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Ginobili had the clutch shot against the Warriors, and still had a few other big games in the playoffs. I know he made some turnovers that hurt the Spurs, but he's still a good player.
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Ginobili Is Not Washed Up
Look, I realize that Ginobili is not a star anymore. He doesn't play nearly enough minutes and can't dazzle fans with amazing plays quite like he used to. And yes, he struggled mightily in four of the seven games of the finals.
But that's all it was—four games. Washed up, he is not.
For all the flak he took for a bad performance in the playoffs, Ginobili's Player Efficiency Rating was 16.5, higher than the league average of 15. Say it with me: "Ginobili is still an above-average player in the NBA. Ginobili is still an above-average player in the NBA."
Granted, PER does not have the final say on a player's overall effectiveness (Indiana Pacers star Paul George was essentially equal to Ginobili in the playoffs with a 16.6 PER), but it does take into account shooting efficiency and turnovers. These are the two areas in which fans criticized Ginobili the most.
What gets lost in all the criticism, though, is Ginobili's improving passing ability.
Ginobili averaged more assists per 36 minutes (6.8) in the 2013 NBA playoffs than he has in any previous playoff run. In fact, Ginobili even registered the best assist-to-turnover ratio of his playoff career this year (1.91-to-1).
All this, from a guy who one Twitter fan said deserves just $1 million per year. Jeff McDonald, a Spurs' beat writer for the San Antonio, pointed out the flaw in that contract.
Ginobili's Defensive Role
Ginobili isn't a punishing on-ball defender like he used to be, but he still makes an impact with his active feet and quick hands.
According to 82games.com, Ginobili held opposing shooting guards to 11.4 PER in 2012-13. The league average is 15, so Ginobili is definitely very good, even though he spent many of his minutes against bench players. Against small forwards and point guards, he allowed a 13.8 and 33.4 PER, respectively, in smaller sample sizes.
So basically, the 6'6" Ginobili should guard wings, not point guards.
If the Spurs are smart, they will put Ginobili on opposing small forwards when the second unit is on the floor. Marco Belinelli held opposing shooting guards to just a 12.3 PER last year with the Chicago Bulls, also according to 82games.com. He is the logical shooting guard on the defensive end, which leaves Cory Joseph to defend opposing point guards. Joseph's 6'3" size and energetic nature will help him succeed.
None of the big men on the Spurs' bench are rim protectors, expect for maybe AronBaynes, who doesn't play much. This puts the onus on the Spurs to play together and communicate as a unit on defense to avoid getting beaten off the dribble, because no one will be able to sky for a big block.
Ginobili, as the elder statesmen of the Spurs' bench mob, will be the leader, as he always been, guarding small forwards when he plays with the second unit and whomever he needs to when he plays with the starters.
Bottom Line
Ginobili's athleticism has faded significantly in the past couple years. There's no question about that.
But after a disastrous ending to the 2012-13 season, Ginobili will learn to adjust his play to fit his now-limited athleticism. For the 2013-14 season, that means fewer risky drives to the basket, more corner threes, more setting the table for teammates and more communication with his teammates on defense when he needs help.
A summer off from international compe ion (he played in the Olympics last summer) could do wonders for Ginobili, but there's no doubt that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will still keep the 36-year-old's minutes in the low 20s. If Ginobili can get through the season without significant injury, that alone would be a major victory.
Maybe he'll even end up sparking the Spurs to le No. 5 instead of keeping them from it.
Ginobili had the clutch shot against the Warriors, and still had a few other big games in the playoffs. I know he made some turnovers that hurt the Spurs, but he's still a good player.
So less drives and more 3s isn't that what he's doing now lol
What a re ed comparison to make. Manu is not washed up because he had the same PER as a young, future all-star who is like 23 and a great two way player...that makes a lot of sense
Blah blah blah. He sucked most of the playoffs. Per a stat I hardly look at, rather see how he did % wise and in big games. For the most part he was flat out subpar in the playoffs.
8
paul george didn't win a championship either
I'll choose to believe my eyes. He was awful. Those stats don't take in to account how his frantic plays and bad passes may not have resulted in turnovers but resulted in a terrible possession. They also don't take in to account "timing". Manu seemed to make terrible decisions at the worst possible moments. His play would kill momentum or spark the other team in to a run. That's what I saw. Per nothing.
Where's my TheGreatYacht's responses in this thread?
I'm not a manu fan and I admit that he may struggle to perform at times due to his age but when he's in good form he's still easily one of the big 3 on this team imho. If I remember correct in an article he was ranked #3 of all SGs in today's league, even above Kobe (who was placed at #4), only behind Wade and Harden. Although the author of that article might be a closet spurs fan (since he also picked Danny Green as the #8 on his list, which I believe is too high for him), Manu is still safely a 2nd-tier SG in today's league at least, parallel to the likes of Monta, Kevin Martin and friend killer
DAMN RIGHT! Manu fan get over it he was horrible and even NON SPURS fans I talk to daily talk about it and say he looks done after that and he looked horrible. Facts are facts, your per crap, he was horrible accept it!
Lol per
Hey NO LIFE SCRUB, stop with your fixation of TheGreatYacht.
are you a manu fan?
^He is, but I think TGY excites him more than Manu.
how is that relevant in any way?
Screw numbers and stats. Manu was an embarassment. He got his together for one game in the Finals. His bad passes, bad timing, bad decisions, helter skelter play, full-on spazz mode, and unclutch-ness were a nightmare and doomed the Spurs. Plain and simple.
I love Manu, but you'd have to be a dip to choose him over George.
An above average player avoids playing like crap in a championship clinching game.
the PER. Just look at his FG% and FT% throughout the playoffs. Against a team like the Heat that likes to blitz or double team the pick n roll, passing becomes less effective and a player's true ability to create his own shot off the dribble becomes more effective.
Manu's best performance was in Game 5 and if you play close attention, most of his points came off ISO's, penetrations, or beating his man off the dribble. Why Pop didn't use more ISO's for Parker and Manu in Game 6 is beyond me. If the strategy worked for Game 5, why not keep doing it until it fails. Instead, senile Pop went back to spamming the pick n roll which leads to a passive Manu throwing the ball to Heat players.
I blame Pop just as much as Manu for costing Timmy his 5th ring. Pop set up Manu for failure in Game 6 by not running some 1 on1 plays for Manu and also by leaving him on the floor despite all the bricks he was throwing from the three point line. Manu also had horrendous shooting throughout the playoffs so that's on him. Manu's shooting touch was not there all year long.
ing Pop and Manu cost Timmy his 5th ring. Assholes.
Pay close attention to all of Manu's points. Most of them came from one on one plays.
yep.
Cogent words. Why did Pop go away from the ISO's that were working well?
It makes no sense. When TP got the late basket in game 6 that put them up 5 it was of an iso. It seems Pop sometimes doesn't realize what works and what doesn't. He basically let Spoelstra off the hook by allowing him to get by with playing bad defenders. We should have been attacking Chalmers and Miller every time down the court not Lebron.
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