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Polished Spur: San Antonio's 1999 pick Ginobili is the talk of Indianapolis

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by MrSpur, Sep 3, 2002.

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  1. MrSpur

    MrSpur Member

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    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1557648


    Sept. 1, 2002, 9:13PM

    Polished Spur
    San Antonio's 1999 pick Ginobili is the talk of Indianapolis

    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

    INDIANAPOLIS -- Word had spread for days about the Texas-bound talent lighting up the World Championships. For the NBA scouts and general managers in the hotel lobbies and arenas, the thrill of discovery had been enjoyed years before. But the buzz had been building until they had found him all over again.

    Soon, an NBA career would begin. A young, blossoming talent would take his gifts far from home and to a Texas team that can hardly wait to drop him into its rotation. For now, the crowds stare and gasp, and the scouts nod and top themselves with predictions of the greatness that awaits.

    Yao Ming, the Rockets-bound first player taken in the NBA draft, also has drawn his share of attention. But Emanuel Ginobili, a 1999 second-round pick headed to the San Antonio Spurs, has inspired nearly as much talk, to say nothing of strong emotions.

    "I hate him already," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said of the 6-6 Argentine guard. "I think he's tremendous. He's a competitor. I like his cutting and penetrating. He plays with that edge.

    "He turns my stomach."

    The tournament's two most intriguing NBA rookies will meet tonight when the Rockets-bound center and the Chinese National Team face Argentina in the start of the second round at the World Championships. Tomjanovich has cheered the potential he has seen in Yao and fretted the talents on display from Ginobili.

    The word was out about Yao long before he became the first player in the NBA draft.

    Neither is Ginobili a sudden sensation. The Spurs took him in the second round of the 1999 draft and signed him last month. He has been considered a key to the Spurs' plans for more than a year.

    But if Ginobili's success is not a surprise, it has seemed to herald his arrival as one of the players most likely to make an immediate impact next season.

    "Give him two or three years to learn our system and I might be able to play him," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Saturday, trying with whatever feigned grumpiness to hide his excitement. Then with a wide grin, he had to admit, "He's pretty darn good."

    Moments earlier Ginobili had just offered a spectacular display. On six consecutive possessions, any one of which would have made the sportscasters scream, Ginobili took a struggle with New Zealand and turned it into a 112-85 rout.

    On the first, the lefthanded Ginobili drove hard to his right, took a hard foul, switched the ball to his right hand and flipped it in to start a three-point play. He stole the ball in the backcourt, then with a pair of spins through the lane brought the ball above the rim for a layup. After another steal, he hit a floater in the lane as the crowd began to hold its breath every time he touched the ball.

    For his encores, he led a fast break, completed with a no-look pass with his right hand and then broke down the defense one more time before sliding a wraparound pass to Ruben Wolkowysky for a dunk. When he started his run, Argentina led 76-72. When he finally missed a 3-pointer to the shock of the crowd, the lead had grown to 17.

    "It's a part of my game I really need, the support of the crowd," Ginobili said. "I really enjoy that."

    Asked what inspires the timing, he said, "The moment I know the crowd is going crazy."

    Ginobili's explosive first step should fit in well with the Spurs. But he has had that for years. His shot is good enough to draw defenders out. He has developed a feel for working through traffic and doing damage in a variety of ways. And he can make the adjustment to the NBA without the scrutiny Yao will face.

    "You never know the pressure you're going to have or what the team is going to expect of you," Ginobili said. "I just go and play. I never try to listen to the press or consider things a lot."

    But he has noticed he has been noticed. Though far from unknown among those that are supposed to keep up with such things, Ginobili has dominated the conversations around Indianapolis, even among those that have seen him many times.

    "I don't think about it," he said. "I think it is still early. There are six more games to play and those six games may change a lot. You've got to stay confident.

    "I'm sure people knew it because I played with the European competition a lot. I got some consideration in the American press. But I'm sure they is going to be more once I get in the NBA."
     
    #1 MrSpur, Sep 3, 2002
  2. RocksMillenium

    RocksMillenium Member

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    That Antonio Daniels trade makes a TON of sense now.
     
    #2 RocksMillenium, Sep 3, 2002
  3. saleem

    saleem Member

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    He is considered the best player in Europe right.A fine pickup for the Spurs who can eventually replace Steve Smith.
     
    #3 saleem, Sep 4, 2002
  4. Der Rabbi

    Der Rabbi Member

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    But can he protect the ball? The article says nothing about protecting the ball!!!! ;)
     
    #4 Der Rabbi, Sep 4, 2002
  5. mav3434

    mav3434 Member

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    :D :D :D
     
    #5 mav3434, Sep 4, 2002
  6. verse

    verse Member

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    MVP...NEXT YEAR...BELIEEEEEEEEEVE IT!!!

    SPURS WILL WIN THEIR FIRST NON-* TITLE, TOO! BELIEEEEEEEEVE IT!!!
     
    #6 verse, Sep 4, 2002
  7. rimbaud

    rimbaud Member
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    Eventually meaning as soon as the Playoffs ended? Or even earlier than that?

