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Ginóbili 36 points + 8 assists + career-high 4 blocks in 32 minutes.
Ginobili powers Spurs past Raptors
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News
In the hours before his team walked into the AT&T Center on Monday, Toronto coach Jay Triano sat down with game film figuring he'd caught a break.
Tony Parker, the Spurs' All-Star point guard, had been ruled out of that night's game. George Hill, a relatively untested second-year guard, would start in his place.
Somewhere in the midst of that fuzzy film session, Triano's mood changed.
“Some of the video we had was pretty blurry,” Triano said. “George looked quite a bit like Tony.”
Nowhere on that film was the old Manu Ginobili. Triano and the Raptors had to wait to see that firsthand.
While Hill filled in ably for Parker, Ginobili pulled a page from his pre-injury past, totaling 36 points, eight assists and four blocks to lift the Spurs past the Raptors 131-124.
The victory was a much-needed one for the Spurs, who averted their first three-game regular-season losing streak since starting last season 0-3. It came with them doubly short-handed. Tim Duncan was a late scratch, joining Parker on the inactive list with a swollen left ankle.
When the Spurs required it most, Ginobili saved them. He scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, all on 3-pointers, to lead a finishing kick that took the Spurs from trailing 104-100 with 9:17 to play to ahead 123-112 with 2:41 left.
He hit six of eight 3-pointers on the night.
“I was really needing it,” said Ginobili, who was shooting 39.2 percent heading into the game. “I needed to get hot, make shots and begin feeling good about myself. It hadn't happened yet.”
The 124 points were the most points the Spurs had allowed in a four-quarter victory since a 129-124 affair against Sacramento on Jan. 30, 1993. It was also the highest-scoring non-overtime game of the Gregg Popovich era.
Afterward, Popovich was in no mood to nitpick the win. He was pleased with how his team had competed, even with two All-Stars tethered to the bench.
“It was a good win,” Popovich said. “And we needed a good win.”
The Spurs won despite giving up 32 points to Chris Bosh, who has scored at least 20 in a league-best 14 consecutive games dating to last season.
Ginobili, who tallied the most points ever by a non-starting Raptors opponent, was one of four Spurs players to enjoy a season scoring high. Richard Jefferson had 24 points. Hill performed his Parker impression en route to 22. Matt Bonner scored 18.
Jefferson enjoyed — or, rather, endured — another first as well. When he was traded here in June, Jefferson never envisioned he'd be starting a game at power forward for Duncan.
“That first six minutes was a little bit of a struggle, trying to find my way,” Jefferson said. “I'm still trying to figure out the three spot.”
For Ginobili, the season so far has also felt like an out-of-body experience. He began to feel like himself Monday.
With the Spurs down 10 in the second quarter, Ginobili completed perhaps the most productive 2-for-6 half in basketball history. He forced his way to the line eight times, making all eight shots. He doled out seven assists, including slick passes to DeJuan Blair and Antonio McDyess on back-to-back possessions that tied the game.
In the second half, Ginobili found his groove. He continued to get to the line, finishing 14 of 16. And he discovered his 3-point stroke.
Consecutive Ginobili treys put the Spurs ahead 106-104 with 8:52 left. They would never trail again.
The last time Ginobili felt so good with a ball in his hands?
“It was against Toronto, too,” Ginobili said. “I remember it pretty vividly.”
Ginobili had 32 points in a loss at the Raptors last February. The next day, he would begin treatment for a sore right ankle and would never be the same again.
Until Monday night, with the Spurs staring down a losing streak, and needing him most.
By Jeff McDonald - Express-News
In the hours before his team walked into the AT&T Center on Monday, Toronto coach Jay Triano sat down with game film figuring he'd caught a break.
Tony Parker, the Spurs' All-Star point guard, had been ruled out of that night's game. George Hill, a relatively untested second-year guard, would start in his place.
Somewhere in the midst of that fuzzy film session, Triano's mood changed.
“Some of the video we had was pretty blurry,” Triano said. “George looked quite a bit like Tony.”
Nowhere on that film was the old Manu Ginobili. Triano and the Raptors had to wait to see that firsthand.
While Hill filled in ably for Parker, Ginobili pulled a page from his pre-injury past, totaling 36 points, eight assists and four blocks to lift the Spurs past the Raptors 131-124.
The victory was a much-needed one for the Spurs, who averted their first three-game regular-season losing streak since starting last season 0-3. It came with them doubly short-handed. Tim Duncan was a late scratch, joining Parker on the inactive list with a swollen left ankle.
When the Spurs required it most, Ginobili saved them. He scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter, all on 3-pointers, to lead a finishing kick that took the Spurs from trailing 104-100 with 9:17 to play to ahead 123-112 with 2:41 left.
He hit six of eight 3-pointers on the night.
“I was really needing it,” said Ginobili, who was shooting 39.2 percent heading into the game. “I needed to get hot, make shots and begin feeling good about myself. It hadn't happened yet.”
The 124 points were the most points the Spurs had allowed in a four-quarter victory since a 129-124 affair against Sacramento on Jan. 30, 1993. It was also the highest-scoring non-overtime game of the Gregg Popovich era.
Afterward, Popovich was in no mood to nitpick the win. He was pleased with how his team had competed, even with two All-Stars tethered to the bench.
“It was a good win,” Popovich said. “And we needed a good win.”
The Spurs won despite giving up 32 points to Chris Bosh, who has scored at least 20 in a league-best 14 consecutive games dating to last season.
Ginobili, who tallied the most points ever by a non-starting Raptors opponent, was one of four Spurs players to enjoy a season scoring high. Richard Jefferson had 24 points. Hill performed his Parker impression en route to 22. Matt Bonner scored 18.
Jefferson enjoyed — or, rather, endured — another first as well. When he was traded here in June, Jefferson never envisioned he'd be starting a game at power forward for Duncan.
“That first six minutes was a little bit of a struggle, trying to find my way,” Jefferson said. “I'm still trying to figure out the three spot.”
For Ginobili, the season so far has also felt like an out-of-body experience. He began to feel like himself Monday.
With the Spurs down 10 in the second quarter, Ginobili completed perhaps the most productive 2-for-6 half in basketball history. He forced his way to the line eight times, making all eight shots. He doled out seven assists, including slick passes to DeJuan Blair and Antonio McDyess on back-to-back possessions that tied the game.
In the second half, Ginobili found his groove. He continued to get to the line, finishing 14 of 16. And he discovered his 3-point stroke.
Consecutive Ginobili treys put the Spurs ahead 106-104 with 8:52 left. They would never trail again.
The last time Ginobili felt so good with a ball in his hands?
“It was against Toronto, too,” Ginobili said. “I remember it pretty vividly.”
Ginobili had 32 points in a loss at the Raptors last February. The next day, he would begin treatment for a sore right ankle and would never be the same again.
Until Monday night, with the Spurs staring down a losing streak, and needing him most.
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