Tag: Manu Ginobili

Ginobili’s heart in FIBAs, mind on lockout

By Mike Monroe
mikemonroe@express-news.net

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina — As Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has helped his Argentine national team qualify for the semifinals of the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament, he has kept track of two situations thousands of miles from here: the NBA lockout and teammate Tony Parker’s pursuit of an Olympic berth for his French team.

Thus far, it has been much more enjoyable for Ginobili to read about Parker’s exploits for France in the Eurobasket tournament in Lithuania than to follow the progress, or lack of, in the labor talks..

The unquestioned leader of one of the best international teams of the past dozen years, Ginobili and four of his NBA colleagues have remained focused on the competition at Malvinas Argentinas Arena while receiving details on the state of negotiations for the lockout imposed by the league on July 1.

As important as the tournament is to Ginobili, Luis Scola (Houston Rockets), Andres Nocioni (Philadelphia 76ers), Carlos Delfino (Milwaukee Bucks) and Fabricio Oberto, the lockout never is far from their thoughts in this resort town on the Atlantic coast, some 300 miles northeast of Ginobili’s hometown of Bahia Blanca.

“Of course we all pay attention to what is happening with the lockout,” Ginobili said. “We get updates. We talk about it. We are all worried. We don’t want this to happen, but we know every decade there is a chance this can happen.

“We understand it is a huge business and everyone wants to take care of their part. So we are just here now thinking about this (tournament), and once it is over, we will start to be more concerned about what is going on in the NBA.”

Ginobili expressed regret that the lockout has the potential to interrupt the love affair between San Antonians and the Spurs.

“I think it is a pity,” he said. “I am with such a wonderful organization with an amazing fan base. I’d really love to go back and start training camp and be with all the guys. Hopefully, it is a one-time thing and is not going to happen again in a few years.

“Hopefully it is just once in a blue moon. I’m just hoping for a fair solution.”

Ginobili spends some of his time between games keeping tabs on what is happening at Eurobasket, where Parker has been one of the leading scorers and has yet to suffer a loss with the French national team.

“I haven’t been able to watch the games, but I follow the stats, and I know (France) is undefeated,” Ginobili said before Argentina fell to Spurs teammate Tiago Splitter and Brazil 73-71 on Wednesday. “I know they beat Serbia in the last second. Tony is rolling.

“Good to see that France is doing what they are capable of doing. In the past, they were always a threat, but they were never able to finish it. Hopefully, this year they do.”

Ginobili for several years has touted the Olympic experience to his Spurs teammate.

“I’d really love for Tony to get to play the Olympic Games,” Ginobili said. “He’s a good friend, and any athlete of a high level should learn what it is to be in the Olympics. I told T.P. this a million times, and I think he’s really focused and wants to be there.”

Ginobili, Argentina handle Joseph, Canada

If you think NBA back-to-backs are difficult, try eight games in 10 days at the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament, as Spurs guard Manu Ginobili and those who advanced to the second round have encountered.

Throw in a sinus infection, and you have a recipe for a missed game or two.

After missing Argentina’s Sunday practice, Ginobili wasn’t certain he would be able to make tipoff for the game against Canada, the first of the second round that will determine the semifinalists.

Nine hours and a few antibiotics later, he was fresh enough to drop 14 first-half points on Canada, then turn facilitator in a 79-53 victory in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.

Argentina (5-0) hasn’t been threatened in any game thus far. Ginobili was happy merely to feel good enough to suit up.

“I had two really bad days and nights, just couldn’t breathe easily,” he said. “Yesterday I started with some medicine and slept about nine hours.

“That sleep was very helpful for me, but this is a tough tournament if you are not sleeping well. You play four in five nights, then have one day off, and now we have four in four. So resting is huge, and yesterday, by the time we were to come to practice, I just couldn’t make it. But I had a good night, and today was a different story.”

Ginobili didn’t shoot well, missing 10 of 14 shots, but finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes.

Canada stayed in striking range through most of the first three periods, down nine with two minutes left in the third. Ginobili assisted on three quick Argentine baskets to start the fourth, and the local heroes never led by fewer than 15 thereafter.

Spurs draftee and former Longhorns star Cory Joseph failed to score or get an assist. He had three rebounds.

“I’m in a little shooting slump,” Joseph said, “but it’s something I’m working on every day.”

BRAZIL 93, URUGUAY 66: Spurs center Tiago Splitter had nine points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots. After missing five of six shots in the first half, Splitter made all three in the second half. He was the game’s top rebounder.

— Mike Monroe

FRANCE 97, SERBIA 96 (OT): In Siauliai, Lithuania, Tony Parker’s two free throws with 19 seconds left in overtime gave him 24 points and the game-winning tallies.

Marko Keselj led the Serbs with 25 points, including seven 3-pointers, the last of which gave his team a 96-95 lead with 24 seconds left.

Joakim Noah added 14 points and nine rebounds for France.

Parker missed a 3-pointer at the end of regulation, and the contest went to a fifth period tied at 80.

— Associated Press

Oberto’s hand injury could keep him out of FIBA Americas tourney

Former Spurs center Fabricio Oberto’s chances of playing for Argentina in the upcoming FIBA Americas tournament will hinge on a quick recovery from a recent hand injury.

Oberto sustained  a fibrillar rupture on his left adductor muscle, a long muscle buried deep in the hand that adducts to the thumb, last week. After the injury, doctors plan to limit Oberto’s practice for about two weeks.

But Argentina coach Julio Lamas told FIBA.com that he for use in the FIBA tournament next month. 

“I hope I can count on him for the tournament,” said Lamas, who plans keep Oberto on the 12-man roster even if he can’t play in early games of the tournament.  “I’m not sure he will make it, though.”

Oberto, 36, returned to his hometown of Cordoba, Argentina, for recovery before returning to the team earlier this week.

The Argentina team will play an exhibition Thursday night in Buenos Aires against Venezuela before Lamas trims the roster to 12 players.

Oberto, a member of the Spurs 2007 NBA championship team, was an important member of the Argentina team that claimed the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. And his absence from his current team would be a big loss, according to teammate Manu Ginobili.

“We need him,” Ginobili told FIBA.com.

But teammate Leonardo Gutiérrez expects Oberto to contribute to the team.
 
“Oberto will be part of the team,” Gutiérrez said. “He’s a key player and he has to be there even if he plays five, 10 or 15 minutes.”

A heart ailment cut short Oberto’s NBA career after he announced his retirement after five games with the Portland Trailblazers last season. He played with the Spurs from 2005-09.

Oberto worked hard to get back into playing shape and apparently can still help the Argentinian team. It would be a shame not to see him compete at the FIBA tournament because of his recent nagging injury.