http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iPSXDDg-aZw#!

He is by far my favorite player in the league. It's sad but he really is a shell of his former self. He is still good for a couple of nice plays a game and I still like him on the floor at the end of games, but he is nowhere close to what he used to be.

I bet he still has one more big game (20+ points) in him before the Spurs season is over. Plus with that shot against Golden State he earned at least one more season.

[This message has been edited by GatorAg03 (edited 5/23/2013 3:51p).]

Old Manu was like a drunk Steve Nash. Same amazing court vision and awareness, but zero inhibitions when deciding whether to attempt a pass. Over the years, that attitude has made for some of the craziest assists and most WTF?? TOs ever.

[This message has been edited by Deputy Travis Junior (edited 5/23/2013 5:09p).]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Manu has one of the best highlight reels of all time. Impossible passes, crazy moves, posterizing dunks and blocked shots, buzzer beaters, gamewinners, weirdly acrobatic shots, and he swats a bat out of midair. I remember in the mid 00s it seemed like every game he pulled off something that made you say "wait, what just happened?" Chuck called him the most exciting player in the NBA, and he was the scariest guy on the court to opposing teams in close games.

[This message has been edited by Ulrich (edited 5/23/2013 5:15p).]

quote:

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Old Manu was like a drunk Steve Nash. Same amazing court vision and awareness, but zero inhibitions when deciding whether to attempt a pass. Over the years, that attitude has made for some of the craziest assists and most WTF?? TOs ever.

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Perfect description.

[This message has been edited by Ulrich (edited 5/23/2013 5:16p).]

It used to be that 75% of the time Manu was probably going to make a great play or a 25% chance make a terrible play.

Now, in crunch time, I feel like it's more 40% good, 60% bad.

Manu has lost a step, lost his shot (lately), and he can't punish teams for doubling or crowding him on the perimeter. He can still run the offense really well, but he doesn't get to the rim at will and when it's crunch time he has a hard time stepping up like he used to.

And he turns the ball over like it's going out of style.

I think you guys are way too hard on him. That description of him above is spot on, but obviously he's gotten older.

50% of those plays showed were from last year. haha

The NBA's very own Samson.


(biblical reference for you sinners. )

I'm trying to think of how many 6th man (men)I would choose before Manu, if not worried about salary cap impact.

Not a big Jr Smith fan. Jet? Ray Allen? Bayless or Crawford? Probably not, I really am unsure who I would take before him.

quote:

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I'm trying to think of how many 6th man (men)I would choose before Manu, if not worried about salary cap impact.

Not a big Jr Smith fan. Jet? Ray Allen? Bayless or Crawford? Probably not, I really am unsure who I would take before him.

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True but in fairness Manu isn't really a 6th man. He just happens to come off the bench. Not many teams bring their 2nd or 3rd best player off the bench.

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Not many teams bring their 2nd or 3rd best player off the bench.

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Wha?

This year the Knicks second best player is JR Smith. Won the 6th Man Award. Started zero games.

James Harden was the Thunder's third best player and came off the bench to be the 6th Man of the year last year.

Three years ago, Lamar Odom came off the bench for the Lakers and was third best behind Kobe and Pau.

Same thing with Jamal Crawford won it with Atlanta, when Jason Terry won it in Dallas, Mike Miller in Memphis, Ben Gordon in Chicago, Jamison in Dallas...

This is pretty much the definition of what a 6th Man is. Someone that is good enough to start, but can get going quickly and lead the second team.

Manu could still be good if he accepted his own limitations. He's not a great 3pt shooter anymore off the bounce. But he's still a good spot up shooter and he can still hit the midrange. He still a great ball handler and passer but he can't finish like he used to. There's still value in this guy, he just has to stop trying to be superman all the time.

Some of those plays were from this season.

MJ is the best player ever.

David Robinson is the player I respect most as a person.

Manu is the most exciting player I've ever seen because I'm regularly saying "did he just do that?".

