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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKENDFebruary 18, 2011Manu GinobiliLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA MANU GINOBILI: Of course, I appreciate the try, but I don't think I deserve it. Q. Are you surprised you have the record you do? MANU GINOBILI: Yes. Well, because last year we had 50 wins the whole season and now we have 46, so no one really expected it. I was positive we were going to have a better season, because we needed time for the new guys to adjust. We needed Richard to feel more comfortable with the system and Dyess, I knew we were going to improve, but come on, we are talking about a six-game difference, seven-game difference, whatever it is. No, no, I don't think anybody expected it. It just happened. Q. Is it health? MANU GINOBILI: Health, a bunch of things together. First, we got lucky. Health, a big factor, always. We have always been healthy and nobody misses a game, and we got the experience and we got a better group, we got a great bench. Q. If you stay healthy, should you be better in the playoffs than you are now? MANU GINOBILI: Usually it's been easier for us to play in the playoffs than the regular season. We have four games in five nights but we don't have games that you land at three am in a different city. Probably for us, 23-year-old player is different for Tim, me and McDyess. So for the players, it's more what you expect, you have time to study the opponent, to practice at home, sleep in the same bed. I think that helps us or me. Q. What does it say about the arc of your career that five years ago you were an all-star, six, seven, and now back again? MANU GINOBILI: It's a great honor. As I told you, I thought that after 2008 it was not going to happen again. And 2011 at 33, almost 34, having this opportunity is great. I don't know what it says about my career, I'm pretty happy with the way it's going. But to do it after six years, it's great. Q. Pop has said he's made the decision that you are a starter now, period. Has that made a difference to you? MANU GINOBILI: Not really. It meant a lot at the beginning because I was playing 33, I started the first few games with 33, 34 minutes a game, which I'm a backup, it's going to be 28, 29. So those five minutes, I knew I had more time to wait for my game, for my moment. Now I am going back to 30,31, but it's not a big difference. I said it when I was a backup, I'm not going to change now that I'm a starter. After a break, coming from the bench, I know that when I'm with the second unit, which he's doing, anyways; he pulls me out of the game earlier to get me in with the second unit. It's pretty similar. I know I'm going to be there and the team is going to trust me so, that will be good. End of FastScripts |
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