San Antonio Spurs Blog – Page 38 – NBA Blog

San Antonio Spurs re-sign Manu Ginobili

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have re-signed guard Manu Ginobili. We’ll post contract details here later today. It is likely just a two-year deal.

The 6-6 Ginobili was selected by San Antonio with the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. In his 11 seasons, Ginobili has helped guide the Spurs to seven division titles and the playoffs every year, including three NBA Championships. Over the 11-year span San Antonio has posted a 626-260 regular season record, giving the team a winning percentage of .707, the highest winning percentage of any NBA team during that 11-year span.

“Manu has been an integral part of the Spurs family and the San Antonio community for the past decade and we are thrilled that he’ll spend his entire career as a San Antonio Spur,” said Spurs general manager RC Buford. “His accomplishments on the international stage and in the NBA are extraordinary and his competitiveness and willingness to do whatever it takes to help his team win are unrivaled.”

The 35-year-old Ginobili was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2008 and 2011. The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008, Ginobili became the first South American – and first sixth man – to earn All-NBA honors. A two-time NBA All-Star (2005 and 2011), he is one of only two players, along with Bill Bradley, to win an Olympic gold medal, an NBA Championship and a Euroleague Championship.

In 727 regular season games Ginobili has averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.46 steals in 27.5 minutes. He is the Spurs franchise leader in three-pointers made (1,093) and attempted (2,941), is third all-time in steals (1,064) and fifth in points (10,819) and assists (2,892). Ginobili has appeared in 157 playoff games and averaged 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.41 steals in 30.4 minutes. In postseason action, he is the Silver and Black’s all-time leader in steals (221), three-pointers made (251) and attempted (699) and ranks third in games played (157), points (2,450), rebounds (694) and assists (620). Among active NBA players in playoff action Ginobili ranks fifth in steals (221) and three-pointers made (251), seventh in games played (157) and is eighth in free throws made (675).

A member of the Argentinean National Team since 1998, Ginobili led Argentina to the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics after averaging 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.38 steals in 29.9 minutes in eight games earning him tournament MVP honors. During the 2000-01 season he was named the MVP of both the Italian League and the Euroleague Finals as Virtus Bologna captured the title in both the Italian and Euroleague Championships.

San Antonio Spurs will sign Marco Belinelli

Any time the San Antonio Spurs sign a player, I immediately assume that the player is at least slightly better than everyone previously realized. Because most players just seem to do better as they are placed in the Spurs machine. With that:

The San Antonio Spurs have reached agreement with free-agent guard Marco Belinelli on a two-year, $6 million contract, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Belinelli, 27, averaged 9.6 points in 73 games for the Chicago Bulls last season. He is a 38.7 percent 3-point shooter in six NBA seasons. The Spurs will be his fifth team.

Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports

Spurs officially make Splitter, Neal restricted free agents

Like all NBA teams, the Spurs have some difficult free agent decisions to make, mostly centered around aging former star Manu Ginobili. But they took care of some relatively simple business today.

The Spurs on Sunday submitted qualifying offers for center Tiago Splitter and reserve guard Gary Neal, making both restricted free agents upon expiration of their current contracts at 11 p.m. tonight, central time.

By doing so, the Spurs retain the right to match any offer either player receives during free agency.

Splitter’s offer, as prescribed by the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, is for $4.93 million.

A solid starting big man in a league in which size matters, Splitter could draw higher offers than that once the bidding opens tonight, forcing the Spurs to make a decision.

Reported by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News

Manu Ginobili says he will likely keep playing

Writing a first-person commentary for the Argentine newspaper “La Nación,” veteran guard Manu Ginobili made his strongest comments yet about his desire to return for another season with the Spurs.

Ginobili admitted it took him three days after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, a Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat, before he could focus on his future.

Now, he can’t see himself not continuing his Spurs career.

“After much thinking, going over and over the bad plays, I feel better and content in spite of the bad outcome, and I find it difficult to believe that I won’t play anymore,” he wrote in La Nación.

“I don’t feel exhausted or frustrated playing basketball, I mean not enough to say I’m done. I don’t know about everything; I haven’t made a decision, but I see it is unlikely that I will not play anymore.

“I try not to let the tree in front of me block the forest. This is practically an unbeatable situation in sports. A moment of anger and frustration should not cloud the day-to-day and how well I am doing over here.”

Reported by Mike Monroe and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs deserve respect

“I couldn’t love our guys more,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after a gut-wrenching Game 7 defeat. “What they accomplished this year is something nobody would have ever expected. And they showed a lot of mental toughness and a lot of good play to get where they got. And I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The Spurs are good for the game. Their professionalism and graciousness and talent have graced The Finals stage across NBA generations. They’ve bridged the gap from Jordan to Kobe and now to LeBron, winning four championships along the way.

This group, led from the start of this run by Tim Duncan and Pop, may never get its fifth. The reality that no one wanted to talk about, as Thursday night turned into early Friday, is staring the Spurs in the face.

“I’m not going to think about next season,” Popovich said. “I’m going to enjoy what they accomplished this season and feel badly about the loss all at the same time. I don’t know how you do that, but I’ll figure it out.”

San Antonio reached The Finals for the fifth time since 1999 going through a watered-down West, as potentials foils like Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook, especially Westbrook, fell by the injury wayside.

Reported by Art Garcia of Fox Sports Southwest

LeBron leads Heat to second straight title

Victory in Game 7 brought more than another crown for LeBron James and the Miami Heat. It validated the team and its leader, forever cementing their place among the NBA’s greats.