I remember it like it was just last night...

Guitar, you really think that most teams would have brought Manu off the bench all these year?

And you named a handful of teams. It's not the norm for people to bring players of Manus caliber off the bench.

[This message has been edited by beerad12man (edited 5/26/2013 9:54p).]

It is entirely normal for a team to bring a starter or all-star caliber player off the bench. You could go on for hours naming all the teams that have done that. Now a lot of teams don't have a player that good. So if you put Manu on the Bobcats and he is instantly their best player, no, they won't bring him off the bench.

Detlef Schrepf coming off the bench in Indiana.
Bill Walton with the Celtics
John Starks with the Knicks.
Roy Tarpley with the Mavs
Danny Manning with the Suns
Jamal Crawford with the Clippers
Kevin Martin with the Thunder
Nate Robinson with Chicago

The Spurs made it normal to bring your 3rd best player off the bench.

It's the role Hollins wanted OJ Mayo to do like Harden, Jet, or Manu.

But OJ wanted to be a point guard and gunner, and he'd probably happiest on the Bobcats or Orlando getting a lot of shots, than playing the Manu or Jet role on a winner.



[This message has been edited by Iowaggie (edited 5/26/2013 11:22p).]

Classic assist by Manu.

What does Manu care? If it doesn't work, it's just one of his many turnovers.

What's weird is that his a/t ratio is better than 2:1 and has gone up in the playoffs. His turnovers are just so wildly inexplicable and untimely that they seem like more.

I'm glad the 'bat slap' made the highlight reel.

A post about Alex Caruso and some of his TOs reminded me of this thread.

Manu might deserve the comeback of the decade award. In one of the most crushing series of all time (Spurs-Heat '13), Manu was the most disappointing player on the court. If he'd just been 50% of the player he'd been in 08 or so, the Spurs would have won the 2013 title, instead, he repeatedly missed shots and had terrible turn overs. Then he came back with a vengeance the next year, 1 month shy of 37 years old, and brought the pain, all with a slightly broken leg:



(Love the Asian dude's facial expression)

quote:

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A post about Alex Caruso and some of his TOs reminded me of this thread.

Manu might deserve the comeback of the decade award. In one of the most crushing series of all time (Spurs-Heat '13), Manu was the most disappointing player on the court. If he'd just been 50% of the player he'd been in 08 or so, the Spurs would have won the 2013 title, instead, he repeatedly missed shots and had terrible turn overs. Then he came back with a vengeance the next year, 1 month shy of 37 years old, and brought the pain, all with a slightly broken leg:



(Love the Asian dude's facial expression)

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My favorite player. Such passion.

What a moment that was. Completely lost my sh*t.

I watched game 5 again yesterday. He was unbelievable that night. A performance I'll never forget.

We are down 22-6 and Manu decided enough was enough. Comes down and hits a tough and 1 in traffic. Asssisted on a Kawhi 3. Then Battier pissed him off with some physical Battier stuff, Manu draws that offensive foul and gets up real pissed. I remember my brother texting me "Uh oh, shouldn't of awaken Manu, Battier." And he was right.

I don't remember the exact order of the plays but Manu did a sweet little reverse layup, a super tough step back 3 over Haslem and then THE DUNK. I was at Mad Dogs on the riverwalk and the place went completely bananas on that play. I'll never forget it. What a night that was.

That's when I knew the game and series were over. I really think that play sucked out any last remaining hope that Miami had.

He also hit the third 3 in that 3rd quarter stretch where we blew it open:

1. Splitter blocks Wade, Boris hits Patty for a 3.
2. After Miami scores, Patty comes down and hits a 3 in transition.
3. Kawhi finds Manu at the break in the arc for a 3 to put the Spurs up 22. The roof was officially blown off at the AT&T Center.

Unbelievable redemption for him. Couldn't have written that season any better.

Just because it can never be seen too many times:

Best part of that highlight video:

Manu is the real Batman

Manu is the best passer I done ever sawd.