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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND TWO: SPURS v WARRIORS


May 12, 2013


Manu Ginobili


OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Game Four

SPURS – 87
WARRIORS - 97


THE MODERATOR:  Questions for Manu.

Q.  What happened offensively for you guys in the last five minutes of regulation and then in overtime?
MANU GINOBILI:  It was a tough game to score on.  We both played great defense.  In overtime we just stopped scoring.
We kept running the same plays, our usual stuff, and it just didn't fall.  They made every shot in overtime.  In a game that is so close and so tight, that ends up being the difference.  I think we were both fantastic defensively.

Q.  Manu, have you ever played a team quite like the Warriors in the playoffs?
MANU GINOBILI:  Truly I played a lot of teams.  I don't remember who played or was similar to the Warriors.
It's a talented team, young players, great one‑on‑one players, athletic.  They play small.  So is a great team.  They were 6 in the regular season.  They beat Denver, which is another great team.
We respect them a lot.  We knew it was not going to be easy.  It's not frustrating, but what's disappointing is we had a great game, we had them where we wanted.  We blew it.  So it kind of hurts.  But, you know what, we are 2‑2.  We're going back home.  We have a great opportunity to go back up in the round, in the series.

Q.  (No microphone.)
MANU GINOBILI:  It's fun playing the playoffs.  But, of course, playing a talented team like them in a great arena like this with fans going crazy is always fun.  It's completely different than playing a regular‑season game.
That's why we are here, to play these types of games.  It's what we all love.

Q.  I know you've taken a lot of shots in post‑season.  Have you ever had a look that open, cross over Barnes, wide open?
MANU GINOBILI:  The three or the layup?

Q.  The three.
MANU GINOBILI:  No, the truth is that wasn't a play for me, but I had to attack.  When I saw him on the floor, wide open.  But my last few shots were short.  So I don't know if I got tired or what, but I stopped pushing with my legs.
It was being a good game for me.  But I kind of stopped shooting the same way.  You know, that could have been the game.  It's hard to swallow because that could have been 3‑1 in a great situation.  But sometimes they don't fall.  You know, life goes on.

Q.  You hit a really big shot in Game1.  David asked about the shot you missed.  Do you blame yourself when that happens or do you think some shots go in, some don't go in?
MANU GINOBILI:  Well, you think that you could have taken a better shot.  After I shot it, I realized that I didn't push the right way.  But, you know, you can't blame yourself.  I think I took an open shot.
When you kind of blame yourself more is when you take a shot that you shouldn't have taken.  I think that was a good look.

Q.  Stephen Curry was clearly limited today.  What do you think of the way he played?
MANU GINOBILI:  Well, you could see that he was not as aggressive, especially at the beginning of the game.  But he made a couple big buckets in overtime.  He's a player that you may see him playing one leg, one arm, and you got to guard him.
So you got to respect him.  He can really go off at any time.  So, you know, he's that type of player.  Kind of was silent for a big part of the game, but then made big plays.

Q.  Was this, for you, one of those sort of up‑and‑down games?  Started off great, then you couldn't seem to get your shot back.
MANU GINOBILI:  Yeah, I think I started well.  I just took the same shots as I was taking before.  Just fell this time.  Didn't happen in the second half.  I probably took one or two in a bad position.
But, yeah, it's what happens.  Sometimes you start feeling good, then you stop doing what you were doing, you lose confidence.
But I felt good.  The shots I've taken were open, the last two at least, and they just didn't fall, and theirs did.

Q.  How surprising is it that the whole team really has struggled at the foul line in this series?  56% tonight.  It was a strength in the season, now it's become a problem.
MANU GINOBILI:  I don't have a secret answer for that.  It just happens.  Sometimes you make them, sometimes you miss.  We shot close to 80% all season long.  We're not just making them.
I think a bigger problem was, for example, defensive rebounds.  That was a bigger deficiency.  Free‑throw shooting, there's not much you can do about it.  Sometimes you make them, sometimes you don't.  There are other things that you can really control:  get in better position, move the ball better, sharper with passes.  But free throws is free throws.
Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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