Even with more luxurious offers from other teams in the previous years, San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili has chosen to stay under the wings of his coach and mentor, Gregg Popovich. Together, they form a special player-to-coach bond, which is evident in a highlight video posted by a Redditor who goes by the username Dimaaaa.
Manu Ginobili scores 18 straight points after Pop is ejected – 01/17/2014 vs Blazers from nba
In a Jan. 17, 2014 home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Popovich fumed over non-calls and Spurs fouls against LaMarcus Aldridge (interesting). This led him to be ejected from the game.
But what transpired after Popovich's ejection was truly amazing. After Damian Lillard sank a technical free throw to put the Blazers up by nine, the Argentinian wonder would tear up the Blazers with an incredible sequence of 18 straight points.
After the ejection, the Spurs were looking at a 69-60 deficit. They ended the third quarter up by one, 78-77, all thanks to Ginobili.
So, was this just another trick orchestrated by the master tactician to motivate his prized superstar?
Popovich has seen his former players come and go. With backcourt partner Tony Parker signing with the Charlotte Hornets, Ginobili will be the only player on the team who will carry on the legacy of the Spurs' successful championship runs next season.
At 41 years old, the 2008 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is still an effective player on the court. Once the team's main scorer off the bench, he has efficiently fulfilled the role of a stabilizer for the Spurs, especially during crucial moments.
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