What started the Spurs/Mavs rivalry?

[Fpoonsie]

Talking to that same Mav fan friend of mine that gets to hang out courtside and in the locker room (only to get about as much insider info as BUMP or mono after downing a Red Bull), we got into the discussion of what actually lit the Spurs/Mavs feud fire. Was it simply when the Mavs started winning? Was it when Cubes started trashing SA publicly? Was it the nut-punch?

My buddy actually insisted that it all started when TP and Manu gave a few snide remarks to the papers about the "little brother Mavericks" and how that slight instantly infuriated Cuban, thus, getting this whole I-35 rivalry started.

What do you guys think? Does anyone remember these quotes from Manu and TP? I'd be curious to learn the context...

[MannyIsGod]

The Spurs dominating the shit out of them in the past decade really pissed them off. 03 was particularly sweet. I don't know if it was much of a rivalry for the Spurs until much later but I'm pretty sure Mav fan hated the Spurs because of the way we'd curb stomp them on a yearly basis.

[ohmwrecker]

The nut punch heard across Texas?

[GinobiliForTres]

The Spurs dominating the shit out of them in the past decade really pissed them off. 03 was particularly sweet. I don't know if it was much of a rivalry for the Spurs until much later but I'm pretty sure Mav fan hated the Spurs because of the way we'd curb stomp them on a yearly basis.

well, shit. we have rivalries with two teams cause we beat the hell out of them so bad. Suns and mavs, although i feel as if the suns isn't anywhere near as big.

[Frenzy]

I-35? mark Cuban comments? Who knows...maybe it comes natural.

[Roddy Beaubois]

Its called being in the same division you burrito munching fucks :lol

[Fpoonsie]

Its called being in the same division you burrito munching fucks :lol

I'm sure that adds to it, but even then, I don't know too many other teams that hate each other with such ferocity outside of BOS/LA (and hell, even then, Kobe "MVP" chants at the Garden, etc, etc)...

[GinobiliForTres]

Its called being in the same division you burrito munching fucks :lol

so we must have a rivalry with the rest of the division?

news to me.

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

For me it didn't start till 2006 West semi finals.
Cubans comments about Riverwalk
Terrys nut punch
Dirks and 1
That is when the rivalry truly started. The Spurs have what the Mavs want and that fuels it even more

[Roddy Beaubois]

so we must have a rivalry with the rest of the division?


Pretty much. But the rivalry is bigger between Dallas and SA because they have both had good teams for the last decade. If Dallas completely drops off into mediocrity next year and the Hornets get really good (lol play along), I'm sure a rivalry would start to form there. You're not gonna be rivals with a shitty team.

[GinobiliForTres]

For me it didn't start till 2006 West semi finals.
Cubans comments about Riverwalk
Terrys nut punch
Dirk and 1
That is when the rivalry truly started

i've heard about the Dirk an 1 but can you inform me of what EXACTLY happened to make it such a big moment?

[Fpoonsie]

If Dallas completely drops off into mediocrity next year and the Hornets get really good (lol play along), I'm sure a rivalry would start to form there.

:rollin

[Blake]

a rivalry usually starts when two teams become very good and play hard fought games that mean something.

hard to have a rivalry when one or two of the teams in question suck.

I would say the 2003 playoffs really got it going.

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

i've heard about the Dirk an 1 but can you inform me of what EXACTLY happened to make it such a big moment?

Without the Dirk And 1 the Spurs probably go on and win the title.
While the Mavs suffer more heartbreak after blowing a 3-1 series lead

[GinobiliForTres]

Without the Dirk And 1 the Spurs probably go on and win the title.
While the Mavs suffer more heartbreak after blowing a 3-1 series lead

what was the situation in that game? tight score, bad ref, etc? i started watching in 07-08, ironically the game Timmy hit the three against phoenix. so i don't know much history in the series themselves. i just know who they faced.

[Fpoonsie]

what was the situation in that game? tight score, bad ref, etc? i started watching in 07-08, ironically the game Timmy hit the three against phoenix. so i don't know much history in the series themselves. i just know who they faced.

If memory serves (though, I was all hopped up on Xanax and liquor at the time simply to make it THROUGH that game), Manu had just hit a shot (a 3?) to put the Spurs up by 3. He then fouls Dirk on the arm going up for a lay-in. Dirk makes the bucket AND the FT, the game goes into OT, and the Spurs lose game. fucking. seven. on their. own. home. floor.

[GinobiliForTres]

If memory serves (though, I was all hopped up on Xanax and liquor at the time simply to make it THROUGH that game), Manu had just hit a shot (a 3?) to put the Spurs up by 3. He then fouls Dirk on the arm going up for a lay-in. Dirk makes the bucket AND the FT, the game goes into OT, and the Spurs lose game. fucking. seven. on their. own. home. floor.

well...fuck. lol

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

Fpoonsie nailed it.
Ginobilifortres that whole game is on youtube, but I wouldn't recommend watching it.
It would bring up bad memories

[Fpoonsie]

:depressed

[GinobiliForTres]

Fpoonsie nailed it.
Ginobilifortres that whole game is on youtube, but I wouldn't recommend watching it.
It would bring up bad memories

i can't watch the Spurs playoff runs that led to championships when it was on NBATV. Cause, i used to think i missed all of that and it could never happen again.

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

I know they have some of the finals on youtube game 3,5 and 6 as well.
I can't even get the nerve to click, brings up horrible memories lol
I can't even watch the Mavs series against Spurs and Suns, it just brings up what an opportunity we had

[GinobiliForTres]

I know they have some of the finals on youtube game 3,5 and 6 as well.
I can't even get the nerve to click, brings up horrible memories lol
I can't even watch the Mavs series against Spurs and Suns, it just brings up what an opportunity we had

i'm sure if we were asking what started the suns/spurs rivalry, it'd be an easy one. but i actually didn't know what started all of it.

thanks to you and the other guy whose name i can't spell though. rivalry makes much more sense to me now.