For the vanquished San Antonio Spurs, it simply compounded the misery of a championship that got away.

James led the Heat to their second straight title, scoring 37 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a 95-88 victory Thursday night in a tense game that was tight until Miami pulled away in the final minute.

Capping their best season in franchise history – and perhaps the three-superstar system they used to build it – the Heat ran off with the second straight thriller in the NBA’s first championship series to go the distance since 2010.

Two nights after his Game 6 save when the Heat were almost eliminated, James continued his unparalleled run through the basketball world, with two titles and an Olympic gold medal in the last 12 months.

”I work on my game a lot throughout the offseason,” said James, who was MVP for the second straight finals. ”I put a lot of work into it and to be able to come out here and (have) the results happen out on the floor is the ultimate. The ultimate. I’m at a loss for words.”

He made five 3-pointers, defended Tony Parker when he had to, and did everything else that could ever be expected from the best player in the game.

The Heat became the NBA’s first repeat champions since the Lakers in 2009-10, and the first team to beat the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, but missed a shot and follow attempt right under the basket with about 50 seconds left and the Spurs trailing by two…

Wade had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who overcame a scoreless Chris Bosh by getting six 3-pointers and 18 points from Shane Battier…

Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Spurs, who had been 4 for 4 in the championship round. Ginobili had 18 points but Parker managed just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting…

Game 6 could have shaken the Spurs, who were so close to holding the trophy that officials were preparing the championship presentation before Miami’s rally. The Spurs held a team dinner late that night, figuring the company was better than having to dwell on the defeat alone in their rooms.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Late Ray Allen 3-pointer keeps Heat alive

Danny Green left his man and lunged for the rebound. Tony Parker was a step late in recovery.

Together, the breakdowns gave Ray Allen a half-a-breath of space.

More than enough to play the hero — and save the Heat’s season.

Allen’s game-tying, physics-defying — and possibly career-defining — shot happened fast.

The scramble for a loose ball. Allen’s moonwalk to the perfect spot, just beyond the three-point line. And his impossibly quick catch-and-release.

Yet, as he told it later, the bucket was the result of a lifetime of practice.

“Believe it or not, I work on it quite often,” said Allen, who finished Miami’s 103-100 Game 6 Houdini act victory against San Antonio with 9 points, including two critical free throws in overtime. “I try to put my body in precarious situations coming from different parts of the floor, different angles to try to get my momentum going forward.

“When it went in, I was ecstatic,” he added. “But at the same time I was expecting to make it.”

Reported by Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald

Heat beats Spurs 103-100 in OT to reach NBA Finals Game 7

LeBron James saved a championship reign, canceled a celebration.

The toughest part now might be topping this performance in Game 7.

”It’s by far the best game I’ve ever been a part of,” James said.

He wouldn’t let the Miami Heat lose it – or their NBA title.

If the San Antonio Spurs want that, they’ll have to fight just a little harder to get it. One last game, winner take all.

James powered Miami to a frantic fourth-quarter rally and overtime escape as the Heat beat the Spurs 103-100 on Tuesday night to extend the NBA Finals as far as they can go and keep Miami’s repeat chances alive.

Losing his headband but keeping his cool while playing the entire second half and overtime, James finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, making the go-ahead basket with 1:43 remaining in the extra period…

Tim Duncan scored 30 points for the Spurs, his most in an NBA Finals game since Game 1 in 2003, but was shut out after the third quarter. He added 17 rebounds…

James was just 3 of 12 after three quarters, the Heat trailing by 10 and frustration apparent among the players and panic setting in among the fans.

Nothing to worry about. Not with James playing like this.

He finished 11 of 26, even making a steal after his basket had given Miami a 101-100 edge in the OT…

Kawhi Leonard had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs. Tony Parker had 19 points and eight assists, but shot just 6 of 23 from the field…

Danny Green finished 1 of 5 from behind the arc after going 25 of 38 on 3-pointers (65.8 percent) in the first five games.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Heat have no room for error versus Spurs in Game 6

They lost three times in three months in one of the most overpowering stretches the NBA has ever seen.

Now the Miami Heat have lost three times in five games.

So superb during the regular season, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Heat have to be something even more for the rest of the NBA Finals.

They have to be perfect.

”We look forward to the challenge,” James said.

The San Antonio Spurs can finish Miami off Tuesday night in Game 6, reaffirming themselves as one of the league’s greatest franchises.

If so, the Heat and their Big Three once again go from celebrated to devastated, just as they were two years ago when they came home from Texas facing this same predicament.

”We’re going to see if we’re a better team than we were our first year together,” James said.

The Spurs took a 3-2 lead with their 114-104 victory Sunday night. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were all brilliant again, and Danny Green added to what could become one of the most out-of-nowhere finals MVP campaigns ever.

One more victory makes the Spurs 5-0 in the NBA Finals, keeping pace with Michael Jordan’s 6-0 Chicago Bulls as the only teams to make it here multiple times and never lose.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Danny Green sets NBA Finals record for 3-pointers

Danny Green once wasn’t good enough to be on the same team as LeBron James.

Now he’s an NBA Finals record-holder, and a big reason why the MVP’s chances of a second consecutive championship are in serious trouble.

Setting a Finals mark with 25 3-pointers, Green finished with 24 points and went 6 of 10 from long range in Game 5 against the Miami Heat, helping lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 114-104 victory Sunday night.

Deemed too raw and unpolished to remain on the roster with James and Cleveland three years ago, Green is the most prolific 3-point shooter on the NBA’s biggest stage.

Reported by Paul J. Weber of the Associated Press