I was looking at totals, not shooting percentage. But you are right, Ginobli is a significantly better shooter. But both players are very difficult to guard.
So in 10 additional minutes a game Hedo manages 1 more point. And plays at a faster pace. I wonder why his PER is never in the top 10 like Manu's.
And Orlando plays at a higher pace than SA, which makes each shot less significant.
Do you really believe this nonsense?
Any offensive possession should be significant. Just because they play a faster pace doesn't change the significance of the possession. They also have to defend more possessions by their opponents.
Of course it does, you're not very bright about this are you? There is a difference between pace and actual defense. Teams like the Spurs play at a slower pace, teams like Orlando play at a faster pace. The only thing that matters in terms of defense is the point differential- the difference between what your team scores and what it allows.
The teams that play slow do so, because they think that it is to their advantage- that their disciplined style and focus on execution is superior to the other team and that their defense pressure is superior as well. It's an old Larry Brown formula for winning.
Teams like the Magic don't worry so much about D, instead they focus on offense and outscoring your team, that doesn't mean they don't play D, it simply means that at times they don't have to, because other teams that are used to controlling the pace see them run out to a 20 pt. lead and give up.
I used to think SA' style was the only way to go, but the Magic aren't just a running team. They're a running team with the best Center in the game. They are very difficult to stop even in the half-court, because they play inside-out, drive and kick ball. It's much harder to defend because the passing lanes are different and they have confidence in their shooters and the long ball. Can you afford to leave Howard down on the block? How do you cover all those three-point shooters, when they don't miss.
You don't need a great defense when your offense gets you a consistent lead, just an occaissional stop.
What happens when the two teams meet? It depends on which team can control the pace. SA may want a slow game, but they can't stop Orlando from running out after a made or missed shot. You saw how close Phoenix got a few years ago with that style, the difference is that Orlando is better at it. Cleveland, which is coached by a Larry Brown/Greg Pop disciple, and considered an elite team cannot defend Orlando.
Also, while it's good that Manu is soo productive in such a shot amount of time, why is it that he's on the floor for less than half a game? That's why Manu doesn't get the credit he deserves. A reasonable conclusion is that he's not in good enough condition to play 38-40 min. a game.
