By Rasheeb Shrestha SpursZONE.com I know he still thinks about it every day. No, I?ve never met him, never spoken to him, never even been closer than five feet of him. But I am certain he still dwells on that moment. And I am certain it?s eating him alive. For Manu Ginobili, there is no in between. It?s feast or famine, heaven or hell, elation or devastation. His mind, body, and soul are programmed to do one thing -- win at all costs. In Game 7 of the San Antonio Spurs? 2006 second round showdown vs. the Dallas Mavericks, Ginobili epitomized exactly that. His heart and hustle, along with the brilliance of Tim Duncan, were the reasons the Spurs had made it to a Game 7 in the first place. And that?s also what kept them alive in that decisive game, rallying from 20 points down to even the score in the final minute. Ginobili?s three-pointer with less than 30 seconds left not only gave the Spurs their first lead of the night, but it also seemed like the defining moment on their run to another championship. It appeared that finally, after all the Spurs had been through that season -- from the plantar fasciitis to the scare from the Kings to the 3 games to 1 deficit to the punch below the belt -- that it was all meant for this moment. And it would have all been worth it -- oh, would it have been worth it. But then, unbelievably, it happened. Dirk Nowitzki drove and Ginobili reacted, doing the one thing Gregg Popovich had stressed not to do. The bucket and subsequent free throw merely tied the game. But for all intense and purposes, it ended it. There was no way the Spurs were going to recover from that in time to salvage the game, the series, the season. Now the question is: can Manu Ginobili recover from that mistake in time to salvage the rest of his career? If you think the Spurs don?t have concerns about Manu?s mental state going into next season, you?re kidding yourself. Many of his Spur teammates tried to console him immediately following the Game 7 loss to no avail. The next day, Popovich went out of his way to absolve his star guard of any blame, stating that Ginobili was ?the stud of the world? and that the Spurs would have two less championships without him. Remember, this is the same Ginobili who admitted to being so rattled by his first round, Game 3 turnover in the closing seconds against Sacramento, that he played tentative in Game 4. If he could react so poorly after his mistake cost his team one game, how is he going to react now after another mistake cost them the entire season? If history is any indication, you have to like Ginobili?s chances of coming out of this alright. After all, Manu was also the one guarding Derek Fisher for the ?0.4? incident two years ago. Some, including the late, great writer Ralph Wiley, put the blame on Ginobili, stating he should have played more up in Fisher?s grill because it?s unlikely the refs would have called a foul in that situation. Most ?experts? blamed Popovich for not having someone guard the inbounds passer. But again, Manu put the loss on himself, as his comments suggested afterwards: ?I watched the replay (of Fisher?s shot) so I could see if I played any defense so that I can sleep at night.? Instead of having that loss and that moment stew in his system for an entire offseason, he was lucky enough to have an outlet -- the same outlet he?ll have this summer -- the Argentine National Team. His triumph in Athens not only made him a living legend in his home country, it also served as a kick-start to his fabulous 2004-05 NBA season with the Spurs, in which he made his first All-Star team and came within one vote of sharing the Finals MVP with Duncan. At the end of that season, Ginobili was widely considered one of the top five players in the world, and the Fisher shot became a distant memory. Now here we are, just over a year later, and Ginobili finds himself facing his demons yet again. He will not be so lucky this time around -- nobody with a sense of NBA history will ever forget his foul on Nowitzki. It will go down notoriously in NBA lore much like Isiah Thomas? errant pass in the ?87 Eastern Conference Finals and Nick Anderson?s missed free throws in the ?95 NBA Finals. But again, Manu will not have to worry about the NBA just yet. As he heads to Japan for the FIBA World Basketball Championship, his Argentine National Team is by no means a clear cut favorite to win it all. Every team will be gunning to dethrone them, including Dwyane Wade and the U.S., Pau Gasol and Spain, his Spur teammate Tony Parker and France, and his old nemesis Dirk Nowitzki and Germany. It is quite clear that Manu will have to be in top form if Argentina is to come out on top. The Spurs would like nothing more than for Ginobili to play well in Japan. It could go a long way towards healing the wounds of this past May. However, the Spurs? worry for Ginobili does not only extend to his mind. Manu clearly was never himself physically at any point during last season, as he battled multiple injuries to his right foot and leg. He?s nearing 30 years old, and if you take into account his hectic style of play, his many summers playing for his native Argentina, and his rail-thin body, you have to wonder if he can ever regain his elite status. And even if he does, how much longer can he stay at that level? One thing is for certain, in order for the Spurs to reclaim their lost title, they need Manu to play like he did two seasons ago. While no one will ever question his heart, his body and mind are up for debate. ESPN Page 2 columnist Bill Simmons recently wrote that he thinks Ginobili will either be haunted by the Nowitzki foul and never be the same, or he will use it to his advantage and come back better than ever. It?s a scary theory for Spurs fans, but it?s a theory that?s probably true. Which way will he go? Will Manu react to his mistake like Nick Anderson or like Isiah Thomas? Will he allow his mind to play tricks on him while his body continues to fail him? Or can he put it all behind him and continue on his unique career path that could eventually land him in the Hall of Fame? Come this weekend in Japan, we?ll begin to find out.
