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04-26-2009, 01:44 AM
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Better team continues to win in this series (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/art_garcia/04/25/mavs.spurs.game4/)
By Art Garcia, NBA.com
DALLAS -- As obvious as it appears, it's got to be hard to swallow for the Spurs. The Mavericks are just the better team right now.
This San Antonio squad isn't the one Gregg Popovich once envisioned going into the Playoffs a few months back, but that's old news. And to call this an "upset" if the sixth-seeded Mavericks close the deal next week wouldn't be fair to either side.
Relying on depth and athleticism over its stars, Dallas moved within a victory of the Western Conference semifinals by outlasting San Antonio 99-90 in methodical fashion Saturday afternoon. The Spurs' margin for error has evaporated after an outing that had to be more draining than the Game 3 wipeout.
How could it not be after Tim Duncan outscores Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry by himself? And when Tony Parker outscores Duncan by 18? The Spurs squeezed every ounce possible out of their two studs, while once again effectively shutting down Dallas' top-scoring duo.
But as Parker succinctly put it after racking up a career Playoff-high 43 points: "They had all different guys making plays for them."
There lies the difference in the series. For all the adjustments dictated by the Mavericks through four games, San Antonio simply doesn't have the horses. Dallas can survive with Dirk Decoy taking just nine shots, a grounded Jet and by shooting less than 40 percent.
The list of Maverick contributors in Game 4 started with Josh Howard, the game's high-scorer (28) who offensively keyed a third-quarter charge that erased a sloppy end to the second quarter that led to a 55-51 halftime deficit.
"It was a collective group effort, everyone giving it their all," said Howard, author of two games of at least 25 points in the series. "We know what they want to do with Jet and Dirk."
The rest of the Mavericks took it from there. Jason Kidd had an impact that went beyond seven assists, seven rebounds and an out-of-character 17 points. Erick Dampier, J.J. Barea and Antoine Wright picked their spots. Little-used backup center Ryan Hollins turned in an over-the-top 19-minute stint of eight rebounds, three blocks and a fist-pumping technical.
But Dallas didn't overwhelm as much as wear down the Spurs. The Mavericks overcame 38-percent shooting and a 21-9 difference in points off turnovers by dominating the glass and getting to the line.
"We kept trying to plug along and stick with the gameplan," Kidd said.
Lost on the stat sheet was the job Kidd did against Parker in the second half, when San Antonio's do-it-all quarterback found the defense not as inviting. Kidd was better able to stay in front of Parker, while Dallas' help defenders upped their aggressiveness when he got into the lane.
After carving up the Mavericks for 31 points in the first two quarters, Parker managed just 12 -- the same as Kidd -- after the break. Parker admitted tiring down the stretch, which probably had something to do with two missed free throws with San Antonio down just five (92-87) with about four minutes left.
"Tony was unbelievable," Duncan said scoring 25 and grabbing 10 boards. "He really kept us in it. We just hate to have an effort like that go to waste."
While the Spurs have no choice but to have Parker lift mountains, his single-mindedness also comes with a price. In the two games in San Antonio, Parker had eight assists in each. He has five total since, including just three in Game 4.
Duncan played the part of facilitator with seven assists, though most went to Parker. Their two-man game is just a cover for San Antonio being a two-man team. Popovich went looking for more, including going with a rookie (George Hill) that he previously deemed unready for the Playoffs for the entire fourth quarter. The other eight Spurs that played combined for 22 points -- the same as Nowitzki and Terry. The Mavericks' other eight trumped Tony and Timmy.
"It's obvious that's what we need to do," Popovich said. "Those guys have to have the ball as much as possible to score. Sure, we hope that other people step up and make shots and make plays.
"It didn't happen enough."
So the Spurs are left facing, at best, three straight elimination games. The first is Tuesday night back on their home turf.
"We've got to [win] or we go home," Duncan said. "There's no two ways about it. There's no magic answer to that. We're going to go home here and we're going to try to win that one at home, and come back here and do the same."
The Mavericks knew after Thursday's rout that the Spurs weren't going to roll over Saturday, and the visitors competed like a team that had its manhood called into question. San Antonio took an early nine-point lead and went into the half 24 minutes shy of a 2-2 series tie.
Instead, it's 3-1. Even though they're the No. 3 seeds, internally the Spurs didn't have any illusions of what they were facing going into this series. Getting past Dallas would be a feat in a season sidetracked by injuries.
"They're not going anywhere," Kidd reminded. "They are going to show up and give us their best game on Tuesday. For us, we have to understand that, and understand it's going to be a tough environment.
"It's not easy to put a team away, especially a team that has won championships."
The Mavericks aren't facing that team. The Spurs know that, too.
