RealGM

This was something i was wondering for awhile. He is such a great scorer yet hes forced to the bench. So i said to someone i think starting on a team he could average 25-28 points per game instead of his 19.ppg off the bench. Do you all agree or am i being overgenerous

You're being overgenerous.

I definatley agree. He comes off the bench though to bring energy and a nice flow to the "2nd string". I personally like him coming off the bench more than I do when he starts.

Manu doesn't have the ability to average 25-28 ppg in the NBA. He uses a lot of energy out there. There's no way he could be as efficient as he is playing LeBron minutes for a season.

Edit: And this year, Manu is averaging 25.1 ppg per 40 minutes. Great numbers. But even with adjusted numbers he isn't a top 5 scorer. And the numbers would only fall as minutes increase.

Yeah, but SAS system is one of the few where he has to play such a strict defensive system, being on a less defensive oriented team, he should have plenty of energy to manage 25+

He could easily average 25+ plus if he was in a run and gun type offense. With the Spurs he doesn't have to do it, but if he got the minutes and Pop gave him freedom he could average 25.

He could definitely score more if his team played at a faster pace. Only the Blazers and the Pistons are slower than the Spurs. Minutes aren't really the problem. He averages 31 a game, only a few less than the average starter.

You can't really translate the numbers of high energy players like Manu to higher minutes like that. Manu can't play 35+ minutes a game at the same efficiency, if he could do it at all. Besides he would need to be a first option to put up those numbers, and then he's facing double-teams, and who knows how he would handle that.

I think he could hit 25 if was on a talent-depleted team that required it out of him. But then again, a lot of players that shouldn't hit 25 can, when there isn't enough talent around them.

Ginobili definitely has the tools to become an elite scorer. Does anyone realize that it is harder to score 20 a game with two other scorers on the same team such as Parker and Duncan? Look at the Celtics this year. Garnett, Pierce, and Allen's numbers have all dropped significantly from their usual stats.

He has one of the most complete games in the entire league. There is nothing that he can't do.

^He doesn't have a post up game from what I have seen.

He can't play more than 35 mins per game consistently, simple as that.

a lot of people are claiming that he cant play 35+ minutes.. how would you know that? pretty wild guess if you ask me.

ginobili plays on a team that doesnt need him to play more than 35 minutes to win championships. the spurs have been deep at sg for many years now. coach pop purposely keeps his minutes down cause he doesnt just play in the nba, he competes almost every summer for argentina. the guy plays year around and we have people questioning his conditioning.

to asnwer the posters question, he absolutely can average 25-28. but ginobili like most euro players are very team oriented. he also averages 4.5 assists so he definitely has the ball in his hands enough to make it happen. if ginobili was ultilized as a scorer then who knows, maybe he could have averaged 22-24 in just 30 minutes. but likke others have mentioned, he is pressured to bring it every night defensively. ginobili is also one of our primary play makers, with parker and barry combined to miss most of the season ginobili is also called upon to make plays when hes out there.

this year, as a starter:
23 games, 35.4mpg, 22.4 ppg, 48%FG

as a sub:
51 games, 28.9 mpg, 18.1 ppg, 44%FG

i realize there is a substantial difference in games played, but his number went up as a starter with more minutes, not down. and that probably has more to do with parker or duncan being out when he started, vs having to share touches with 2 stars. so the people assuming he cant handle more minutes with better efficiency are clearly wrong, though it doesnt mean he'd automatically maintain that production in 82 games either.

like the previous poster said, in the olympics and most fiba tourneys, they usually play b2b large portions of the tournament, as in 4 games in 4 days, 1 day break, then 3 games in 3 days, 1 day break, final. and manu usually plays 34-36 mpg (out of 40) at a high level in those tournaments, despite there being virtually no rest between games.

i think the biggest factor is the spurs slow pace and multiple scoring options, they dont need manu playing 40+, they dont need him scoring 25+, and they generally dont need to score 100+ to win anyway.