Time for others to step up
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September 02, 2008
Scott Johnson
Time for others to step up
Well, now all Spurs fans know that surgery is the choice for Manu Ginobli, winner of the NBA's Sixth Man Award. No other player can come off any other team's bench and make quite the same impact that Manu can. However, for at least the first three months of the season, San Antonio will have to find another player to fill in for Manu while he recovers from surgery on his bothersome ankle. Who will that player be? Michael Finley? Matt Bonner? Or will it be some other player yet to be discovered. Can Tony, Tim, Bruce and company make up the difference on their own? I would answer a resounding no because whenever Duncan gets into foul trouble or the NBA's toughest defender in Bruce Bowen starts getting called for fouls, who comes off the bench? We thought that a smaller lineup with Stoudamire coming on late in the season would help ease the pain, but he showed his age whenever he played and was not quite the spark off the bench as Coach Popovich had hoped. Ginobli is an all-around player and his absence will certainly be missed because he was the Spurs' leading scorer, and one of the team's leaders in assists and rebounds as well. The Spurs' bench play has been one of their most consistent strengths over the past several years, but this year will be a bigger challenge with Ginobli unable to come off the bench, except to cheer on his teammates.
Posted by Scott Johnson
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Comments
I am really surprised with the stability of the Spurs' roster in this offseason, and that's kind of an unpleasant surprise. All the proper elements are there, and the team is this close to the championship squad that routed the Cavaliers, but the fire has gone out of them somehow. The addition of Kurt Thomas was a masterstroke, but something is missing, and the guys need to find it.
I was especially unhappy when Brent Barry decided to join the Rockets, but I can understand his decision. I feel he was underused and underappreciated in San Antonio, and he'll do well in Houston. I question the continued presence of Robert Horry -- the Spurs certainly don't need his experience any longer, and I don't feel he contributes as much as some say when he's on the court. I am always confident in Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Michael Finley, but I think the team could have shaken things up a little by trading Fabricio Oberto, Ime Udoka or perhaps Ian Mahinmi to bring a little more spark. Like you, I was disappointed in the performance of Damon Stoudamire (whose name always makes me think cringingly of Amare Stoudamire). I hope somebody can light a fire under his rear this season.
The biggest key for the Spurs this season, I think, will be playing like they care. All those banners hanging in the AT&T Center mean something, and they have to remember that.