Thursday, March 11th, 2010...7:46 am
Knicks 87, Spurs 97
The stakes may not have been as high, nor the visiting team as good, but the Spurs put on a throwback performance reminiscent of their first championship run, though probably not in the most flattering sense: an ugly win they will not apologize for.
Manu Ginobili once again carried the Spurs, scoring 28 points while grabbing six boards and five assists and generally willing the Spurs to a victory. Needless to say, Ginobili is back, something Timothy Varner reiterated (while also pointing out the need for a contract extension) in today’s daily dime.
But Ginobili is providing a reason for league GMs to think twice about thinking twice-he’s regained his super-stud form after two seasons of continuous ankle injuries. His February 2010 numbers ran in lockstep with his career-best work. Since reinsertion into San Antonio’s starting lineup, Ginobili has responded by scoring 38 and 28 in take-notice outings against the Cavs and Knicks, respectively.
Asked if he felt pressured to pick up the scoring slack in Parker’s absence, Ginobili downplayed his latest scoring exploits.
“In the last two games I scored a lot,” Ginobili said. “Some others I’ll score less and try to create for others. It depends on how the opponents guard you.”
For much of the night Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni chose to guard Ginobili with Danilo Gallinari, who is known for his shooting more than his defense to say the least.
But as exciting as it is to watch vintage Ginobili carrying a team again, it was equally disconcerting to see the disparity between the starters and the bench sans Manu.
All five starters scored in double figures, with Duncan pitching in with 18 points on the strength of a 13-point first half. But the bench, who had built up quite a chemistry between Blair, Ginobili and Jefferson until Parker’s injury pressed Ginobili into a starting role, only scored 16 points.
Six for Blair, six for Bonner, and four big points for Malik Hairston, who might have made a case for more playing time, in the fourth quarter. But Jefferson had his first scoreless game since 2006, when an ankle injury took him out, but managed to contribute with seven rebounds and two blocks. Mason managed to contribute even less.
As I pointed out yesterday, without Ginobili, Jefferson struggles to create his own shot (he was 0-2 in 18 minutes). Moving forward, the Spurs must find some way to generate more shots without taxing Manu to run the pick and roll the entire night in the absence of Parker.
Dynamic as Ginobili was, when he wasn’t creating the Spurs offense was a wreck, as evident by the nearly six minutes without a field goal to close the third quarter. But without Parker, as Popovich pointed out before the game, options will remain limited.
“We go to Timmy a little more if he’s out on the court when (Mason or Hill) are at the point, and we run more pick and roll when Manu is at the point,” Popovich said. “It limits the package quite a bit, so it’s usually going to be Manu or Timmy oriented.
“They feel real comfortable with pick and rolls and with Tony out, that’s sort of our continuity. I want to keep the ball in our best players hands.”
57 Comments
March 11th, 2010 at 7:55 am
Hairston should at least be ahead of “Money” Mason in the rotation. Hairston played with great energy last night and even hit a big shot near the end of the fourth. I dare anyone to say he shouldn’t at least be ahead of Mason, and maybe even “Bogus” Bogans. Someone get Mason’s agent on the phone, we have a solution to getting more playing time - the Toros!!!!
March 11th, 2010 at 8:05 am
All I can say is that Manu has come back to 2005.
Our offense was absolutley dead without him in it. Alot of people ride Parker for not being a “pass-first” point guard - who the hell does he have to pass to? George Hill and Timmy are the only dependable people on the team.
I am glad that Matty is getting his shot back; Sean Elliot said last night it was back just over 40%. we will need that going into the playoffs. I have a stroke every, and i mean EVERY time he puts the ball on the floor.
Roger and Richard are falling apart. Pop has to do something here, give both of their minutes to Hairston. He can obvoiusly do better than 2-18 (what they have dont the last two games.)
I am glad to see that Bogans is finally contributing, but i will not count on his 3-5 points in the playoffs.
Timmy started the year stellar, but his game has really fallen. if we were a championship team this year, Tim would be our third scoring option, which he is clearly not. I can only hope for a young rebounding/shot blocking big to come our way… somehow.
March 11th, 2010 at 8:54 am
I think last night was a break through game for Malik. I think he finally proved to the staff (and his teamates) he was ready to step up and be counted on in the clutch.
