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		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks 4/25/2009</description>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:37:29 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Mavs overcome Parker, Spurs for 3-1 series lead]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[DALLAS (AP) -- Tony Parker was exhausted, having done everything
the San Antonio Spurs wanted him to by aggressively taking the 
ball to the basket.

When Parker wasn't scoring, Tim Duncan was while bouncing back 
from the worst playoff game in his long career.

That still wasn't enough to save the Spurs from the brink of an 
unusual early playoff elimination against the Dallas Mavericks.

Josh Howard scored 28 points, seven in an early second-half 
spurt that put Dallas ahead to stay in a 99-90 victory Saturday.
The Mavs gained a 3-1 lead in their first-round Western 
Conference series, putting them on the verge of ousting a Spurs 
team that has little beyond Parker and Duncan.

"It's obvious that that's what we need to do. Those guys have to
have the ball as much as possible," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich 
said. "Sure, we hope that other people step up and make shots 
and make plays. It didn't happen enough."

For the Mavericks, it did -- even without big nights from Dirk 
Nowitzki and Jason Terry.

"They have a lot more weapons than us," Parker said.

Without an incredible comeback, beginning Game 5 in San Antonio 
on Tuesday night, the Spurs will be eliminated in the first 
round of the playoffs for the first time since 2000. They have 
been in every postseason since and won three NBA titles.

"A 3-1 lead is great to have, but it's no guarantee," Mavericks 
coach Rick Carlisle said.

"They're not going anywhere," Jason Kidd said. "We have to 
understand that. ... It's not easy to put a team away, 
especially a team that has won championships."

Parker had 31 of his 43 points by halftime, matching George 
Gervin's franchise playoff record for points in a half. That 
came after he was held to 12 points in Game 3, when the Spurs 
lost 88-67 in their lowest-scoring playoff game ever.

"Pop wanted me to be very aggressive after what happened in Game
3 because we couldn't score," Parker said. "I was trying to be 
very aggressive, and attacking."

He got started with two baskets in the first minute of the game,
quickly looking like he did during a 38-poing performance in 
Game 2 when he was constantly driving for scores in a victory 
that evened the series.

And Duncan, after being held to four points and two rebounds in 
Game 3, finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Between Bruce Bowen's 21-footer with 5 minutes left in the first
quarter and his 3-pointer in the final minute of the third 
quarter, Parker and Duncan had the only field goals made by the 
Spurs.

"Our offense was designed to let Tony go. Tim was the next 
option after that and everyone else falls in line," Roger Mason 
said.

After Parker and Duncan helped push the Spurs to a 55-51 
halftime lead, Howard hit a 3-pointer to open the second half. 
By the time Howard made another three minutes later, after Kidd 
hit one, Dallas led 64-58.

"This was huge. We're one game away from clinching," Howard 
said. "But they've done it before. We've got to be ready."

When San Antonio got the ball back, Parker had another drive and
the ball was swiped away by Dirk Nowitzki. Then Duncan was 
blocked by Ryan Hollins.

Kidd scored 17 points while Nowitzki was held to 12 points with 
13 rebounds. Terry, who received the NBA's sixth man award 
Friday, had 10 points on 3-of-17 shooting.

"Win is the only outcome you're looking for," Terry said. 
"They've made a point that they're not going to let me and Dirk 
beat them. We've got guys around us stepping up. ... Josh Howard
is the key to this whole thing. If he continues to have big 
games, then we like our chances."

After Dallas had stretched its lead to 83-71 early in the fourth
quarter, Parker had a driving layup on a give-and-go with 
Duncan. George Hill hit a 3-pointer for the Spurs before Parker 
made three consecutive baskets: a layup on another pass from 
Duncan and two jumpers from at least 20 feet that got the Spurs 
within 87-82 with 7 1/2 minutes left.

It was still a five-point game when Parker had a breakaway after
Nowitzki's turnover and was fouled by Kidd going for the layup 
with 3:47 left. But a tiring Parker missed both free throws.

"I was trying to go hard every play," Parker said. "I got a 
little tired at the end."

That came just seconds after Hollins had a putback slam over 
Duncan on Kidd's missed 3-pointer. Hollins was then called for a
technical foul for taunting Duncan.

Parker, who made 18 of 29 field goals, had 13 points in the 
first quarter -- one more than in all of Game 3. That included 
consecutive jumpers during a 10-0 run before Dallas responded 
with a 16-4 quarter-ending spurt.

San Antonio made only one of its first seven shots to start the 
second before Parker made a 3-pointer as the whistle blew. The 
call was going to be defensive infraction by the Mavs, so 
officials counted the basket.