Better team continues to win in this series (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/art_garcia/04/25/mavs.spurs.game4/)
By Art Garcia, NBA.com
DALLAS -- As obvious as it appears, it's got to be hard to swallow for the Spurs. The Mavericks are just the better team right now.
This San Antonio squad isn't the one Gregg Popovich once envisioned going into the Playoffs a few months back, but that's old news. And to call this an "upset" if the sixth-seeded Mavericks close the deal next week wouldn't be fair to either side.
Relying on depth and athleticism over its stars, Dallas moved within a victory of the Western Conference semifinals by outlasting San Antonio 99-90 in methodical fashion Saturday afternoon. The Spurs' margin for error has evaporated after an outing that had to be more draining than the Game 3 wipeout.
How could it not be after Tim Duncan outscores Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry by himself? And when Tony Parker outscores Duncan by 18? The Spurs squeezed every ounce possible out of their two studs, while once again effectively shutting down Dallas' top-scoring duo.
But as Parker succinctly put it after racking up a career Playoff-high 43 points: "They had all different guys making plays for them."
There lies the difference in the series. For all the adjustments dictated by the Mavericks through four games, San Antonio simply doesn't have the horses. Dallas can survive with Dirk Decoy taking just nine shots, a grounded Jet and by shooting less than 40 percent.
The list of Maverick contributors in Game 4 started with Josh Howard, the game's high-scorer (28) who offensively keyed a third-quarter charge that erased a sloppy end to the second quarter that led to a 55-51 halftime deficit.
"It was a collective group effort, everyone giving it their all," said Howard, author of two games of at least 25 points in the series. "We know what they want to do with Jet and Dirk."
The rest of the Mavericks took it from there. Jason Kidd had an impact that went beyond seven assists, seven rebounds and an out-of-character 17 points. Erick Dampier, J.J. Barea and Antoine Wright picked their spots. Little-used backup center Ryan Hollins turned in an over-the-top 19-minute stint of eight rebounds, three blocks and a fist-pumping technical.
But Dallas didn't overwhelm as much as wear down the Spurs. The Mavericks overcame 38-percent shooting and a 21-9 difference in points off turnovers by dominating the glass and getting to the line.
"We kept trying to plug along and stick with the gameplan," Kidd said.
Lost on the stat sheet was the job Kidd did against Parker in the second half, when San Antonio's do-it-all quarterback found the defense not as inviting. Kidd was better able to stay in front of Parker, while Dallas' help defenders upped their aggressiveness when he got into the lane.
After carving up the Mavericks for 31 points in the first two quarters, Parker managed just 12 -- the same as Kidd -- after the break. Parker admitted tiring down the stretch, which probably had something to do with two missed free throws with San Antonio down just five (92-87) with about four minutes left.
"Tony was unbelievable," Duncan said scoring 25 and grabbing 10 boards. "He really kept us in it. We just hate to have an effort like that go to waste."
While the Spurs have no choice but to have Parker lift mountains, his single-mindedness also comes with a price. In the two games in San Antonio, Parker had eight assists in each. He has five total since, including just three in Game 4.
Duncan played the part of facilitator with seven assists, though most went to Parker. Their two-man game is just a cover for San Antonio being a two-man team. Popovich went looking for more, including going with a rookie (George Hill) that he previously deemed unready for the Playoffs for the entire fourth quarter. The other eight Spurs that played combined for 22 points -- the same as Nowitzki and Terry. The Mavericks' other eight trumped Tony and Timmy.
"It's obvious that's what we need to do," Popovich said. "Those guys have to have the ball as much as possible to score. Sure, we hope that other people step up and make shots and make plays.
"It didn't happen enough."
So the Spurs are left facing, at best, three straight elimination games. The first is Tuesday night back on their home turf.
"We've got to [win] or we go home," Duncan said. "There's no two ways about it. There's no magic answer to that. We're going to go home here and we're going to try to win that one at home, and come back here and do the same."
The Mavericks knew after Thursday's rout that the Spurs weren't going to roll over Saturday, and the visitors competed like a team that had its manhood called into question. San Antonio took an early nine-point lead and went into the half 24 minutes shy of a 2-2 series tie.
Instead, it's 3-1. Even though they're the No. 3 seeds, internally the Spurs didn't have any illusions of what they were facing going into this series. Getting past Dallas would be a feat in a season sidetracked by injuries.
"They're not going anywhere," Kidd reminded. "They are going to show up and give us their best game on Tuesday. For us, we have to understand that, and understand it's going to be a tough environment.
"It's not easy to put a team away, especially a team that has won championships."
The Mavericks aren't facing that team. The Spurs know that, too.