San Antonio Spurs

[tackielarla]

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Ginobili's Top 5 Games
Written by David Thiessen
Friday, 04 September 2009 09:08



Recently Project Spurs have looked at Tim Duncan's and Tony Parker’s top five games, now it is time to look at Manu Ginobili. The Argentine elicits mixed reactions from around the league. Many people dislike him for flopping and embellishing contact, but it is hard to deny his many unique talents. Ginobili might be the only player in the NBA that you cannot defend a certain way to slow him down. He wants to go left and everybody knows that, so defenders try to force him right. That makes no difference, however, because he is just as efficient going either direction. Play off Ginobili and he will bury the opponent with threes. Try to play physical with him and watch him destroy you from the free throw line. It is a shame that his career has been slowed down lately by injuries but he cannot play any other way besides all out.

5. Spurs v. Sonics 5/17/2005 Semifinals, Game 1– The upstart Sonics were a surprisingly tough team in 2005 led by Ray Allen and his three point shooting. The Spurs won the first two games of the Semifinals before the Sonics won the next two. That meant the Spurs returned to San Antonio for the pivotal game five a must win game. They did not want to head back to Seattle with their season on the line.

Ginobili came through with one of his best games, finishing with 39 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 4-of-6 on threes, 15-of-17 on free throws, six assists, four rebounds, two steals and only one turnover. A big part of Ginobili’s game is finding a way to the free throw line where he shoots over 80%. He used this ability to help the Spurs win the game and take control of the series.

4. Spurs v. Suns 1/21/2005– The Spurs were down by 17 points in the fourth quarter before coming back to defeat the Suns 128-123 in overtime. That was the Suns sixth consecutive loss and Steve Nash’s return the lineup after injury makes the win more satisfying.

Ginobili scored a career high 48 points on 16-of-22 shooting, 5-of-7 on threes, 11-of-12 on free throws, five rebounds and six assists. What made the Spurs games with the Suns so great was that the stars always showed up. I think the Suns have appeared on these top five lists more than any other team. I know the two teams have played often over the past decade, but the Spurs "Big Three" did their share of damage to the Suns. Raja Bell did his best to defend Ginobili but there was no stopping him this January night.

3. Spurs v. Hawks 2/21/2007– Yes, I know that he was playing the lowly Hawks. I don’t care. Anytime a player scores 24 straight points I consider it a great game. Think about that for a second. No other player for the Spurs had a steal and a breakaway layup, was fouled and hit a free throw, or tipped a missed shot in.

He finished the game with 40 points on 12-of-22 shooting, 14-of-15 free throws, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. This was an outstanding display of offensive talent. I remember not seeing this game and just being in awe when I heard about Ginobili scoring 24 straight points. I still am.

2. Spurs v. Suns 5/18/2007 Semifinals, Game 6– I know the Spurs and Suns met in the 2008 playoffs with the Spurs winning 4-1. To me the end of the Suns era of run-and-gun success came in the 2007 playoffs. Like Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, Ginobili has had his share of great games against the Suns. In game 6 he was instrumental in closing down the Suns.

Ginobili had another highly efficient game, finishing with 33 points on 11-of-17 shooting, 4-of-7 threes, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals. He has always been a good rebounder for a shooting guard, and he had four offensive boards in the game. His success on the glass comes not from size or strength but from tenacity and understanding of the game.

1. Spurs v. Cavaliers 2/13/2008– LeBron James is the one who is supposed to have 46 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals and one block. Instead it was Ginobili who dominated the game. Even though this game came in the middle of the season, I cannot deny that this was Ginobili’s best game of his career.

He was two points off his career high but his efficiency was incredible. He shot 15-of-20, made 8-of-11 threes and 8-of-9 free throws. I contend that no player can score with the efficiency and variety that Ginobili does. He can shoot from behind the arc, finish at the basket and get to the free throw line. Now, these attributes are not exclusive to Ginobili but the style and the way he scores is unique. When people think of the best offensive player in the league they think of Kobe or LeBron, but Ginobili is in their league when he is on. This game was a prime example.

[vcmov_15]

I get infractions every once in a while... if it's worth it, that is. And that was worth it.

hahahahhaha ahaka nimo bro oie hahahahahaa

[cxtknight]

tony p mayneee oh yea hehehehe, idol sad au ni naq c ginobili kay clutch shooter au sa nba live hahaha

[icon_king]

tongod sa ka boring tanawa unsay lingaw ni duncan this off season

[icon_king]

OT:

I'm sorry but this one is a boring and unconstructive post.

Yeah the Spurs are boring because they're not raising the throphy months after winning it. They love to keep their success in silence.

i totally disagree. ayaw nalang mo us losot just face it niagi na ang panahon sa san antonio.... i guarantee 100% percent that the spurs WILL NEVER EVER WIN A TITLE WITH DUNCAN ... its a guarantee!!!!!!

