Spurs fans were delighted to see Manu Ginobili finally get some rest over the summer heading into this season after battling an injury plagued 2008-2009 season.  And with Ginobili looking like the Ginobili Spurs fans know, the following might not be what fans want to hear.

"The tournament in Turkey is coming soon and as it gets closer, I am more and more looking forward to playing it," Ginobili said. "It would be a strange feeling not to be part of the World Championship, it's inevitable."

The tournament Manu is referring to is the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey this summer.

I am sure the issue of him playing this summer will enter into any contract extension discussions he and the Spurs have. He is a free agent after this season, and should the Spurs not resign him, he will be an in demand player.

Regarding his future in the NBA, Manu said, "Secondly, I don't have a team just yet and I don't know what I will do."

For the full article click FIBA.com HERE.

Michael and Jeff went live minutes after the Spurs win over the Knicks to break down the game and take your calls.

We looked at and analyzed each quarter, went over the box score and final game stats and even in a win, recognized that the Spurs continue to have third quarter meltdowns, which could've cost them the entire game.

We also spoke with Orange and Blue from Knicks Fanatics Blog and got his postgame reaction.

Our next live show will be next Wednesday, March 17 for the game against the Orlando Magic.

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Yesterday, the Spurs signed guard Cedric Jackson to a 10-day contract. Yes, that's right, Cedric Jackson. So by now you're wondering who the heck this guy is, why the Spurs signed him and what he can bring to the Spurs, so allow me to give you a closer look at Cedric Jackson.

The 6-3 point guard out of Cleveland State has been playing with the Erie BayHawks of the NBA D-League, and he's made quite a splash in his rookie year with season averages of 15.8 points, 7.4 assists and 5 rebounds per game.

He was not expected to start at the point for the BayHawks, but he earned the nod and the respect of his coaches, teammates and fans.

As we all know by now, Jackson was signed to play some backup point guard while Tony Parker is out with a broken hand for the next six weeks.

But let's get down to brass tacks, what can Jackson actually do for this team and what should Spurs fans expect?

According to Matt Hubert of Blog Talk BayHawk, his game is very similar to Tony Parker's in that he uses his speed to drive to the basket and finish over bigger defenders.

"In my opinion, Jackson is a great pickup by San Antonio. Like Parker, Jackson is lightning quick off the dribble, and he has an uncanny knack for getting to—and finishing at—the rim," Hubert said on his blog. "Just how fiercely does Jackson attack the rim? Well, he has taken nearly a quarter of the BayHawks' free throws this season (219 of the team's 980 attempts) despite missing nine games during his time with the Cavs."

While Jackson may be able to finish in the paint and has the "lightning" speed like Parker, he also shares a similar trait and struggle Parker had early on in his career.

While Jackson shoots 41 percent from the field, his percentages decrease drastically when he steps behind the arc, connecting on 28 percent of his treys.

The Spurs however, aren't really in need of another deep threat, and instead need someone that can dish and possibly put the defense on their heels, which is exactly Jackson's calling card.

"This guy can get up in a hurry and makes great decisions on the break which really impresses me for a rookie being one year out of college," Hubert said.

This isn't Jackson's first call-up this year. He was signed to two ten-day contracts with Cleveland earlier this season, and without him, the BayHawks struggled, going 1-8 without him.

Since his return to Erie, Jackson went off on a few occasions. In a loss against the Toros, Jackson had 34 points, 13 assists and 5 rebounds. Earlier this month against Iowa, he showed he's capable of more than scoring and dishing as he ended the game with 30 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and six steals.

So how does that translate to the NBA. Unfortunately, his stint with the Cavs wasn't much of a barometer since Jackson only played in 5 games and didn't get more than 2:42 of playing time and even got as little as 15 seconds in one game.

That should change in his second NBA stint, as the Spurs will need a good decision-maker who will look to help his teammates.

So we know that Jackson is quick and can get to the basket, but what about Jackson made the Spurs pick him up instead of going into their own backyard and picking up someone like Curtis Jerrells of the Toros.

Jackson is a leader, and he has been ever since he was at Cleveland State, but he also has confidence, the must-have trait in a point guard, and the trait that has sent several former Spurs backup guards packing. Jackson also excels in transition, on the fast break and the thing that likely sold the Spurs more than anything else, his defensive prowess.

He was the Horizon League defensive player of the year playing for Cleveland State last year and he ranks as the top defensive point guard in the D-League, according to Ridiculous Upside.

"He's not very big (6'3", 190) but he is very athletic and plays the passing lanes quite well - he has great instincts," Ridiculous Upside's Scott Schroeder wrote.

