Player Report

[ScolaFan]

Manu Ginobili

His spirit was willing, but his body was not, not in the conference finals, anyway. No Spurs player suffered more from the every-other-day schedule of the conference finals, and by Game 5 it was clear he had little left in the tank. He is committed to Argentina's defense of its Olympic gold medal in August. How will that affect his arthritic left ankle before the Spurs go to training camp in October?

Kurt Thomas

After watching his team get killed on the defensive glass in its Game 4 loss, Gregg Popovich opts to sit Robert Horry and make Kurt Thomas the only big man off the bench. Thomas responded with his best game of the series, knocking in some shots and banging the boards hard. It's why the Spurs traded for him, and a reminder to management that it might be a good idea to bring him back next season.

Robert Horry

In what was almost certainly the final game of his career, Big Shot Rob spent the entire game on the bench, just the second Did Not Play-Coach's Decision of his 16 playoff seasons. Horry said before the game he had not finalized a decision to retire, but there won't be much of a market for a 38-year-old power forward who no longer can jump. But he'll always have Game 5 of the 2005 Finals.

[ScolaFan]

ALTERATIONS

When John Stockton reached his mid-30s, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan devised a system to optimize his playing time and minimize wear and tear. So Stockton would play the first six minutes of every Jazz game, then sit for the next 10 minutes, regardless of how each game may have turned while he rested.

Sloan had automatic in-out points for Stockton in the second half, too, rarely deviating, even when leads diminished or deficits grew. And practice? Stockton never scrimmaged during his final few seasons.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who counts Sloan among the coaches he most respects and admires, also understands the importance of monitoring the minutes of his most important players. What happened with Manu Ginobili in the Western Conference finals likely reinforced his belief in the importance of getting his key players to the postseason as fresh as possible.

Don't be surprised if Popovich monitors Ginobili's minutes strictly next season. It may be time to start holding him out of the second game of back-to-back sets, perhaps shutting him down for two or three games at a time, depending on the schedule.


It's risky in a super-competitive Western Conference. But if the Spurs want the full Manu for their playoff push, it may be the only way.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...e.38998f2.html

[ScolaFan]

FOUR-POINT PLAY
Reasons Game 5 turned out the way it did
and what to look for next season

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