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Winless Spurs host Mavericks in intra-state rivalry

Nov 4, 2008 - 3:53 PM DALLAS (1-2) AT SAN ANTONIO (0-2), 8:30pm EST

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs are in uncharted territory, as they have lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 1996-97.

San Antonio shoots for its first win of the season Tuesday when it hosts the in-state rival Dallas Mavericks.

Though many expected the Spurs to struggle somewhat during the season's early stages - mainly due to a lack of depth and the absence of injured All-Star Manu Ginobili - an 0-3 start would certainly be out of the ordinary.

The last time the Spurs lost their first three games was in 1973 while they were still members of the ABA. They lost early-season games to the San Diego Conquistadors and Utah Stars, finally picking up their first win over the Virginia Squires in the fifth game of the year.

In its first two games this season, San Antonio has struggled from a lack of depth, as Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have combined for 115 of the Spurs' 197 points this year.

Duncan scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Friday's 100-99 loss at Portland.

The Mavericks have had their own struggles this year, uncharacteristically dropping a pair of home games. The last two seasons, Dallas has lost just nine games on its home floor.

The Mavs are looking to bounce back from Monday's 100-81 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Josh Howard scored 18 points to pace Dallas, which shot just under 41 percent from the floor and was outrebounded, 52-35.