In San Antonio, Jackson could benefit from a shooting coach like Chip Engelland, and having Parker and Hill mentoring him would also work to his benefit.

But the question is, can Jackson stick? Does he have a chance to turn his 10-day contract into a contract for the rest of the season.

Accord to BayHawks coach John Treloar, he's still got some time and work to put in.

"He's making progress," Treloar said. "He's got a long way to go to become an NBA point guard that plays a lot of minutes, but it's another great opportunity for him."

An opportunity that could possibly lead to Jackson realizing his NBA dreams, even if it isn't with the Spurs.

"Im hoping that Popovich and the coaching staff see the same things I've seen all season," Hubert said. "I really do think Jackson can contribute on a consistent level with an NBA team as a backup change-of-pace guard."

Hubert also went on to say that he expects Jackson to be on an NBA team's roster on opening day next season. But for now, Jackson has a locker and a 10-day contract...and he couldn't be happier.

Required Reading

Ridiculous Upside
Blog Talk BayHawk

Hubert interview on The Spurscast Live

The San Antonio Spurs took on the New York Knicks last night and pulled out the win. Final score 97-87.  Though the Spurs did get the win, there were some glaring issues in this game. Let's move to the third quarter.

As usual the third quarter melt down. In the quarter, the Spurs committed eight turnovers (13 for the game) which allowed the Knicks to cut what was once a 15 point deficit to just seven points after three quarters.

Fortunately the Spurs were hitting their free-throws, hitting 9-10 from the charity stripe. This kept the Knicks at a distance as the teams headed into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter did not start off well for the Spurs. Knicks cut the Spurs lead down to one point as the Spurs could not get it going on either end of the court. Telling moment was mid-way through the fourth, Tim Duncan had the ball in the low block and the other Spurs were not moving. Duncan angrily yelled at someone to move, when Keith Bogans slashed to the basket for an easy lay-up.

Eventually the Spurs did get things on the right track as they outscored the Knicks 14-5 in the final 3:58 of the game.

For more on the game, I did a post-game Q&A with my NBA Bloguin Brother, LIVES, from Knicks Fanatics. To read my answers to Knicks Fanatics post game Q&A click HERE. Enjoy!

Knicks died by the three-point shot tonight shooting 2-17.  Care to explain why Mike D'Antoni did not go away from this?

Mike came to New York with the philosophy that any open shot is a good shot, especially if it can get you three points.  He was so enamored by it that he taught it to Jared Jeffries the defensive specialist who was turning into a main offensive option.  You have no idea how offensive that concept was.  Any way, D'Antoni has toned it down a bit since he started but he favors allowing shooters to shoot themselves back into their rhythm.  It doesn't seem to matter whether it takes a quarter or a third of the season for them to regain it.

The Spurs struggled in the third quarter, committing eight turnovers and not shooting well from the field yet the Knicks did not capitalize. Care to explain?

No. Not really.  Actually the Knicks did take advantage of it by reducing the lead from 15 to 7 by the end of the quarter.   What more do you want from expiring contracts and a knee rehab project?

Your impressions on how the Knicks defended Tim Duncan and your impressions on the Spurs team overall.

The Knicks defended Duncan fairly well.  He holds the ball too long and forces it too much for my liking. He tied Blair with the most turnovers (3) on the team.  Lee did a decent job of keeping his wide body between him and the basket and Duncan did not abuse us with that spin move often.

 Manu Ginobli is da man.  The Spurs clearly have some nice young pieces and some other pieces they need to replace ASAP. Richard Jefferson is very likable but his game is not going to cut it for you guys unless he becomes a lot more aggressive in the paint on offense and defense.  He doesn't have enough alpha dog in him.  Roger Mason reminds me of the athletic guys I play against in the Y -- all movement, no results.  Hairston, Hill and Blair are very nice.  I also have a soft spot in my heart for McDyess who overcame so much after once being considered the hope for the Knicks.  However, the Spurs need some more size -- either a nice draft pick, good free agent or a sweetheart deal like the Celtics (Kevin Garnett), Lakers (Pau Gasol) or Cavs (Antwan Jamison).  Maybe your boy in OakCity will give you Kevin Durant for Mason. (ROFLMAO -- only it will never happen).

Time after time the Knicks settled for jumpers. Had to be frustrating.  

Asked and answered.  OK, it sucks, but we're used to it now.  Just waiting for July 2011.

Was there anything positive for Knicks fans to take away from this game?

One game closer to the end of the season.  On second thought, Danilo was still showing more aggression although folks are still over selling his game. But his play matters since I am fairly sure he will be with the Knicks next year.

