http://www.berkshireeagle.com/Storie...888821,00.html
Ginobili has seen his star power grow
By The Cox News Service
PHOENIX -- The pasty guard with Samson's locks and J.K. Rowling's creativity has annexed the Western Conference finals. Manu Ginobili is so quick, so crafty, he's making Steve Nash and the running Suns look like they're going nowhere.
Ginobili, the Spurs' third-year wonder, has a contortionist's body and a venture capitalist's instincts. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich used to try to rein in Ginobili until he realized it was like trying to corral a shooting star.
Tonight, the Suns couldn't stop Ginobili for trying. It's hard to describe, much less defend, the dagger that the Argentine delivered in the final frenetic minutes of the Spurs' 111-108 victory.
With Shawn Marion covering him, Ginobili maneuvered the ball behind his back and swooped under the hoop for a reverse layup. It was a beauty of a basket and part of a 7-0 run that turned a two-point Suns lead into a two-game Suns deficit in the best-of-seven series.
Ginobili started the run by feeding Robert Horry for an open three-pointer and chased his memorable shot with a routine -- for him -- 20-foot jumper. "We could not make a stop on Ginobili . . . in the last three, four minutes," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni.
The Suns shot 56 percent from the field and lost because Ginobili just doesn't miss when it matters. He finished with 26 points Tuesday on 10-for-18 shooting.
For the series, he's 3-for-3 from the field in the fourth quarter. When the pressure gets suffocating, Ginobili cannot be smothered.
When asked about the layup that brought down the Suns, Ginobili said, "I just saw or thought that was the best opportunity for me." As casually as if he were describing a lane-change in traffic, he added: "They were very concerned on not giving me the left hand, so I just tried to go back to my right. It's not what I feel more comfortable doing, but I think I can, and that's what I tried."
Ginobili's mantra seems to be, if you can imagine it, you can make it.
He banked in a 52-foot shot in the Spurs' 121-114 win in Game 1, which didn't impress his teammate Tony Parker much. One time in practice, Parker explained, he watched Ginobili drop-kick the ball into the basket from midcourt.
"Yes," Ginobili said. "That was a highlight."
Ginobili, 27, has more shots than his countryman Guillermo Coria, the tennis player who graced last year's French Open final. Coria could triumph at Roland Garros this year and, still, the people back home in Argentina would greet each other by saying, "Did you watch the Ginobili game?"
That's what the Western Conference finals are in their eyes: Ginobili's games.
Which just goes to show how astute the Argentines are.
"He has been great for us, especially against these guys," said the Spurs' resplendent forward Tim Duncan. "His ability to slash to the basket and start finding people and make plays. He's so creative with that kind of play."
Manus not afraid to try stuff out, I like that .. its what maeks him crazy, unpredictable.. and most of the time succesfull.
(of course there are times where its a total mistake, but i can take it!)
I can not say enough about this guy, he is a basketball god!
Ginobili's mantra seems to be, if you can imagine it, you can make it.
He banked in a 52-foot shot in the Spurs' 121-114 win in Game 1, which didn't impress his teammate Tony Parker much. One time in practice, Parker explained, he watched Ginobili drop-kick the ball into the basket from midcourt.
"Yes," Ginobili said. "That was a highlight."
resplendent: shining brilliantly : LUSTROUS
synonyms see SPLENDID
Yes, that's our Teemmee.
One time in practice, Parker explained, he watched Ginobili drop-kick the ball into the basket from midcourt.
Holy crap!
I'm looking forward to a season where Manu can play after getting a full summer of rest. Of course, I'm loving the seasons where Manu has played his tank empty in the summer and fought through an NBA schedule. But I just wonder sometimes what a full summer of rest might do for this guy.
In a game, it would be 3 point?? LOL
"I'm looking forward to a season where Manu can play after getting a full summer of rest."
Manu came back very rested last autumn, saying he hadn't really done anything at all between Athens and training camp, and felt fantastic.
Then, if you remember or look back to how Manu was playing "fully rested" in early November, he had an incredible stretch of games. I remember him saying in one article around that time, questioned about his eye-catching start to the season and his exorbitant PPS, he said he couldn't keep that up all year, and by December he came back down to earth.