The one thing I really liked about Malik’s game last night - his confidence. He stepped up and hit a huge jumper, yet you would never know it was his first big shot in an NBA game. He didn’t hesitate, he shot it like he knew it was going in. For a guy who has seen sporatic playing time, those type of plays speak to his mental toughness. Most young guys would be a little hesitant, afraid to make a mistake. You didn’t see any of that from Malik. Hopefully he can build on last night’s game.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:09 am
“It limits the package quite a bit, so it’s usually going to be Manu or Timmy oriented.”
I think Pop should call RJ’s number a little bit more.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:29 am
We’re 2-1 without Tony (including him leaving the Memphis game). We just need to focus on keeping that up.
We have 20 games left, and it would be safe to go 13-7 in those games to finish 50-32. To tie us:
OKC would need to finish 11 wins of 19.
PHX 10 of 17
POR 12 of 16
MEM 16 of 17
HOU 18 of 19
NO 18 of 17….oops…
We could drop our @ Orlando, @ OKC, Lakers, Cleveland, Orlando, @ Lakers, and @ Dallas games and still reach 50 wins. If you want you can sub @ Boston, @ Phoenix, @ Atlanta, or @ Denver for the @ OKC, but I still think we could and should win 4+ of those 11 games.
The other 9 games are: @ MIN, LAC, @ MIA, GS, @ NJ, HOU, @ SAC, MEM, and MIN. There is no excuse to lose any of these games. Losing any of them is a major failure to me.
Hollinger has us at the 7th seed with 49 wins right now on his playoff rankings.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:00 am
I wish I could say that I saw the game but I only caught the shot selection on gamecast. I do not like hearing that RJ contributed by rebounding. He was not brought in to rebound but to be a scorer. No more excuses about his point production going down because Manu is creating shots for him. How many points did he score with Manu in? Exactly 0 points just like he did when he was not with Manu. He should at least try and get to the rim to draw a foul. He is a career 77% free throw shooter. If he cant make an outside jumper he can at least get to the charity line. Im sick of the excuses for this guy. He has the talent but he is just lazy. I think he came in thinking he could just coast with the big three. Ian and Hariston need to be playing RJs min. because it gives us some youth who are not afraid to get to the rim and play defense. If the Spurs can get a good push from the young guys I think they could get into the second round of the playoffs. Until then I just want to see good basketball the rest of the season.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:12 am
NY seems to believe that David Lee would not be playing there next season - Imagine a Lee/Duncan starting pair front court.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:15 am
I posted this on my facebook yesterday after the game:
“Since the break: 20.9 ppg, 5.18 apg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 spg in ONLY 31.8 minutes per game. Too bad a lot of his teammates are a bunch of scrubs and D-leaguers.”
It was a heat of the moment thing to say he plays with D-leaguers. Sadly, I feel the same way today.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:16 am
By the way I was talking about MANU in the previous post
March 11th, 2010 at 10:51 am
LETHAIRSTONPLAY.COM
MANU is the man. I think the FO forgot just how good he really is. If Rj can make 14 mill a year than MANU should have an extension by now.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Hairston need to get minutes from RJ and RMJ. You get benefits in defence, hunger and energy. Lets play him and see how other two respond.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Richard Jefferson is pathetic!! 0 points against the Knicks and that “defense”? I didn’t think that was possible. He probably couldn’t even score in a brothel!!
March 11th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Guy just need a chance. I think after Houston, Cleveland, and last night games he deserves one.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Also I would like to see Pop finishing games with linup including Manu,Hill,Hairston,Duncan, and Blair/McDyees. Right there you got everything you need, defensive stops and bunch of scoring options.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Hello Manu, glad to have ya back. I’ve missed you.
March 11th, 2010 at 11:19 am
its shocking how much better jefferson was earlier in his career compared to now. manus been my favorite ever since 2003. MANUUUU
March 11th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Where the hell’s Gost… err, Ballhog? Haven’t felt his presence here in a while.
Ballhog! You’re absence has resulted in a harmonious and united thread. Come back soon!
