Ginobili doesn't need to start to prove value to Spurs

Getting his kicks: Manu Ginobili's willingness to come off the bench draws praise from Spurs teammates and coaches. AP

Plenty In Reserve Manu Ginobili is enjoying a productive season off the bench for San Antonio Category Season Average NBA Rank Minutes 29.2 118th Points 20.3 21st Steals 1.74 16th 3-Pointers Made 44 (total) 7th FTs Made 104 (total) T-11th (All stats through Dec. 5)

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It is tempting to chalk up Manu Ginobili's huge and timely performance Wednesday against Dallas -- in his first start of the season for San Antonio, with the Spurs forced to face their arch rivals with franchise guy Tim Duncan on the side in a suit -- as one of those exceptions that proves the rule.

Except that, for the life of me, I've never understood that goofball saying. It always sounds like something a grandparent might spew, almost reflexively, a dose of grown-up illogic one step beyond "I know you are but what am I?'' If there is a rule, why would it take an exception to prove it? Why would there necessarily even be an exception in the first place?

Um, we digress. This much is certain: Ginobili was exceptional in the Spurs' 97-95 home victory over the Mavericks, and the game he had as a starter, while Duncan nursed a sprained right ankle, did demonstrate anew why he is so valuable to the defending champions as the NBA's most productive sixth man in 2007-08.

And the 6-foot-6 Argentine is exceptional when it comes to embracing his role off the bench, 94.7 percent of the time so far, in a no-fuss, no-muss way we seldom see in this league.

In a land of 7-foot athletes, 10-foot baskets and 20-foot egos, it is rare when a player can be selfless enough to earn his $9 million salary by cheerfully doing what his coach instructs and his team needs.

"It's refreshing to see -- and it's upsetting to say that,'' Spurs backup guard Brent Barry said. "We've gotten to the point in professional athletics where we just expect somebody to be upset with that role or automatically assume it's a demotion of some sort.

"Ultimately, I think that's what people assume it comes down to: saying you're in the starting five, as opposed to not being announced in arenas around the country. ... I don't know how much importance there is in that for guys on our team.''

OK, so we've all heard plenty about "the Spurs' model'' and how they do things differently down there in that part of Texas, about how coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford essentially recruit or (better word) select the players on their team as much for character as for talent. We've heard it and heard it and heard it, like a boss' harangue, all the way into June for three of the past five years.

Fact is, it is real and it works, as evidenced again by the best record in the Western Conference entering Friday's play. And that's why, when I informed Ginobili that I asked Popovich what sort of financial incentive has been promised for his happy compliance with this sixth-man role, everyone already was in on the joke.

"Thank you very much!'' Ginobili said, smiling broadly as he grabbed and shook my hand. "Finally!''

Then, of course, there is Popovich's answer to that question.

"He gets just wonderful praise for being a team player. Nothing monetary,'' the coach said.

And there it is again, ladies and gentlemen: the Spurs' way.

"I would like to think that,'' Popovich said. "We try to spend as much time to bring people to the program who have, quote-unquote, gotten over themselves.''

It isn't easy getting over Ginobili's contributions to San Antonio's 16-3 start. Beyond those 37 points he scored against the Mavericks, 25 of them after halftime, to boost the Spurs to 11-0 at home, there was the 31 he got at Minnesota five days earlier as his club erased a 14-point deficit. Ginobili, 30, is the only player in the NBA who is averaging more than 18 points (20.3, actually) while playing fewer than 30 minutes (29.2). He ranks 25th in scoring and 22nd in steals and free-throw attempts, but only 118th in playing time.

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