Sure, but one month's rest after a month of playing balls-to-the-wall for an Olympic medal isn't quite the same as three months devoted to resting, recovering, and conditioning for only an NBA season. I'd submit that what we saw in November was Manu with a month's rest, but the lull that followed was residue from a summer of basketball. I'm not saying that the results will be substantially different if Manu does nothing at all this summer (other than conditioning work), but I just wonder what he'll be like if he has no summer ball obligations and can save his body from that abuse.
"playing balls-to-the-wall for an Olympic medal"
How many games did he play in the Olympics? 6 games? The Olympics is NOTHING compared to 2 weeks in the NBA.
His preceding NBA game was 3 months before that.
How many many months does a top, professional athelete in his prime years need to recover? and how long does his recovery sustain him once the season starts.
A comparable sport would be professional futbol, or professional bycycle racing.
If anyody needs April 15 to 1 November to recover, then he will again be run down within weeks after the season starts, just like Manu did.
Hey ALSO hasn't had time to go on a HONEYMOON! Enjoy LIFE and have a Ginobilito.
Argentina's coach was running notoriously hard practices, two a days, in preparation for the Olympics.
Manu over the summer will have a chance to work on his game. In the three years he's played for the Spurs his 3 point pecentage has gone from .345 to .359 to .376. Wouldn't surprise me to see it go over .400 and his three make him deadly setting up his drives. He's also added that Iceman finger roll. He's improved driving right. A summer of work on his game will make Manu even more spectacular.
I think there's also a ulative effect that crops up. Manu hasn't had any significant downtime during any of the last 3 summers (at least). He competed for Argentina in each of those summers (Worlds, Olympic Qualifying, Olympics). As picnroll notes, the Argentinian preparation for those compe ions was decidedly different than the American preparation, and Manu was the focal point of each of those teams.
It doesn't matter, IMO, that he's in the prime of his career -- the human body eventually needs some time to recover in order to give optimal performance. (cough, cough, Earl Campbell, cough, cough). I have a feeling that Manu's body would be well-served with some downtime this summer and a chance to recover from the rigors of playing basketball, in essence, year-round for the last 3 years.
And I just wonder if there isn't better to come from Manu as a result of his finally getting some rest.
Can you say "contract renegotiation?"
Nice.One time in practice, Parker explained, he watched Ginobili drop-kick the ball into the basket from midcourt.
Well, aside from his coach running two-a-days on him, he didn't get a break either of the two previous summers, really, between the Spurs le and the World Championships I think he had a total of 2 weeks before they started practicing for the WCs.How many games did he play in the Olympics? 6 games? The Olympics is NOTHING compared to 2 weeks in the NBA.
But whatever, you are the same guy blaming Nazr for Qrich hitting threes and Nash burning TOny Parker the other night because his name wasn't Rose.
Ginobilito, does Spurs drafted that kid???
I can. But it really doesn't make any sense for Manu -- since his contract is guaranteed for the next 5 years, the only thing he could do is seek an extension on the end of his current contract (and, at most, that would likely be out to 2 additional years, perhaps at the max). He can't up the money in any of the next 5 years with the way this CBA is structured, and his contract won't be subject to the provisions of the next CBA. Besides, Manu likely took less money to stay in SA than he could have gotten elsewhere, so it's hard to say that the dude is about money. Given the status of his homeland's economy, he could probably buy the entire sovereign state of Argentina with the kind of jack he's pulling down.
So, while I can say "contract renegotiation," I'm absolutely sure that Manu won't be doing that.
I don't get it. Isn't Manu set for like 6 years?
EDIT: oops. 5 years. I agree, I don't see it happening.
Ginobili is grossly underpaid.
Been done before.One time in practice, Parker explained, he watched Ginobili drop-kick the ball into the basket from midcourt.
Billy Newton, Misty Oaks Park, 1984.
Any chance Darius or Randolph will hold out for "contract renegotiations".
But for Manu, I think it's more about the Championships than the money. Else he would have gone to Denver.
No doubt. But he also knows that teaming up with Tim Duncan for a few years will make him a compe or for a le every year, which seems to be what he's after in the first place.
It's funny, though, that last summer, some thought the Spurs had overpaid for Manu, after Manu flirted with Denver and Phoenix.
Not me. In fact, I thought most people were glad the Spurs were compe ive in keeping Manu. It helped Holt lose some of that "cheap owner" baggage he was carrying.
EDIT: Man, can you imagine the insanity the Suns would cause if they had Manu?!?! Holy , they'd be practically unbeatable.
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