On a perhaps related note, Manu comes back at around the same time Ballhog disappears. Coincidence? I in no way falsely not think so.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
malik was excellent last night. he knew his role on the team, did not force anything, and took what the defense and other teammates gave him as opposed to his struggling counterpart.
mason looked indecisve, slow, and out-of-place. seems like he was trying to earn his keep on the floor rather than play within the offense.
hairston deserves more playing time. he should split time with mason to give us looks from a shooter as well as a slasher/defender/finisher.
ok ian, it is your turn. un/fortunately, dice and bonner playing well right now.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Well, we’ve won five out of our last six. Our only loss was one that we let slip away on the road in Cleveland. This is very good, but maintaining momentum & building team confidence is HUGE right now.
I say if we want ANY chance of moving our way up to as high as the 5 seed, we MUST win the next 3 games against the T-Wolves, Clippers, & Heat. I repeat, MUST win these three or in my view we are pretty much destined to finish in the 7th or 8th spot (with still a remote chance of NOT making the playoffs altogether).
Thoughts on last nights game:
Hairston is “gradually” getting more and more minutes, and he’s responding. Did you see his jumper & throw-down off the offensive glass! Let’s keep getting Hairston more minutes.
Manu’s obviously carrying us at this point, but it was also nice to see McDyess having a solid game, and the type of performance I was expecting to see from him on a much more consistent basis throughout this year. Can he be more consistent with this type of effort over the remainder of the season?! Let’s hope so.
I like that RJ is at least rebounding more consistently. His “big block” showed some passion & hustle, but I’d also like to see him try to keep that block in play instead of swatting it like a volleyball spike. He also needs to drive the ball to the rack at every open lane opportunity, and at least draw the foul if he’s not hitting his shot. We need some production from him on the offensive end.
RJM is still struggling, but I would not give up on him. His steal & feed to Manu on the break was well done. As long as he’s hustling, keep getting him at least 10-15 REGULAR minutes, and ask him to shoot his way back to his shot. It should come …… eventually! Shooters rarely lose their shot forever. And honestly, we could use his shot right now to take the pressure off Manu.
manufan
March 11th, 2010 at 10:56 am
“Hairston need to get minutes from RJ and RMJ. You get benefits in defence, hunger and energy. Lets play him and see how other two respond.”
Well, I have noticed Bogans overall effort & play has picked up a bit in the last week “because he senses Malik becoming a viable threat to his playing time.” Hopefully it has the same effect on the other underschievers (RJ, RMJ), so that our overall team play will continue to improve down the stretch.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Random note: Blair was clearly having issues getting into his game having to guard a guy 18+ feet from the basket. Kudos to him for still being productive, but it was obvious that it is a strategy that works against him. On the plus side, that means that there is enough concern over what he can do that there is a strategy against him!
Bogans actually had a very good game from what I saw last night. Not great, but solid, which is all we want from the 3 spot. In the grand scheme of things, we should be happy every night if his line reads 2-5 for six points. (Last night he was 5-11, 3-8 for 13 points)
Hairston could be the spark that the bench needs with Manu starting. The biggest problem I see with the bench right now is there is no true ball-handler in the bunch. Remember that Tony’s absence forces our second and third best ball-handlers to be starters. Anyone think Hairson can run off-point the way that Mason does? But with, you know, skills.
Regardless, as of last night you can consider me on the Hairston needs minute bandwagon.
Jefferson. You are terrible. Your shot selection is absolutely atrocious. We are not going to start running the Princeton offense to satisfy your offensive needs. Practice your catch and shoot and shut your trap. And don’t get too happy about your seven rebounds, as I think three or four of those were at the expense of Manu or Blair. When the best hustle you have is to fight for rebounds with your own players, you are not having a good night.
That being said, awesome block late in the game. But that does not give you permission to shoot a contested 20-footer falling sideways with one of your legs sticking out.
As for Jefferson getting to the line, you have to remember that while he can drive, it is only in a straight line. He doesn’t have moves that he can use to get his defender off balance. Unless he has a straight-line open lane to the basket, he can’t get it to the hole.
So Rich - shut your mouth, use your six fouls and stand in the corner where you belong until we can officially start referring to you as “Richard Jefferson’s expiring contract.”
