Please predict Manu's performance in Game 2.
Also, why do you think that Manu has struggled so much lately?
Raja is just as much the cause to Manu struggling, as Manu is himself. He needs to get back to the "normal" Manu that is cutting, slashing, and moving without the ball.
Manu also isn't getting as many opportunities to hold the ball, with Parker being wide open on the P&R's and him making good decisions with the ball.
There are a lot of factors into why Manu is struggling.
14 points
5 rebounds
1 head butt
I also think Finley's great performance so far also has something to do with it. He is being left open a lot and is draining his shots. Game 1 though was the parker/duncan show. Manu will rebound and take over a game or 2 when needed.
That was one game. If each game that Manu had struggled only had that in common, I would agree.
However, Manu has been struggling for a while now.
One game against Raja isn't a trend about how well he plays against Raja.
Manu will need to play well for us to win. I think that this means at least 10 points, 5 boards, 4 or 5 assists, lots of hustle plays and charges drawn and steals.
I would feel better if he would get 20 points, 5 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 charges drawn.
I look for a ballbuster out of Manu tonight.
I think he has found himself with some quick fouls and hasn't really had a chance to get comfortable on the O. If he ever does, we all know he is capable of going off for 30 or 40.
But as long as he is grabbing close to double digit rebounds, creating steals, and generally causing havoc on the D, then Manu is doing his part. Especially if Tim and Tony are both hot again.
But I look for Manu to be a huge factor tonight.
I think Manu & Pop are smarter than most give them credit. Everyone sees Manu as struggling but could it be a ploy to free up others? While other teams try to come up with ways to stop Manu, our other players are flourishing. When they realize that, he will be less guarded and go off on them.
That is a good point about Manu's proclivity to turn the ball over lately and making poor decisions.
Manu can play the high risk game.
He seems to be reverting, lately, to the unpredictable occasionally brilliant, more often careless, player of 03.
However, most of this year, he has been the SuperManu of the 2005 playoffs. I hope that that Manu returns.
Good point.
Bell will try to guard Parker who will be still hot. So manu will have plenty opportunity. 20+pts and a BIG 4th quarter.
I have posted this several times, but look at all 4 games this season.
Nov 9th - 3-13 shooting for 13 points Suns loss
Feb 2nd - 12-22 shooting for 32 points Suns Win
April 6th - 3-11 shooting for 7 points Suns loss
Game 1 of the playoffs. 2-9 shooting for 9 points. Suns loss
There is more than just a one game trend. Raja has limited Manu on 3 of the 4 games this season. The one time where he did have a good game, Duncan shot only 6-18.
Manu does not need to play well for the Spurs win. The combination of Parker and Duncan is enough against this team.
Raja Bell has done a terrific job on Manu during the Denver serie because Manu was quite bad in the first round.
Huh? Raja doesn't play on the Nuggets.
I agree that Manu has had poor games since the beginning of April.
So, that's 1 good game and 1 bad game prior to this current time that are not part of the slump.
But we want to find out what Raja is responsible for, without a slumping Manu.
It's difficult to isolate a particular variable in these types of cases. Had Manu had a great April other than the games against Raja, you might be able to make a case that Raja alone has figured out how to completely shut down Manu (some may not be convinced of this [it would prove too much for example ] as Manu is so unpredictable that not even Manu knows what he will do next).
Now, this is not the first year that Raja was with the Suns.
Raja is a good defender. But I am skeptical of the the thesis that he is able to consistently make Manu a 35 % shooter, especially since those of us who follows the Spurs know that good defense requires a team commitment (which so far the Suns have yet to make).
But maybe the defense of the Suns and Raja in particular is better than that of the 05 Pistons. Maybe somebody else also believes that idea. Then there would be 2 people on the planet Earth who believe it. I myself am not sure that I could commit myself to such a theory.
Last edited by Mavs<Spurs; 05-08-2007 at 01:03 PM.
Bruno is making an objection to your analysis, a good point on his part.
BTW, why do you think Mahinmi is coming over in 08?
look for manu to bust out tonite, if phoenix is sick enough to put bell on parker. That means manu doesn't get hammered and can go to the basket, so when bell goes back to manu, look for parker to check in again.
Could you articulate it better for me? I still have no clue as to what he was trying to say.
Bell was injured during the Feb 2nd game.
THAT, would be a colossal mistake for the Suns IMO. A lot of Suns fans are calling for Bell on Parker, but that is a mistake. Parker is too quick for Bell, as he does not have the lateral quickness to keep in front of him.
Without Bell on Manu, all 3 of the big three have big games, and it's lights out for the Suns.
.....Adding even more fuel to the Bell vs. Manu fire.
Bell is a geat defender but the main reason why Manu was so bad in game 1 is that Manu is in a big scoring slump since the start of the playoffs.
He is saying that Manu played very badly against the Nuggets and Raja Bell does not play for the Nuggets.
So, again, how we can isolate the variable (determine the efficient cause)?
Manu is struggling with and without playing Raja Bell.
Prior to April, he had been playing well. At the beginning of April, Manu began to struggle and it became more pronounced.
It seems difficult to say with any degree of confidence that the poor performance of Manu is due to Raja Bell's defense more than the fact that Manu has been slumping over the last month and a half. (we can say with 95 % confidence that Manu's scoring will fall within 2 standard deviations from the mean when he plays Raja Bell)
If Manu can avoid losing the game on a turnover or foul, he will have surpassed my expectations for him.
Bell's a good defender, but he's not the reason Manu's struggling with his offense. Ginobili led the team in scoring more times during the winning streak than he has in all the games since.
I think that we have a consensus.
Yes, Raja Bell is a very, very good defender. However, he is not the main cause of Manu's poor games, against the Suns or otherwise.
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