 3 shooting guards in the league by PER are
1. Wade
2. Kobe
3. Ginobili
no ducks on the thread yet?
Wow. I wouldn't have guessed that LeQuit would've been ranked that high. Thus far, he's proven to be a great and fantastic talent. However, he's can also be viewed as a bonafide, chest-thumping, frontrunner, who dances, poses and acts tough when he's ahead. However when faced with adversity, he's demonstrated a penchant for being a mental midget under pressure. He lacks mental toughness when faced with adversity - thus the moniker LeQuit.
I prefer LeBroom.
By the way Congrats to Manu for winning the Konex award for best Argentinean athlete of the past decade. What a nice honor for him.
wow!
Nice. Congrats Manu!!
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