March 11th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
I realize I didn’t say anything about Mason. I’m still not certain about what is happening with him. Gut says give Hairston his minutes, but I’m prone to agree that he just needs to be given the green light for a few games to see if he can get his jumper falling again.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
ok so i looked up the shots taken by Rj our favorite scape goat and Manu my favorite player and i found out that Rj has only take 582 shots this year and made 260 of them an average of 9 shots a game. and manu has take 629 and made 264. I also noticed that rj has only take 16 shots in the last 3 games. Im going to lay off Rj for now until pop decides to let him shoot all game.
March 11th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Malik Hairston proved again that he deserves more minutes. Taking them from Mason and Bogans would be appropiate.
March 11th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
bigtee34-Split that search to show only post All-Star break attempts and I bet you’ll see a pretty marked difference.
The other thing to keep in mind is that when Manu does things right, it is almost always in impact situations. The idea is to let him be guilty of a few turnovers and bad shots on occasion, because otherwise you limit his production when you most need it.
The Spurs just have to let Manu be Manu.
Letting Richardson be Richardson isn’t really high on the Spurs to-do list. He has had one, maybe two “impact” performances this season. Manu has had 3 in the last week, I think.
March 11th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Hey, at least we aren’t the Knicks…..
March 11th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
In Manu we trust.
March 11th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Seems like alot of people are drinking the Manu kool-aid and forgetting that a few good weeks does not erase the past two seasons. What happens if Manu gets the extension and then injures himself at the beginning of next season? The odds are stacked against him. I work in the rehabilitation field and any doctor will tell you once you are injured the chances of you getting re-injured increase. And the chances of injury keep increasing the more times you injure the area. I’d love for Manu to keep this pace and prove me wrong but I have serious doubts about his ability to stay healthy for an ENTIRE season or at least for HALF the season. I’m not a hater, I love the Spurs especially Tim and Manu, but the downhill slide has started. It is a matter of time before the avalanche.
March 11th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Well, at least they won. And we shouldn’t worry about what seed they are, as long as they are in the top eight. The Spurs will roll through the first two rounds of the playoffs because the teams they play will not take them seriously. So I feel that the struggles have been a blessing in disguise. We just need to keep the faith, and trust Pop and the team to get things done. I STILL BELIEVE!!!!! 2010 THE YEAR OF THE SPURS!!!!! GO SPURS GO!!!!!
March 11th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
@onewing
Im completly happy with the production of manu. I would be happy is he shot every trip down the floor. I have more confidence in him than anyone else on the team. I’m just not going to hate on RJ like everyone else because the offense isn’t predicated on him shooting alot or even at all sometimes, and if POP is happy with that then I am to.
March 11th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Beyond not being able to put the ball in the ocean, Mason has also reverted back to last year’s form as a point guard. He sucks at it.
March 11th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Way to kill the energy El Ganzo.
It goes the other way too. Say SPurs DONT resign him and he plays great on another contender next season.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Excellent comments. Lots to think about.
OneWing, agreed, but maybe harsh. El Ganzo, just because Ginobili was not what he once was doesn’t mean he is still not valuable.
My two cents: It just kills me that Pop can wait around for Mason to learn to dribble and Jefferson to learn not to be a whiny little B, but he didn’t have the patience to develop Hairston into a player he has confidence in. Malik watches the first round exit from the bench, count on it.
March 12th, 2010 at 6:40 am
Exactly. It’s all a bunch of what if’s so why should the Spurs sign Manu going on speculation? I believe Josh Smith said he would sign for less money to go to a contender. I think he is comparable to Manu so why couldn’t the Spurs drop Manu and make a run for Smith? Also, remember Manu up until last year never really cared much about the team to not play international ball. Same with Tony. Listen I’m all for Manu love and all that jazz but don’t get so lovestruck that you don’t see the faults of his decisions. I also agree that Hairston needs way more minutes in order to get some sort of rhythm before the playoffs. Unlike many I believe Hairston will play a role, albeit a small one, in the playoff rotation. Any word on Gist?