[icon_king]

why are these people attacking this thread if theyre thinking that the spurs wont be a title contender this coming season? its showtime vs boring, talent vs fundamentals, one on one vs team plays, arrogant vs humble. you got four and we also got four. GOODLUCK FOR THE COMING SEASON.

your team sucks!!! thats why they will never ever win a title.... since the spurs mainly rely on a system that will never ever work since the last time they won a title... teams upgraded a lot... made a lot of moves but what did the spurs do, they just got a player in jefferson and added a bunch of oldies... IF you really want to win, chance THE BRAND OF BASKETBALL and CHANCE the concept of your team!! Good Luck coz you will be needing a lot...

[.bullet.]

your team sucks!!! thats why they will never ever win a title.... since the spurs mainly rely on a system that will never ever work since the last time they won a title... teams upgraded a lot... made a lot of moves but what did the spurs do, they just got a player in jefferson and added a bunch of oldies... IF you really want to win, chance THE BRAND OF BASKETBALL and CHANCE the concept of your team!! Good Luck coz you will be needing a lot...

jefferson is good enough to make the spurs a title contender this season. he just made san antonio a lot stronger.

[boski]

i totally disagree. ayaw nalang mo us losot just face it niagi na ang panahon sa san antonio.... i guarantee 100% percent that the spurs WILL NEVER EVER WIN A TITLE WITH DUNCAN ... its a guarantee!!!!!!

kauban ra mani sa pikas thread nga mopusta ug eroplano

[tackielarla]

i totally disagree. ayaw nalang mo us losot just face it niagi na ang panahon sa san antonio.... i guarantee 100% percent that the spurs WILL NEVER EVER WIN A TITLE WITH DUNCAN ... its a guarantee!!!!!!

your team sucks!!! thats why they will never ever win a title.... since the spurs mainly rely on a system that will never ever work since the last time they won a title... teams upgraded a lot... made a lot of moves but what did the spurs do, they just got a player in jefferson and added a bunch of oldies... IF you really want to win, chance THE BRAND OF BASKETBALL and CHANCE the concept of your team!! Good Luck coz you will be needing a lot...

Hmmm...

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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insid...sonRankings-09

Updated: July 24, 2009, 10:02 AM ET
Ranking the summer moves

By Chad Ford
ESPN.com

You have to love summer in the NBA, when almost every team in the league can be a winner.

You know the feeling: If my team can just make a big trade or a huge free-agent acquisition or hit a home run in the lottery, maybe next season will be different.

2009-10 PLAYER MOVEMENT
Keep track of which players each team added and lost this offseason. Chart

To that end, we already have seen one of the most active summers in NBA history, with Shaq, Vince Carter, Ron Artest, Hedo Turkoglu, Richard Jefferson, Rasheed Wallace, Trevor Ariza, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph changing addresses and the NBA draft also reshaping rosters -- and we're not done yet.

Here's my first take on how each team in the league has performed so far in remaking its roster, considering the situation it faced and the moves it has made. This isn't a ranking of which are the best teams in the league, just a device to track which teams have improved and which teams haven't.

The teams are ranked 1 to 30, and we'll update the rankings as more signings and trades take place:

Key: (U) = Unrestricted Free Agent; (R) = Restricted Free Agent


1. San Antonio Spurs

Key additions: Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff
Key subtractions: Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas
In limbo: Drew Gooden (U), Ime Udoka (U), Jacque Vaughn (U)

The Spurs always seem to find a way to turn a little into a lot. They turned three aging players past their primes into Jefferson, an athletic forward at the peak of his game. They added McDyess to play the 4. McDyess is getting older, but he is still very productive and is a model citizen on and off the court.

And even without a first-round pick in this year's draft, San Antonio still was able to come away with some terrific players in the second round. Specifically, Pittsburgh's Blair, who was the best rebounder in college basketball and is a beast in the paint. If his knees stay sturdy, he'll go down as the steal of the draft. Overall, the Spurs have improved their team dramatically and are, once again, serious contenders for an NBA title.

2. Orlando Magic

Key additions: Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes
Key subtractions: Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, Tony Battie
In limbo: Adonal Foyle (U), Tyronn Lue (U)

The Magic decided to throw financial caution to the wind this summer and went on a spending spree. The result is one of the deepest teams in the league and one that should challenge for the NBA championship again next season. For starters, they essentially swapped Turkoglu and Lee for Carter and Anderson. The gamble was that Turkoglu wasn't worth the $50 million he was looking for in the free-agent market and that Carter, whose contract has only two years of guaranteed money remaining, can do as good a job (or better) as Turkoglu. The addition of Bass also helps. The Magic desperately needed toughness, rebounding and depth at the 4, and Bass delivers on all accounts. Barnes provides more depth and 3-point shooting at small forward.

