“When the game was on the line, he was there making big shots” – Dirk Nowitzki on how Manu Ginobili did everything for the San Antonio Spurs originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Many attribute the San Antonio Spurs’ remarkable achievement of securing four NBA championships within a twelve-year span to the leadership of Tim Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich. However, those who truly competed against the resilient Spurs know there was another player whose greatness has never been fully recognized.
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For Dirk Nowitzki, that player was Manu Ginobili, who worked relentlessly on both ends of the court despite knowing his best efforts would never get the recognition they truly deserved.
Dirk Nowitzki held high praise for Manu Ginobili
Ginobili consistently played his minutes restricted, season after season, fully aware that he would assume a role off the bench. Nevertheless, he managed to average 13.3 points per game – a figure that stood impressively close to Tony Parker’s 15.8 points per game, despite the latter logging nearly six more minutes per contest than Manu. This statistical comparison underscores Ginobili’s impact within limited playing time.
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For the former 6MOTY, the focus was never on getting 30 points in a game. Rather, it was about using his basketball intelligence and quickness to create steals and fast break opportunities, as well as conserve energy to take over in clutch situations. As a result, he proved himself to be one of the most dependable scorers on the Spurs, shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from the three-point line.
Moreover, Nowitzki’s admiration for Ginobili grew exponentially when he witnessed his evolution, going from averaging 9.3 points per game in the 2003 Western Conference Finals to posting a Spurs-high 19 points per game in the first round series against the Dallas Mavericks. During this phase, Manu showcased how he not only makes an impact on both ends of the court but also possesses the confidence to take charge of the team.
“He was doing all the little things. When the game was on the line, he was there making big shots,” Nowitzki said about Ginobili. “Making big plays on both ends of the floor.”
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Manu Ginobili helped the San Antonio Spurs become a winning franchise
It is easy to focus on Parker’s 24.5 points per game scoring average in the 2007 NBA Finals, or Tim Duncan’s dominant 20.6 points and 14.1 rebounds in the 2005 Finals, or a 22-year-old Kawhi Leonard’s 17.8 points per game in the 2014 Finals, but it is also crucial to recognize that in each of those championship runs Ginobili was the player consistently filling the gaps for the team.
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That is perhaps why Dirk holds Manu in such high regard. He understood that San Antonio’s sustained excellence in the Western Conference was built not only on its stars but also on selfless, high-IQ players like Ginobili.
Who knows, had it not been for Manu’s sacrifice of personal glory, the Spurs may have never attained such success. Fortunately, Duncan & Co. had a particular Argentinian shooting guard who had superstar potential coming off the bench who was content with helping them even when his potential wasn’t put to its maximum use.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.