March 12th, 2010 at 8:20 am
@el gonzo, josh smith won’t come to san antonio. and by what criteria are you comparing him to manu? and gist is not an NBA caliber player. to big for sf, too small for pf. poor skillset.
only thing you have right is that hairston needs more minutes. i’d look for him to eat into mason’s pt, but not entirely. mason’s value as a shooter is high, even if he’s struggling. hairston will provide defense and hustle, but we need points on the board more than anything right now
March 12th, 2010 at 8:21 am
Didnt know that Josh Smith said that, but if he wants to go to a contender why would he choose the spurs?
also, what guarantees are there that Smith (or any other candidate) will remain healthy? sure, you can argue he has better odds, but the chance is always there no matter who you sign.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:45 am
During the game tonight, the Spurs will be drinking some more Manu koolaid.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Way to wake up Manu! It would’ve been nice to be playing well earlier this year to get a few more wins and not be fighting for the playoffs. Let’s take what we get, and just WIN!
March 12th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Guys always say they’ll play for less money if they’re on a winner, but at the end of the day, few ever do. If Josh Smith did indeed say that (the is the first I’ve heard of it), I’ll believe it when he signs for below market value. Until then, I wouldn’t count on it.
March 12th, 2010 at 10:48 am
@El Ganzo
No offense but you lost me when you compared Josh Smith to Manu.
March 12th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Two things on Manu. One, he’s earned the right to retire as Spur and have his Jersey hung from the rafters. Two, Manu has been a productive player all season long, the difference now is his shot is finally falling. Manu’s play through the first half+ of the season may not be what we remember and want from him, but it was still good. Manu’s play now is what we’re used to and I love it, but I’m confident Manu can find ways to help us for a least a couple more years even when he’s not at 100%. Of course when he is…
March 12th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
junierizzle - no offense but you lost me when you implied that a team would rather have Ginobli at this point going forward than Josh Smith.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
@JIMBO
First of I wasn’t implying that. I was merely stating that Josh Smith is not and will not be as good as Manu. So even comparing him is laughable.
Josh Smith is solid player. Manu is arguably the best non-american player ever.
I bet if you ask any contender that are looking to win now or next season they would take MANU over Smith in a heart beat.
What has JOsh SMith done??
His youth is a given but what has he done?
He needs someone to feed him the ball. HIs post game is nothing to talk about. He is a good finisher.
The ironic thing is that Josh Smith is the kind of player that MANU would help and make him look good.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
I think you only proved my point Rj has only taken 83 shoots since the allstar break and made 35.
March 12th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
“His youth is a given but what has he done?”
He averages 15.9 ppg, 2.1 blocks, 1.7 steals, 4.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds. He shoots 51% and gets 1.31 pps. He’s 24. So what he’s done is produced at a high level at a young age. His peak may not be as high as Manu’s, but even if he’s peaking now, those are very good numbers. Certainly he seems like a surer bet going forward than Manu. That being said, I still stand by my above post. Manu is still great and should retire in SA
March 12th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
No offense to Manu, but I’d have to say Hakeem is the best foreign born player. And if you’re talking about someone who didn’t come over to the US until the NBA, then I’d think Dirk gets the nod.
March 12th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Surely Tim Duncan is the best foreign born player?
March 12th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Well obvioulsy Josh Smith has more years left in him. But I’m talking about right now and next season and the season after that.
And yes Smith does put up good numbers but he isn’t exactly a game changer. He isn’t gonna take a game over. MANU is a two time Euro League MVP and has 3 rings. Not to mention that he iced game 4 of the 07 FInals in CLeveland. And that was the whole point of this discussion.
Josh Smith shouldn’t be compared to MANU.
March 12th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
+1 for Bushka.
And I think Manu would do better at Power Forward than Dirk would do at SG. Although i really dont think you can say “best foreign born player”. I think comparing guards to bigs is apples to oranges. Manu is certainly the best foreign born guard. Dirk is the best Euro big. Duncan is the best non american 4 and Hakeem was the best non american 5. If you just want to look at best big and not divy it up by position, I’d say Hakeem and Duncan are in the same league, probably pretty close to a toss up on who was better in their prime. Dirk would be in the league just below the two of them.
March 12th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
I forgot about TD, but one could argue that it kinda became MANU’s team for a while.
Dirk is a great shooter. Player might be a stretch. But I guess he probably would get more votes because he did win MVP once.
