Manu Ginobili hit a few clutch shots to ensure the San Antonio Spurs would avoid a sweep in Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors, and Steve Kerr couldn’t even be angry at what happened.
After the matchup, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, Kerr said he smiled when Ginobili knocked down a game-sealing triple in front of the Warriors’ bench.
“It was just so typical Manu: [40] years old and 16 points, and hits the clinching 3. He’s Manu. That’s what he does. I know he’s old because he was my teammate, and I’m old as dirt. So, if I played with him, he must be old.”
Though the exact image of Kerr smiling is tough to see, the moment occurred with a shade under 30 seconds remaining. San Antonio held a 100-90 advantage, but Manu stretched the lead to 13 with his third trifecta of the game.
From there, any hope of a Golden State comeback was lost.
If this ends up being Manu's swan song, it was beautifulpic.twitter.com/4kLBHuiUxx
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) April 22, 2018
Manu finished the contest 5-of-10 with 16 points, five assists and three rebounds. And if Game 4 was the final appearance of his NBA career in San Antonio, it was a fitting end to a remarkable career. Golden State could end the series in Game 5 at home.
But for one final night, Ginobili, one of the most respected veterans in the league, put a smile on plenty of faces ― even the coach on the other end of the sideline.