    The Spurs seem to have a bit of a player...even if his outside shooting is not great (only decent - good) he still provides a lot because it sounds as if he can create his own shot (in other words - drive, etc) which is better than they spot up shooters who couldn't shhot that killed SA this past year.

    Do SA fans have any updates as to if Parker has been working hard on his game? He really needs to have improved a bit in order for the Spurs to threaten.

    Of course, they will win it all now that they have Willis. Seriously, though, he was a great pickup.
     
    #7 rimbaud, Sep 4, 2002
  8. saleem

    saleem Member

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    I should have written right now in Europe. I think he and Smith will share time equally in the playoffs although Ginobili will probably get more minutes in the regular season as he and Parker could form a good combination because it would make the Spurs a quicker team.
    By the beginning of the next season Ginobili should get far more minutes than Smith.
    I'm not a Spurs fan,so you will have to ask Mr.Spur about what Parker is upto.
     
    #8 saleem, Sep 4, 2002
  9. ROXTXIA

    ROXTXIA Member

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    Here's a scary thought.

    The Spurs will have some cap space next year and the sportswriters tend to talk up the chance of San Antonio getting Jason Kidd. But if the Clippers sign Olowakandi to a one-year contract, as is very possible...

    Parker, Claxton, Ginobli, Malik Rose, some guy named Duncan, and Kandi. Scary. Here's hoping it never happens.
     
    #9 ROXTXIA, Sep 4, 2002
  10. HotRocket

    HotRocket Member

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    I guess Ducan has a reason to stay now...
     
    #10 HotRocket, Sep 4, 2002
  11. BanginScrew

    BanginScrew Member

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    Another guy I've heard the Spurs are interested in is J. O'Neal who is much better than Kandi.

    PG - Parker
    SG - Ginobilli
    SF - Smith
    PF - O'Neal
    C - Duncan

    That's a pretty damn good line up. Especially when you consider the fact that they would still have Claxton, Willis and Rose comming off the bench.
     
    #11 BanginScrew, Sep 4, 2002
  12. HOOP-T

    HOOP-T Member

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    Oh my.......

    Ginomillivanilli has not even played one minute of NBA ball, and his stats have been less than stellar in the WC's too.

    Let's reserve judgement until he gets his feet wet in the league.
     
    #12 HOOP-T, Sep 4, 2002
  13. ROXTXIA

    ROXTXIA Member

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    Actually he's been pretty good. He'll get better. The Spurs got a real steal in that guy.

    Duncan will stay, regardless. The Spurs will likely find someone good with that cap space.
     
    #13 ROXTXIA, Sep 4, 2002
  14. R0ckets03

    R0ckets03 Member

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    Parker = Jesus
    Ginobili = Moses?
     
    #14 R0ckets03, Sep 4, 2002
  15. ZRB

    ZRB Member

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    Is Kandi so good that he now inspires fear in the rest of the league?

    Here's a real scary thought.

    Francis, Mobley, Nachbar, Griffin, and Yao.
     
    #15 ZRB, Sep 4, 2002
  16. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    The 2004 all-star game should be California vs. Texas.:cool:
     
    #16 Easy, Sep 4, 2002
  17. TheFreak

    TheFreak Member

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    The only people scared of Olowokandi are Clipper fans.
     
    #17 TheFreak, Sep 4, 2002
  18. The Cat

    The Cat Member

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    Perhaps you're right here. Usually I am on the opposing side of this debate, but a line has to be drawn somewhere. Over on the Spurs board, this picture supposedly shows that Ginobili "threw it down" on Yao Ming, even though Ming isn't even on Manu's side of the basket.

    [​IMG]

    :confused:

    By the way, the Spurs wouldn't sign Olowokandi unless a lot of things went wrong. Kidd and O'neal will both be free agents next summer, and both have hinted (especially O'Neal about a week back) that they would be interested in playing in San Antonio. I don't think the Spurs even consider Olowokandi unless both of those players resign. I'm not even sure if Olowokandi is much of an upgrade over a 37 year old David Robinson...
     
    #18 The Cat, Sep 4, 2002
  19. bajabill

    bajabill Member

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    SA may go after Oneal rather than Kandi next year, but they would be fools. First, Duncan at the 5 is very good, but Duncan at the 4 is Great. Second, if SA passes on Duncan they will be building their own defeat in DEN. Kandi, Hilario, Skita would be a front line to beat everybody. But, neither will happen. Kandi and LAC are at a stalemate, so look for the LAC to avoid another MO year and ship Kandi to DAL for Raef, and very soon.
     
    #19 bajabill, Sep 4, 2002
  20. RocksMillenium

    RocksMillenium Member

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    I 2nd that ZRB! :)

    LOL! I big man whose offensive game is so scary that his best year is 11 ppg, he shoots for his career about 43% from the field, and doesn't play hard unless it's a contract year. Be afraid, BE VERY AFRAID! The Kandi Man cometh!
     
    #20 RocksMillenium, Sep 4, 2002
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