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Once ginobili gets into his top form spurs should be unstoppable.
Ginobili starting to regain form
Web Posted: 11/14/2005 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...s.72f1f59.html
By the time the Spurs walked to the locker room at the end of Friday's first half in Boston, Manu Ginobili, in the words of his coach, "looked done for the night."
Ginobili had taken only four shots, missing all but a routine layup. The bull-headed drives to the basket that had helped make him an All-Star the previous season had given way to straight-legged jump shots. Those legs, usually so full of bounce, now seemed heavy.
Halftime, however, afforded Ginobili a chance to rest. After returning to the floor, he hit a 3-pointer early in the quarter. He found his teammates with a couple of well-placed passes. Twice, he attacked and drew fouls.
"Maybe he's on the right track," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Saturday night's loss in Washington, as disappointing as it was for the Spurs, provided further evidence that Ginobili finally might be regaining his health.
Early in the game, he used a behind-the-back dribble to tightrope the sideline. In the second quarter, he crossed over Jarvis Hayes, leaving the Wizards forward lunging in the wrong direction.
Ginobili's 28 points doubled his previous high for the season, but it was how he scored that most encouraged his teammates. After finding his rhythm with a couple of 3-pointers, he aggressively took the ball to the rim.
"That," Tony Parker said, "was the real Manu."
Not quite. Ginobili was better Saturday than he has been all season, but the bruised right quadriceps he suffered the final weekend of the exhibition season continues to rob him of some explosiveness.
But at least he's feeling better. That's a start.
"I started making shots (Saturday), and my confidence went up," Ginobili said. "So I tried to attack more."
Ginobili has lacked that aggressiveness for much of the first two weeks of the season. The injury has made it difficult for him to plant on his right leg and jump with his usual force. As a result, he has struggled to finish at the rim, making him look for other ways to contribute.
Some nights that has meant relying on his outside shot, which, until Saturday, had been erratic. During last week's overtime victory in Chicago, he missed 7 of 10 3-point attempts but still grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds.
"I don't want to try to be aggressive if I don't feel right," Ginobili said, "because it would be a negative for the team."
Popovich has worried enough about Ginobili's health that he debated whether to make him sit out a couple of games last week. Ginobili asked for one more chance to show he could help. After Brent Barry and Michael Finley went down with injuries, Popovich had little choice but to leave Ginobili on the court.
"There's not much treatment I can do for it," said Ginobili, who is wearing a thick protective pad over his right thigh. "I think the work helps. It's just a matter of time."
The Spurs hope Barry, who hasn't played since leaving the Chicago game with tightness in his lower back, and Finley, who has a slight groin strain, also are on the mend. Both will be re-evaluated today to determine whether they can play Tuesday against Atlanta.
"You can't control (injuries)," Parker said. "That's the law of the NBA. You always have some injuries, and you play through that.
"It hurts a little bit that we don't have Brent and Michael, but it's OK. We still have a lot of room for improvement."
That includes shoring up their defense. In the Spurs' two losses, they allowed Dallas and Washington to shoot a combined 52.9 percent. The 43 points Gilbert Arenas scored Saturday are the most the Spurs have allowed in 402 regular-season games since Kobe Bryant also had 43 on Dec. 1, 2000.
While Tim Duncan missed 15 of 18 shots against the Wizards, Ginobili nearly matched Arenas shot for shot in the first half. Ginobili appeared to tire some in the fourth quarter, but the Spurs had few complaints about his performance.
"The one good thing Saturday was to see Manu play like that," Parker said. "He's going to be back. I'm not even worried."
Once ginobili gets into his top form spurs should be unstoppable.
great! Then this year spurs will have 3 All-Star, Duncan, Ginobili, Parker.
Well, don't think that Beno would be selected for the Rookie Vs Sop re Game this year. IMO
Let noone else start a Parker vs. Manu thread! Learn from Tony and Manu for christ sake!"The one good thing Saturday was to see Manu play like that," Parker said. "He's going to be back. I'm not even worried."
When gino comes back, all we need is finley n barry to be back and we be on our way to 80-2, and 16-0 in the playoffs
thanks tony!
Here Ludden is wrong. Vince Carter scored 43 last season against the Spurs and Amare 44.
a love Manu article from Ludden?
WHAT A SUPRISE!!!
a love Manu article from Ludden?
WHAT A SUPRISE!!!
What we need is for Ludden to write an article critical of Saint Emmanuel so that T Park can go into his Spurs Love Enforcer routine...
THe Parker vs. Manu threads are useless.....you can see from them that they get along and they all think about is winning. Thats the only goal! We should start threads like "the 3 amigos?????"
Great article about Ginobili.
He seems to be picking it up offensively.
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