Manu Ginobli is not having a great season by his standards. His scoring average is slightly down from last season, his rebounding numbers are also lower and his field goal percentage is at its lowest point since his second season in the league.
Ginobili had a very rough start to the season as he had to work through an ankle injury that held him out of the 2009 post-season. In 46 games prior to the All-Star Break, Manu averaged just 13 points a game on 40% shooting from the field and just 37% shooting from three. Good numbers for a regular reserve shooting guard but not for one of the game’s top sixth man candidates year in and year out.
However, since the beginning of February, Manu has completely changed back into the 2005 version of himself as if a switch had flipped on. Ginobili has dominated the rest of the league since then and has emerged as the Spurs’ alpha-dog in the absence of Tony Parker.
Though George Hill has been getting the point guard minutes since Parker went out with another injury earlier this month, Ginobili has been the one doing most of the things a point guard would. Gathering his teammates, setting up an offense, distributing the basketball, attacking the cup, leading the break, you name it. Ginobili has had a bit of a revival with his added playing time and he has shown that he is one of the top players in the NBA when healthy.
More on Manu and what he means to the Spurs after the break…
