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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS VS SPURS

May 21, 2017

Manu Ginobili

Oakland, California - Practice Day

Q. Looking back at everything that you've gone through since you've been with the Spurs, what stands out to you the most?
MANU GINOBILI: It's hard to choose, I feel. It's easy to remember the wins, the good moments, the highs.

But even the lows, they were great, too, in a different sense -- of connection, of camaraderie, of doing it together. Not pointing at anybody; we win it together, we lose it together.

Even the bad moments, the tough ones, I'm proud of them, too. Those moments get you better, smarter, make you grow. So it's hard to choose one moment. I think the whole trip is incredible.

Q. The play last night where you went through David West's legs with the dribble, is there any part of that a conscious decision, or is it all just instinct?
MANU GINOBILI: When you see the position in which he was and the way he was guarding the pick-and-roll, I went for it. It's not that I planned it the whole day. It's just when I saw him getting ready for that hedge or shift, that's when I decided.

Q. Danny Green says you guys got them right where you want them. What do you think?
MANU GINOBILI: Yeah, we've been planning all this. We want to make something really big, and coming back from a 3-0 would make it. So, yeah, exactly where we wanted them.

Q. Mike Brown and the analysts last night all said that it's clear you could be playing into your 40s. Does this change your thinking?
MANU GINOBILI: No, I'm the same guy that was struggling against Memphis [in the first round] and you were all concerned. The same exact guy. Sometimes having good games, sometimes bad ones, sometimes making shots, sometimes not. Same guy. I've always said it: Winning the championship or not winning it, scoring 20 the last game or second-to-last or whatever or scoring zero, it's not going to change who I am or the decision I make.

I can't throw nine months into the trash and just respond to the way I felt the last game. It's not about that. It's a more well-thought decision. I will let it sink in, as I've been doing it lately, and see how it goes.

Q. The fact you made it through this whole season pretty much healthy and no major injuries, that's important to you?
MANU GINOBILI: Yeah, for sure. It's huge. The times in which I had to be rehabbing the whole time and had multiple issues are the moments where I thought that it was better to just stay at home. But the last three seasons have been great except for minor incidents. Again, I've been enjoying the ride, as I wanted to. So I'm in a good spot.

Q. When you say you're going to let it sink in, what's that process going to be like?
MANU GINOBILI: Are we having the retirement conference (laughing)? Are you guys wanting me to say something here? I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do, say. I just go game my game. We'll see if tomorrow is the last one of the season. We'll hope that it's not and that we have a few more. Once it's over, then I'll start thinking about what the future brings.

Q. Have you ever seen anything like this, though, that you guys have been through? It's just bad luck with losing the guys that you've lost throughout this. The postseason started with a lot of optimism.
MANU GINOBILI: Yeah, we've seen it on opponents. It never happened to us. Well, there was one year that I didn't play the playoff games. But sometimes it happens. You catch a tough break and you lose a couple key players and you've got to keep fighting. Sometimes it feels like almost unfair. You played so great for most of the season, you fought to get to this spot and then you lose the key player, two key players, that you've been relying on for so long. It makes it even tougher, a good test in some way to see your personality, what you're made of. And we are here fighting.

Sometimes, again, it looks unfair. We're playing against a great team; it was going to be hard regardless of who was on the court and who's not. But again, as we've said many times, if this is the worst thing that ever happens to us, we are in a very good spot.

Q. With so many people saying nice things about you and reflecting on your career; is that weird? Like you're going away someplace?
MANU GINOBILI: I'm feeling that weirdness now (laughing). I'm telling you, I didn't feel any weirdness yesterday or the days before, because I don't know what's being said; I don't follow it. But this is getting a little weird. It truly is.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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