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Mavs and Spurs renew rivalry in the Alamo City

Jan 5, 2012 - 3:46 PM (Sports Network) - They say everything is bigger in Texas and the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs will renew their king-sized rivalry in the Alamo City on Thursday.

The Spurs come in reeling a bit despite earning their 27th consecutive home win over Golden State on Wednesday. Earlier in the day San Antonio announced that All-Star swingman Manu Ginobili will undergo surgery to repair a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand suffered during the second quarter of the team's loss in Minnesota on Monday.

The Argentine star will go under the knife Thursday morning and surgery screws and a plate are set to be inserted into his hand. A timeline for Ginobili's return has not yet been determined but an original estimation of six to eight weeks certainly looks optimistic now.

Despite the bad news off the court San Antonio remained perfect at home on the young season later in the evening when Tony Parker recorded 21 points and dished out eight assists, as the Spurs took the 101-95 victory. The Warriors' last win at San Antonio came on February 14, 1997.

Richard Jefferson tallied 17 points and five rebounds for the Spurs, who are off to a 4-0 start as the host for the second time in three seasons. Tim Duncan donated 15 points and 11 rebounds for San Antonio, while DeJuan Blair added 12 points and nine boards.

"It was good for our confidence," Parker said. "We're going to play a long time without Manu. In a schedule like this, you have to win games at home. It was a big one for us and now we have a big one tomorrow."

The Mavs, meanwhile, have rebounded a bit from their slow start, winning their second straight contest on Wednesday when Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points and Jason Terry added 18, as the Dallas downed the Suns, 98-89, in North Texas.

Lamar Odom scored a season-high 15 points on 50 percent shooting and Shawn Marion chipped in 13 for the reigning NBA champions, who have won three of four after an 0-3 start.

"The chemistry is getting a little bit better on the defensive end of the floor which is the most important," said Terry. "We know offensively that we are still a ways away, but defensively we like where we're at right now. We just need to continue to work."

San Antonio took three of four from the Mavs last season but Nowitzki missed two of the losses with injuries.

The Spurs will be aiming to start 5-0 at home for the first time since opening the 2007-08 campaign with 13 straight victories. Dallas, meanwhile, is 0-2 as the visitor this season and will be shooting for its first road victory.