Final
Old foes meet again as Spurs face Mavs
Apr 20, 2014 - 2:28 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - For the sixth time since 2001, the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks will square off in the playoffs, starting Sunday afternoon at the AT&T Center.For the 17th consecutive season, the Spurs will be in the postseason.
For the seventh time since 1997, the Spurs finished with the best record in the Western Conference. The Big Three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili returned intact and key contributors did exactly what Spurs' role players do - they played sensationally.
Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Patty Mills, Boris Diaw and, especially newcomer Marco Belinelli, played brilliantly for stretches this season.
Popovich is a master of resting his players as the season progresses and San Antonio heads to the postseason in good health.
"We had an unbelievable regular season, we put ourselves in a great situation to be No. 1 overall," said Ginobili. "We're going for it, like every year."
If there was ever a season the Spurs could've folded, this would've been the one. Their longevity is stunning, but this season could've very easily been a championship defense until Ray Allen stuck a dagger in the Spurs' hearts.
Miami's Allen made a crazy 3-pointer to tie Game 6 of the NBA Finals, a game the Heat went on to win. Miami took Game 7 to win back-to-back titles, but the inevitability of a San Antonio win in Game 6 was so clear, tape was being put up around the floor in Miami to prepare for San Antonio's celebration.
"What does impress me about the group is that they've gotten themselves in this position after a devastating loss in the Finals last year," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said earlier in the week. "I thought they were pretty amazing after Game 6 to play as hard as they did in Game 7, when I think a lot of teams would have just given in. Beyond that, they came back, put it aside and have done what they've done. I think that's pretty impressive. I don't think a lot of people have picked up on that but I have and I'm really impressed with them."
The Mavericks are back in the playoffs after a one-year absence, meaning Dallas has been in the postseason 13 of the last 14 years. They earned the eighth seed after a gritty overtime loss on Wednesday to the Grizzlies in Memphis.
"Yeah, we'll be OK," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said immediately after the loss in Memphis. "I feel good about our team. I really do. And (Wednesday night) is a great indication of the fight we have in us. We're going to take that fight to San Antonio."
The Spurs have won nine straight against their Texas rivals, including a four- game sweep this season, but that doesn't mean Dallas doesn't know what it takes to beat San Antonio.
"What you've got to do against San Antonio is you've got to be a little smarter than we were in the last couple of outings," said Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. "We feel like one little, two little mistakes and boom, it's a three. A brutal missed boxout, pass out and three. Against that team you've got to be smart, you've got to execute perfectly and we've got to shoot the ball well."
Nowitzki made yet another All-Star team with averages of 21.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg. He shot 90 percent from the foul line, almost 50 percent from the field and just about 40 percent from long range.
Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon joined the Mavs in the offseason and formed a very strong backcourt. They combined to average 30.4 ppg and 10.4 apg.
Apr 20 3:34 PM- DALLAS: 65
SAN ANTONIO: 65
End of 3rd
Apr 20 2:56 PM - DALLAS: 44
SAN ANTONIO: 43
Halftime
Apr 20 2:09 PM - DALLAS: 12
SAN ANTONIO: 21
End of 1st
Apr 20 1:37 PM - DALLAS: 0
SAN ANTONIO: 0
1st Quarter - 11:37
Apr 20 1:12 PM
Related News
- The Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama Rivalry Has Started Early Dec 28
- Pat Frost retirement recognized at Spurs game Dec 26
- Stats rundown: 3 stats to know from the Dallas Mavericks’ Christmas Day win over the Phoenix Suns, 128-114 Dec 26
- 3 thoughts on a tense 128-114 Christmas win for the Mavericks over the Phoenix Suns Dec 26
- Luka Hits 10,000 Points: How Doncic reached a career Milestone Dec 25
- Merry Christmas greetings from Wemby Claus Dec 25
- Mavericks vs Suns Preview: the NBA Christmas Day nightcap of Dallas against Phoenix Dec 25
- Mavericks Odds: How to bet the Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns Dec 25
- Game Thread: NBA Christmas Day basketball marathon Dec 25
- Open Thread: Charlotte Hornets have never played on Christmas Day Dec 25
- Mavericks vs Suns Preview: 3 things to know as Mavericks get Christmas Day showdown against the Suns Dec 24
- NBA Power Rankings Watch: the Mavericks navigate the injury bug Dec 24