Spurs-Mavericks Preview / Game Thread

[Dulce]

Spurs-Mavericks Preview



(AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs are 0-3 on the road, but should have some confidence playing an opponent they beat at home a week ago while short-handed.

There's little question that the surging Dallas Mavericks are confident after winning the final three games of a road trip.

The Southwest Division rivals meet for the second time in eight days Wednesday night when the Mavericks begin a three-game homestand.

San Antonio (4-4) has yet to win on the road and is 2-4 overall with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan in the lineup. Both superstars missed two victories last week before returning for Saturday's 101-98 loss to Oklahoma City.

Richard Jefferson, acquired in an offseason trade with Milwaukee, had a season-low four points in 35 minutes after averaging 26.5 in the two games without Parker and Duncan. The newcomer feels it is difficult to judge the Spurs through eight games.

"We still haven't played that many games together yet," Jefferson said. "And I think everyone's always looking for that 8-2 start, everything's going great. Well that's not how the NBA works sometimes."

Jefferson's best game with San Antonio came last Wednesday in a 92-83 win over Dallas (8-3) with Parker and Duncan out. He scored 29 points in the first game between the rivals since the Mavericks eliminated the Spurs in five games in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Playing Dallas again so soon gives this matchup a bit of a postseason feel.

"I played home-and-homes before with teams where you play them on a Friday and you turn around and play them back-to-back on a Saturday," Jefferson said. "It's interesting, but I think it's good for us to get these good, competitive games against a quality team."

The Mavericks have won three straight since that loss, winning 115-113 in overtime at Milwaukee on Monday. Dirk Nowitzki capped a 32-point, 11-rebound performance with the winning 18-foot jumper as time expired.

"We feel fortunate," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We played hard enough to deserve the game and they did too. It's a great win for us and a tough loss for them."

The winning streak has coincided with Carlisle inserting Rodrigue Beaubois into the lineup after the rookie did not see action last week against the Spurs. Beaubois is averaging 11.7 points on 63.6 percent (14 of 22) shooting.

Beaubois has formed a quality backcourt tandem with Jason Kidd, Jefferson's former teammate at New Jersey. Kidd had a season-high 17 assists on Monday.

"This is a big win. ... We've given some away and tonight, it was kind of looking like that, but we stayed involved and made some plays down the stretch," Kidd said.

The short-handed Mavs lost forward Shawn Marion to a sprained left ankle in the second quarter. Owner Mark Cuban said Marion is day to day, but should be fine.

Erick Dampier's status is uncertain. The center was hospitalized after warmups ahead of Sunday night's 95-90 victory in Detroit and Drew Gooden has posted two double-doubles in his place.

[spurscrazed]

This game might be more important to the Mavs than Spurs. Just sayin.

But if Spurs lost this game, I would be mad as hell.

Spurs can win this if they play defense and stay focused. It won't be that easy but it can be ONLY done with hard nose Spurs Defense.

Spurs 101
Mavs 96

Close game. NAIL BITER. Sprus win Baby!!!!

Go Spurs Go

[alamo]

The Spurs provide me with no indication of if they are going to pull off a win or a loss. We are still tinkering with lineups have no cohesiveness. Dallas will be lookin for payback but they mite not have Damp and Marion plus no Howard. So we gotta watch out for the trap game and not under estimate our foes. I think the game will be close, Spurs are rested and have had more practice time and Manus tight hammie should be better. Alot of small ball should be expected. At this point Im more concerned with effort. AS long as I see a all out effort and maximum hustle from our guys ill be happy, but a win would actually give me a good reason to wake up in the morning. That said, Spurs 96 My little Ponies 91 Goooooooooooo SPURS!

[spurscrazed]

Originally Posted by alamo

Spurs 96 My little Ponies 91 Goooooooooooo SPURS!

[pessimist]

The Spurs should just stay home and rest up for the Utah game. When your point guard doesn't pass to anyone, you can't really expect to win games on the road against possible playoff teams.

Mavs 103 Spurs 90

[Jason R]

Yes, we've never won games with Parker at the helm, and those we have were won out of sheer luck.

[SleepyAdamII]

can anyone speculate on the starting line up?

[alamo]

The starting line up should be in a whole new post by itself. In fact HEB should run a promo that if you guess the correct starting line up you get like a free tday turkey! Am I smart or what? Its my promo guys so dont go stealing it. Im gonna go sell it to Taco Cabana or maybe Whataburger! So any ways my five starters: TD,AM,RJ,MF,TP.

[shelshor]

NBA.com - Referee Assignments
Nov 18, 2009
San Antonio @ Dallas--Monty McCutchen, James Capers, Leroy Richardson

[CrackWhore]

My predicted starting lineup for tonight

Duncan
Blair
Jefferson
Bogans
Parker

[Dasher]

Originally Posted by alamo

The starting line up should be in a whole new post by itself. In fact HEB should run a promo that if you guess the correct starting line up you get like a free tday turkey! Am I smart or what? Its my promo guys so dont go stealing it. Im gonna go sell it to Taco Cabana or maybe Whataburger! So any ways my five starters: TD,AM,RJ,MF,TP.

mine is TD, RJ, BONNER, TONY, FINLEY

[Robofuzz]

If Tony ballhogs and doesn't get RJ involved, we're gonna lose. The Mavs have proven they can pretty much handle Tony, but RJ absolutely went off on them. RJ HAS to be more involved in the offense. We're the deeper team - we just need to play smart.

[Jason R]

Might as well learn how to play without Manu since he has the physical resilience of glass.

[spurs_believer]

35 v 37 at halftime. What the....

[BadKo]

Refs are on Mavs side tonight

[Rzarector7]

Game OVER, another loss on the damn road....... What else is new?

This year is so trying right now, especially after the pick ups and what we thought would happen this year, it's not going that way YET!!!!!

[pessimist]

Key to the game : Gooden had 17 points . . . When that happens - ball game.

[Trey]

The difference in this game is when the game came down to the clutch, our superstar missed one handed uncontrolled shots.

And their superstar got to his spots and took shots he makes.

[frenchfred]

no TP who doesn't pass and we still lost, how weird.

[Grego]

Originally Posted by frenchfred

no TP who doesn't pass and we still lost, how weird.

Played good D, but when you have Mason playing the point and Hill in foul trouble, it just gets even more difficult.

[pessimist]

Originally Posted by BadKo

Refs are on Mavs side tonight

Explain how the refs helped the Mavericks get 17 offensive rebounds comapred to the Spurs getting 8?

Hussle is FREE.