Notes:

• Manu Ginobili led the way for the Spurs with 28 points, six rebounds and five assists.
• After a horrible game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Antonio McDyess scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
• Richard Jefferson and Roger Mason both had not-so-great nights. Jefferson finished with 0-2 shooting, seven rebounds, one steal and zero points in 17:55 minutes of play. Mason finished with 0-3 shooting, three rebounds, three assists, one turnover and zero points in 15:26 minutes of play.
• Jefferson went scoreless for the first time since January 2006.
• The Spurs bench scored 16 points for the game.
• Tim Duncan with another solid night with 18 points and nine rebounds and Keith Bogans chipped in with 13 points and George Hill with 12 points.
• Spurs didn't hit a field goal for the final 5:35 of the third quarter.
• Knicks have now lost seven straight games in San Antonio. Their last win was in 2003.  
• Spurs record is now 37-25, they are seventh in the Western Conference, and will next face the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night.

(Photos D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty Images)

Tonight, the Spurs will be celebrating Noche Latina when the Spurs take on the New York Knicks in the AT&T Center.  Noche Latina honors Hispanic fans and players with Latin-themed activities, including music, performances, and giveaways.

With the Spurs playing in San Antonio, the Hispanic influence, in particular the Mexican culture, is felt not only in the community, but even within the Spurs franchise itself.

So today Project Spurs celebrates with the NBA and the Spurs, Noche Latina, with an article in Spanish from Project Spurs' very own, Arianne Villanueva.  Here she spotlights Manu Ginobili and what he does off the court to represent Hispanics not only in San Antonio, but also in Argentina.

By Arianne Villanueva

La NBA estará celebrando su evento anual “Noche Latina” esta noche durante y después del juego de Los Spurs en contra de Los Knicks de Nueva York. Este es el cuarto año consecutivo en el cual el NBA se ha tomado el tiempo de reconocer a al comunidad Hispana y a sus fanáticos.  Esta Noche, Los Spurs estarán presentando actividades Latinas dentro de la arena que incluirán música, funciones, y regalando premios.

Con los Spurs como anfitriones en su noche de festividades, nosotros aquí en Project Spurs nos enfocamos en la cultura Hispana de nuestro equipo, y que mejor manera de hacerlo que reconociendo a nuestra Espuela Argentina, Manu Ginobili.

Aun que los logros de Manu Ginobili sobre la cancha son bastante conocidos, fuera de la cancha el orgullosamente también representa a la comunidad Latina. En la ciudad de San Antonio, el aparece en varios anuncios en Español y esta involucrado con la comunidad Latina al igual que con la comunidad Argentina en su tierra natal.

La mayoría de gente en San Antonio sabe que Manu Ginobili “Aun es un cliente de Time Warner” ya que a sido visto en anuncios para Time Warner en Español. El también aparece en anuncios para la tienda de comida H-E-B, una cadena de tiendas de mercado local en Texas. Manu también se mantiene activo en numerosos proyectos de caridad incluyendo la “Fundación Manu Ginobili”, que entre tantas actividades sostiene una clínica de deportes para niños mentalmente incapacitados en Buenos Aires.

El talento sobre la cancha, el carisma, y la humildad que posee Manu Ginobili le ha ayudado a ganarse el corazón de los fanáticos que hacen parte de la comunidad latina en la cuidad de San Antonio y por el mundo entero. Es por eso que yo como fanática Latina de Los Spurs al igual que muchos mas, siento la orgullosa necesidad de cantarle a Manu el coro Argentino….Olé, Olé, Olé…Manu, Manu.

Gracias Manu, por representar a la comunidad Latina de una manera en la cual nos enorgullece a todos.

On this episode of the Eighth Seed (or Sixth Seed, since we were missing John Karalis and Zach Harper), we discussed All-Star weekend becoming more lame and boring by the year and what the NBA can do to fix it.

We talked about the winners and losers of the NBA trade deadline, if the Jamison trade makes the Cavs the clear-cut favorites for the crown and which teams set themselves up to be players in free agency this offseason.

Each of the guys also gave an outlook on the second half of the season for their respective teams and apparently Rey Moralde thinks auto-tune should be for podcasters too.

The rest of the 8th Seed crew is:

Rey Moralde from The No Look Pass
Glenn Moore from The Dug Out Sports Show
Jared Wade from 8 Points, 9 Seconds & Both Teams Played Hard
Zach Harper from Cowbell Kingdom & Talk Hoops
John Karalis from Reds Army
Adam Best from Fansided

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