Live Thread: Cavs @ Spurs (Manu Time)

The Cavs are in San Antonio tonight for their 76th game of the year. It’s a special night too. The Spurs are retiring foreign basketball savant Manu Ginobili’s jersey.

Hailing from Argentina, Manu’s game transformed how future guys in the NBA would play the game. Whether it’s how Kyrie Irving finishes below the rim and messes with how the ball spins, or James Harden‘s euro step move, Manu is the man who made those moves standard. He was also the epitome of team ball. Manu was never a full time starter or finisher for the Spurs, but he never complained. Whatever Gregg Popovich asked of Ginobli, he would do it. That’s not to say he was some robot. He is regularly known as the player who could play by his own rules under Popovich. He’d regularly gamble for steals, a big no-no under Gregg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tzrJqC0778

Manu earned this jersey retirement by any standards. He was a part of the original “Big Three” featuring Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. He was a four time NBA champion and was Sixth Man of the year in 2008. His career year came in the 2007-2008 season when he averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 dimes, and 4.8 boards. He hit 2.1 3s a game that year at a 40% rate.

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Anyways, back to the game. This game means something for the Spurs. Depending how things shake out, the Spurs could end up in the fifth seed. They’re just two losses back from the Jazz right now. So, they will be trying. The Spurs  are fully loaded tonight and the Cavs are missing just Matthew Dellavedova and John Henson.

Three Things to Watch

1. Collin Sexton is going against an easier than usual guard match up tonight. The Spurs’ guards are competent, but they aren’t world beaters by any means, and Sexton should be able to get his against any of them. Let’s hope the game is close, so Sexton gets more practice closing tight games.
2. LaMarcus Aldridge will be squaring off against Kevin Love most of the night.  This is the game of the finesse bigs. LMA is having a great season though, and scored 48 points in a win of over the Celtics just a few days ago.
3. Appreciate the cutting the Spurs do. I’d venture to say they run the most backdoor cuts of any team in the association, and the way Popovich uses DeMar DeRozan and LMA to facilitate from the elbows is a thing of beauty for any basketball fan to watch.

The Spurs are a real team fighting for a playoff seed. This game means something for them and this night means something for them.They’ll be giving it their all for Manu. I’m picking the Spurs, 110-101.