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Barbosa = System
It'll be a fun matchup to watch. I still say that Barbosa wins 6MOY award. Unfortunately I don't see Manu anywhere close to winning it with the bad games he's had recently and everyone else stepping up too.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...i_N.htm?csp=34
Suns' Barbosa, Spurs' Ginobili have sixth sense
By David DuPree, USA TODAY
When it comes to making things happen for their teams, the spotlight often turns on Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns and Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs.
Overshadowed most nights this season by higher-profile All-Stars Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion of the Suns and Tim Duncan and Tony Parker of the Spurs, Barbosa and Ginobili often set the tone with their all-out, frenetic play.
That could be particularly important Thursday night in one of the biggest games of the season for both teams (9:30 ET, TNT).
The rivals appear headed for a second-round showdown in the playoffs, with the big question being who will have the home-court advantage. The Suns go into the game with a three-game lead over the third-place Spurs in the race for the No. 2 seed in the West behind the Dallas Mavericks. The winner will also capture the season series 2-1.
"They're one of the best in the league," Duncan said of the Suns. "It's a great test time for us, especially coming down toward the end of the season here."
It's also a head-to-head showcase for Barbosa and Ginobili, the two leading candidates for the NBA's Sixth Man Award. Ginobili began the season as San Antonio's starting shooting guard, but when the Spurs bench faltered, coach Gregg Popovich did what he has often done — turned to Ginobili to provide the spark. This time it happened in late January.
"It isn't the first time," Ginobili said. "I understand why it's this way. It's the best way to help the team win, so I'm in favor of it."
To win the Sixth Man Award, a player has to have come in off the bench in more games than he has started. Ginobili has started 36 games and been a reserve in 33. The Spurs have eight games left, so Ginobili will have to come off the bench in four of them without any more starts to be eligible.
Barbosa, although he has started the last two games and 17 overall this season, will end the season having come off the bench 55 times if he remains the starter.
"It doesn't matter to me," Barbosa said. "My role is still the same — to make things happen."
Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls was the early leader for the Sixth Man Award, but he has started 44 games, making him ineligible.
The Suns lead the league in scoring and two of the three shooting categories, and the Spurs, third in opponents' field goal percentage and second in opponents' three-point percentage, are one of the league's premier defensive teams.
"We shoot the ball so well that it gets overlooked how well guys are shooting," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said.
For the Spurs, going into the playoffs with everything clicking has always been their objective. "We haven't really focused on getting the best record in any year," Popovich said. "The focus has always been making sure our priorities are in order, beginning with defense, that we're as healthy as we can possibly be, and that our bench has gotten enough minutes."
Barbosa vs. Ginobili
How Leandro Barbosa and Manu Ginobili compare:
Barbosa Category Ginobili
Brazil Country Argentina
24 Age 29
72-17 Games-starts 69-36
47.8 FG% 46.2
83.3 FT% 85.8
43.3 Three-point% 40.1
2.4 Made threes per game 1.7
2.7 Rebound average 4.4
4.2 Assists average 3.5
1.2 Steals average 1.5
1.9 Turnovers per game 2.1
17.9 Scoring average 16.6
Barbosa = System
Barbosa is a of player.
He benefits from the system, but he helps make the system good.
So its a chicken and the egg scenario.
He basically stands behind the arc and shoots threes.
I'm not taking anything away from him, he's a great player and an awesome asset to the team, but those stats are mostly offensive.
Barbosa isn't nearly the defender Gino is. While those stats might not show it, Manu has become a very solid defender, well above league average. He also makes a ton of hustle plays.
I'd take Manu over LB ANY DAY if I were looking for a 6th man, unless I just needed a shooter.
Barbosa is the Suns' greatest slasher and 2nd best 3-point shooter behind Nash. When Nash is on the bench, nearly all of the offense is being created by Barbosa, so his value to the team is substantial. Don't worry, you'll get to see what a monster he is when we play tomorrow.
Barbosa's not a bad defender, either, when he's guarding people his own size. When matched up against a bigger player, he tends to have trouble slowing them down. Jerry Stackhouse, for example, can shoot jumpers over him all day, but he'd have a difficult time getting around him.
he makes the system good?
suns cant win without nash
seriously suns with or without nash is overrated, suns fans tell me wtf a team with that much talent on paper struggle to win games against average teams in the league?
marion, amare, barbs, james jones, banks, thomas, rose, bell
every other n lottery team would give up for that roster....
Yeah, they are nothing like the Spurs, who school every bottom feeder
Barbosa and Manu both take about 38/39 percent of their shot attempts from 3 this season.
Good Lord."We shoot the ball so well that it gets overlooked how well guys are shooting," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said.
Then again, what can you expect with this level of coaching:
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! C'mon, let's go!"
Barbosa are equally valuable to their teams, and provide very very similar things, have very similar styles. So, you have to give the edge to Barbosa simply because his stats are just a tad better (higher FG %, more made 3pters, more APG, etc) and because he has been coming off the bench in more games.
That being said, the Spurs are still the better team, and I'd still take Manu over Barbosa if I were building my team. Among other things, he plays better defense, as his higher RPG and SPG suggests...and he's got all the intangibles.
Let's see if Manu has the balls to come out tonight and show the world that he's THE sixth man of the year.
Funny thing is.... Manu could care less about that acolade.
Then he sucks...
Its definately a contrast in coaching...
You got D'Antoni:
Or Popovic:
And who has been more successful over the years?Its definately a contrast in coaching...
You got D'Antoni:
Or Popovic:
Also Barbosa is srarting today, so how does that help his sixth man contention
Barbosa has already come off the bench so far enough to win it so I say the award's his. I have been wondering how do you think they would do if they switched teams and Manu was playing for Phoenix and Barbosa for the Spurs. I can see Manu scoring a lot more and given more minutes on that team too.
All I have to say is:Manu with the suns/nash combo could average 20+ ppg 5+ rpg,+better stats in general and Barbosa with the spurs/Parker combo wouldnt even be able to be at 13-14 ppg and 3rpg in 25 mpg(manu´s mins with the spurs)
since NBA does not consider defense, yes Barbosa wins.
If it considered defense for all these awards, it'd be a different story.
and Duncan would win MVP
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