Parker added another pair of 3s and his 11-foot turnaround 
jumper with 2:15 left made it 50-49, and put the Spurs until 
after halftime.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/94697-Mavs-overcome-Parker-Spurs-for-3-1-series-lead</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/94697-Mavs-overcome-Parker-Spurs-for-3-1-series-lead</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:05:38 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[After blowout loss, Spurs try to even series in Dallas]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By Stephen Hawkins
AP Sports Writer

San Antonio at Dallas, Western Conference first round, Mavericks lead 2-1, 4:00 p.m. EDT

DALLAS (AP) -- Rick Carlisle remembers one of the most infamous 
NBA playoff blowouts -- and what happened after it.

Within minutes of Dallas taking a 2-1 series lead against San 
Antonio with a surprisingly lopsided victory, the Mavericks 
coach and former Boston backup guard invoked the 1985 NBA finals
in which the Celtics opened with a rout of the Lakers but lost 
the series in six games.

Carlisle's message was the same in practice Friday, a day after 
Dallas led by as many as 36 points and held San Antonio to a 
franchise playoff scoring low in an 88-67 victory.

"I don't think you need to tell stories, but the point has got 
to be made that it's sitting there staring both teams in the 
face," Carlisle said. "When either team has won, their next game
has been abysmal. That's the challenge for us because we know 
what kind of game they're going to bring."

The Spurs conceded a game, not the series.

"It was disappointing, surprising, especially with the standard 
we set here," San Antonio defensive ace Bruce Bowen said. "This 
team has no choice (but to bounce back). We're disappointed we 
came out with the effort that we did. ... That's incentive 
enough."

With the Mavs up by 26 early in the third quarter, and a short 
turnaround to Game 4 on Saturday afternoon, Tim Duncan, Tony 
Parker and the other San Antonio starters went to the bench for 
good.

"We pulled the plug for that purpose," coach Gregg Popovich 
said. "I'm sure a lot of people were shocked, like, 'Hey, you 
can't not try.' It's not about that. It's a long process, and I 
think we have to hopefully try to be wise rather than foolishly 
brave."

In Carlisle's rookie season, the Celtics beat the Lakers, 
148-114, in Game 1 of the 1985 finals. But Los Angeles followed 
that Memorial Day embarrassment by winning the next two games 
and turning the series in its favor.

It's proof that things can turn around quickly, and they already
have in this series.

The Spurs fell flat in the fourth quarter of a Game 1 loss at 
home, then made up for it with a 21-point victory to even the 
series. Then they were so bad in Game 3 that Popovich didn't 
even consider it a tough loss.

"A tough loss to me is both teams play their (tails) off and 
somebody makes a shot with 1 second left that's contested or 
something. That's a tough loss," Popovich said. "(Thursday) was 
more of an embarrassing kind of loss where the other team 
dominated from the get-go and threw a punch and you never 
responded to."

Dallas scored the first eight points and led 46-30 at halftime.

San Antonio shot only 32 percent (25-of-78) and was 2-of-17 from
3-point range after shooting 50 percent overall the first two 
games. Parker, who scored 38 points in Game 2, had only 12 this 
time -- and that led the team. Duncan's four points and two 
rebounds were his fewest in a playoff game.

"You know they're going to be better. Pop's probably chewing 
them out," Dirk Nowitzki said. "It was a little too easier than 
we hoped."

Bowen says the Spurs disrespected a franchise that has won four 
NBA titles since 1999. The defensive stalwart is tied for third 
with Parker on the franchise list for career playoff games with 
120. He said Thursday night's loss was "the worst because of all
the things that you built here."

The Spurs also want to even the series before Game 5 in San 
Antonio on Tuesday night.

At least their starters got an extended break, with Parker's 21 
minutes the most for the top five in Game 3. Combined with early
foul trouble and the lopsided score, Duncan got a break for his 
sore knees by playing only 15 minutes.

"That's like going through a shootaround almost. It's nothing 
for him," Carlisle said.

Mavericks guard Jason Terry was presented the NBA's sixth man 
award Friday, getting the prize won last season by San Antonio's
Manu Ginobili.

But the Spurs are without Ginobili in the playoffs because of 
his right ankle injury. With that, and Duncan still sore, Parker
knows he has to bounce back quickly from his bad game.

"We have no choice," Parker said. "I'll be very aggressive. I'll
be right back at it. ... They're going to come harder because 
they know how important it is to go up 3-1 and we know how 
important it is to try to even the series."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[nba]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/94585-After-blowout-loss-Spurs-try-to-even-series-in-Dallas</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/nba/news/94585-After-blowout-loss-Spurs-try-to-even-series-in-Dallas</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:30:35 GMT</pubDate>
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