He also hasn’t won anything though.
Hey, I said it was arguable.
March 12th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
And with all due respect TD, I’d still have to say Hakeem would get the nod over him….
March 12th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
….as best foreign born player that is
March 12th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
I like how you broke it down SPURSFANSTEVE.
March 12th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
I don’t think you can count players who played for the US Olympic team as foreign born (U.S. Virgin islands is borderline anyway). No way Dirk gets the nod over Manu. He’s good, but just look at Manu’s career accomplishments, production metrics, +- whatever. Everything points to Manu (I say this without doing any research into the stats, I just know it’s true.)
izzle,
You make good points about what Manu has accomplished in the past. Unfortunatley, the past two post season the spurs have been without a healthy Manu and there is no guarantee that he’ll be healthy for the next two post seasons. Smith offers fantastic production. He score efficiently, he rebounds, steals, and blocks shots. You argue that he doesn’t create but he does have 4.2 assists from the PF spot. Not saying he’s Manu but that’s good. Smith is more of a guarantee to last the season going forward. At the same price I think most teams would have to take Smith unless the needed a guard much more than a big. The spurs should take Manu because he’s Manu and we can probably get him cheaper than anyone else can.
March 12th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
bduran -
I’d have to disagree. There’s no player I like watching more than Manu, but Dirk is a franchise player. Dirk is THE cornerstone for the Mavs, a franchise that, despite not winning a championship, has had a ton of success the last decade. Manu is an unbelievable player, but he’s more of a second option on a championship caliber team, whereas Dirk is the first option.
Put it this way - if you had to start a team with either Dirk or Manu in their prime, I think you have to go with Dirk.
March 12th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
El Ganzo
March 12th, 2010 at 6:40 am
First of all, Manu & Josh Smith are very different players. So it’s difficult to compare them, certainly not in an apples to apples comparison.
That said, many are making comments that are exaggerating Manu’s value, and underestimating the value of Smith. Remember, the value of a player often depends on what “need” you as an organization need filled.
Josh Smith is a very talented & valuable player. In fact, there’s not one player in league that’s getting you +15 ppg., +8 rpg., +4 apg., & 2 bpg. Smith is at 15.9, 8.8, 4.2, & 2.1. No question, he’s a stat stuffer on a regular basis. Sure, he hasn’t been a part of a championship team yet. Neither has a ton of present & past great players (e.g., Stockton, Malone, Barkley, LeBron, etc…).
So, I think some of you are going a bit hard at the props El Ganzo was giving to Josh Smith. JS is not Manu, but he is likely considered as or more valuable than Manu to a number of teams.
March 12th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Sorry Tyler, gotta go with Manu on this one. Cornerstone for a very good “regular season” team, that’s all you got? We’ve all seen the highs, what about the lows? For Manu, it has to be that silly foul on Dirk in that game six. For Dirk, take your pick: choking in game 3 to the Heat, and letting them win the next 3; OR choking in the entire series against the 8th seed GSW? I’ll take Manu.
Dirk is one of the best scorers for the last 10 years, but this is why Manu is is my pick: GUTS. Dirk will do his best to shoot your team to a win. Manu will DO ANYTHING to get the win. We have seen it time and time again. Paraphasing another poster, “of course, all this is arguable”.
March 13th, 2010 at 12:38 am
Tyler,
Dirk is a franchise player for a non championship team. Manu has won champions everywhere he’s gone. If that doesn’t do it for you lets look at stats. According to wp48 he’s been a bit better, according to PER he’s been a bit worse. So given two players with similar production, but one has accomplished much more at multiple levels of basketball, who’s better? I would start a team with Manu.
Honestly, as just fan, I tend to root for Texas teams above everyone else. So against Miami I rooted for Dallas although it hurt to do it. Dwayne Wade dominated that excellent Dallas team mentally and physically and Dirk did nothing to stop it. Same thing happened against Golden State. Dirk will just let things happen to him. Ginobili makes thing happen. He hates to lose. The reason he is so great is not his great physical and athletic talent. It’s his drive to win. Dirk does not compare to Manu or TD, which is why we have 4 championships and they lost to Miami and Golden State in years they should have won.
Leave a Reply