Return Of “Manu The Magnificent” Spurs San Antonio To Beat T-Wolves 100-99

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main

Could you imagine how good San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili could be if he was the number one scoring option for a team? Right now as Tony Parker came back Thursday night in a limited role, he’s in the starting lineup,?but Manu is usually the Spurs sixth man! Ginobili carried San Antonio across the finish line to victory scoring a game high 44 points along the way, as the Spurs squeezed by the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-99. Ginobili hit the game winning jumper with just 6 seconds remaining in the game.

This game was tight from the jump, San Antonio had a razor thin lead at the end of the first 22-21. The T-Wolves had a 5 point lead at 37-32 when Al Jefferson hit a nine foot bunny with 5:18 left in the half. But that was the furthest either team got from each other as the game was deadlocked at 53-53 as the game reached the half. Tony Parker hit a 21 foot “J” with 3:29 left in the third to push the Spurs ahead 71-61, but Minnesota closed out the quarter on an 11-3 run to leave San Antonio ahead only by?2 points 74-72. After coming close all quarter long, the T-Wolves finally grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter as Jefferson hit a game tying bucket, and hit his penalty shot at the line putting Minnesota up with 39 seconds remaining in the game. And that looked like that might be the game winner until Manu hit his dagger with nine seconds left.

Parker came off the bench for San Antonio as he was returning after missing the last 9 games with inflammation in his left ankle. Playing just 18 minutes, he went 3-7, from the floor, 2-2 from the line, for 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, certainly far from his normal output. Theo Ratliff made his return for Minnesota, playing 14 minutes, he also scored 8 points, 2 boards, Ratliff had missed the last 45 games with a knee injury.

?Manu scored 44 points, as he shot 13-18 from the floor, including 7-9 from outside the arc, 11-12 at the line, he had 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal. Tim Duncan recorded a double-double 24 points, 14 boards, 7 assists, 4 blocks, 3 steals, Michael Finley scored 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block.

Jefferson led the way for the T-Wolves as the center had 28 points, 5 boards, 3 blocks, 2 assists,?1 steal. ?Sebastian Telfair scored 15 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, Rashad McCants also scored 15, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, Randy Foye scored 13 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block. The Spurs are now 36-17, while the Timberwolves are now 11-42.

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