But the big move was the Magic's deciding to match Marcin Gortat's huge offer sheet from the Mavs. Without Gortat, the Magic would have had virtually no depth at center. Now, with him back in the mix, they are deep at virtually every position and look like the favorites to win the East.

3. Los Angeles Clippers

Key additions: Blake Griffin, Sebastian Telfair, Mark Madsen, Craig Smith
Key subtractions: Zach Randolph
In limbo: Fred Jones (U), Brian Skinner (U)

For the Clippers faithful looking for a glimmer of hope, this has been your summer. Not only did the Clips beat the lottery odds and land the best pick in the draft -- Blake Griffin -- they also were able to unload Randolph for the expiring contract of Quentin Richardson. Then the Clippers turned around and shipped Richardson to Minnesota for Telfair, Smith and Madsen, which gives the Clips some much-needed depth.

The Clippers now have a nice, young core of Griffin, Eric Gordon and Al Thornton, with seasoned veterans such as Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman. I'm not ready to declare the Clippers playoff-bound, but they made major strides this summer in improving their talent and chemistry.

4. Detroit Pistons

Key additions: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Chris Wilcox
Key subtractions: Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson, Antonio McDyess (U), Arron Afflalo

The Pistons' moves this summer have been a little underwhelming. Since Detroit traded away Chauncey Billups for Iverson and his expiring contract, Pistons fans have patiently watched their team struggle for the first time in years. The silver lining the whole season was "Don't worry, great free agents are coming this summer to upgrade the team."

On one hand, Detroit GM Joe Dumars delivered. He signed Ben Gordon, arguably the best free agent on the market, and quickly followed that up by signing Villanueva, probably the best free-agent power forward he could get with the money he had left. The combination of Gordon and Villanueva is an upgrade over Iverson and Wallace.

On the other hand, the Pistons are far from a lock to return to the Eastern Conference finals. They lost McDyess, whom they wanted to re-sign, and replaced him with Wilcox. Although Wilcox is talented, McDyess was a rock for Detroit. The Pistons have seven forwards and just one center. Their first-round draft pick is 6-foot-11 and weighs 191 pounds -- meaning he's a few years away. And they have a new coach, John Kuester.

I've learned over the years not to second-guess Dumars -- he's usually right whenever everyone else thinks he's wrong -- but does anyone think this Pistons squad, as currently constructed, is good enough to win a title now or even in two or three years? If the answer is no, can Pistons fans live with being just plain old good?

5. Washington Wizards

Key additions: Randy Foye, Mike Miller
Key subtractions: Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila
In limbo: Juan Dixon (U)

The Wizards traded the No. 5 pick in the draft -- along with Thomas, Songaila and Pecherov -- to the Wolves for Foye and Miller two days before the draft. Wanting to be serious contenders in the East next season, they didn't think they'd get a player with their first-round pick who would crack their rotation.

Meanwhile, Foye gives them an athletic, dynamic scorer who can play both backcourt positions. And Miller gives them a shooter with deep range, something the Wizards have been missing. If Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood both come back healthy and motivated, the Wizards could be a serious threat in the East.

6. Boston Celtics

Key additions: Rasheed Wallace
Key subtractions: None
In limbo: Glen Davis (R), Leon Powe (U), Stephon Marbury (U), Mikki Moore (U)

GM Danny Ainge pulled off a coup of sorts by getting Wallace to accept a two-year deal. Sheed can be a pain to deal with at times, but he still has a lot of talent and gives the Celtics some much-needed depth on the front line.

All the talk about trading Rajon Rondo seems to have cooled considerably, and that's probably a good thing for Boston. Rondo was its best player in the playoffs this past season, and I'm not sure how trading him would improve the team.

7. Dallas Mavericks

Key additions: Shawn Marion, Quinton Ross
Key subtractions: Brandon Bass, Jerry Stackhouse, Antoine Wright, Devean George
In limbo: Gerald Green (U)

Re-signing Jason Kidd was huge to the Mavs' effort to stay relevant in the West. So was the addition of Marion. Although his presence means the Mavs will play a pretty unconventional lineup, they clearly have added another terrific rebounder, defender and open-court player in Marion. The price was steep (five years, $39 million), but Marion is still a talent.

The downside is that the Mavs lost some serious frontcourt depth with Orlando shockingly matching their huge offer sheet for Gortat; the Mavs were hoping he would start for them. The Magic signed Brandon Bass away from the Mavs, too. So although you have to love Dallas' depth at the perimeter spots, its front line is looking shaky.

[tackielarla]

kauban ra mani sa pikas thread nga mopusta ug eroplano

Exactly. That and the "Blake Griffin = Kwame Brown/Michael Olowokandi" guarantee.