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

i'm sure if we were asking what started the suns/spurs rivalry, it'd be an easy one. but i actually didn't know what started all of it.

thanks to you and the other guy whose name i can't spell though. rivalry makes much more sense to me now.

no problem :toast

[Dex]

Spurs and Mavs have been regular season rivals since they both started playing well, simply due to their shared division and the I-35 relationship. To me, though, the real rivalry started in the 2003 WCFs.

2003 - Mavs lose Nowitzki, then lose their grasp on Game 6 when Kerr and Jackson go bananas. If I was a Mav fan, that would've stung.

2006 - The infamous series that really made the rivalry legendary. Extremely heated, Spurs lose Game 7 in San Antonio, in large part due to Manu's foul. I can tell you as a Spurs fan, that stung.

2007 - Mavs flame out to Warriors, Jason Terry talks shit about Spurs anyways.

2009 - Mavs punk Spurs in first round.

2010 - Spurs punk Mavs in first round.

That's about as heated as current rivalries get.

[Harry Callahan]

Three Things

1) Juwann Howard cheap shot on Derek Anderson in the 01 Playoffs as he was going to the basket. Seperated shoulder. DA was a non-factor in the Western Conf Finals vs LA as a result.

2) Cuban being a total jerk/blowhard the last decade

3) Rat Face's punch on Finley in the 06 POs

[GinobiliForTres]

Spurs and Mavs have been regular season rivals since they both started playing well, simply due to their shared division and the I-35 relationship. To me, though, the real rivalry started in the 2003 WCFs.

2003 - Mavs lose Nowitzki, then lose their grasp on Game 6 when Kerr and Jackson go bananas. If I was a Mav fan, that would've stung.

2006 - The infamous series that really made the rivalry legendary. Extremely heated, Spurs lose Game 7 in San Antonio, in large part due to Manu's foul. I can tell you as a Spurs fan, that stung.

2007 - Mavs flame out to Warriors, Jason Terry talks shit about Spurs anyways.

2009 - Mavs punk Spurs in first round.

2010 - Spurs punk Mavs in first round.

That's about as heated as current rivalries get.

i have to laugh every time i hear that Lakers/Heat is the best ongoing rivalry. yeah, i've heard it. lakers/celts is more credible.

but you ask anyone, and there is nothing better than watching San Antonio and Dallas go at it when both are healthy.

[ohmwrecker]

Forgot about Howard/Anderson thing . . . goddamn Mavs!

[SAtown]

Three Things

1) Juwann Howard cheap shot on Derek Anderson in the 01 Playoffs as he was going to the basket. Seperated shoulder. DA was a non-factor in the Western Conf Finals vs LA as a result.


Yep. This basically started it all. I was at that game, and after so many years of booing Barkley, Malone, and the entire rockets team for years, I'd never heard the dome crowd get so pissed than that moment.

[Darrin]

Talking to that same Mav fan friend of mine that gets to hang out courtside and in the locker room (only to get about as much insider info as BUMP or mono after downing a Red Bull), we got into the discussion of what actually lit the Spurs/Mavs feud fire. Was it simply when the Mavs started winning? Was it when Cubes started trashing SA publicly? Was it the nut-punch?

My buddy actually insisted that it all started when TP and Manu gave a few snide remarks to the papers about the "little brother Mavericks" and how that slight instantly infuriated Cuban, thus, getting this whole I-35 rivalry started.

What do you guys think? Does anyone remember these quotes from Manu and TP? I'd be curious to learn the context...

I think it started in 2002-03 when the Mavericks were dominating the Conference and the Spurs came in and stole the Division and the Conference on the last day of the season. They had a playoff series before that but I don't think the Mavs were expected to beat the Spurs. 2002-03 was supposedly the Mavericks year and the Spurs played spoiler in the regular season and playoffs.

[Roddy Beaubois]

Three Things

1) Juwann Howard cheap shot on Derek Anderson in the 01 Playoffs as he was going to the basket. Seperated shoulder. DA was a non-factor in the Western Conf Finals vs LA as a result.

2) Cuban being a total jerk/blowhard the last decade

3) Rat Face's punch on Finley in the 06 POs

:cry +1

Its just those evil mavericks against these classy spurs :cry

[baseline bum]

Spurs/Mavs has been a pretty good rivalry since about 2000. I remember a game in 99-00 when TD dropped 53 on them only to lose when Tim Hardaway hit a 30-foot desperation shot. Then there was a game at Reunion when Finley stuck the game winner right in Sean Elliott's face as time expired. A year or two later Duncan buried a game-winner in Nowitzki's face on an NBC Sunday game. However, the rivalry got heated when Juwan Howard took Derek Anderson's arm off at the shoulder in game 1 of the 01 WCSF and then tried the same move on Malik Rose in game 4. Ever since then there has been lots of bad blood between the teams. The Spurs were pissed at the cheap shots, the Mavs were pissed that Spurs fans were pelting their wives and parents with beer and popcorn and shit after that foul, then Cuban started running his mouth, and so on.

[BlackSwordsMan]

Buncha fat mexicans rooting for different teams is all it is.

[dbestpro]

The rivalry started after the Mavs won their first championship.

............................still waiting.

[frodo]

because mainly of their locations imho, born to be rivals imho. spurs were initially founded in dallas and were later moved to SA, so most dallas sportsfans just consider the spurs a traitor to their city.

[Budkin]

For me it didn't start till 2006 West semi finals.
Cubans comments about Riverwalk
Terrys nut punch
Dirks and 1
That is when the rivalry truly started. The Spurs have what the Mavs want and that fuels it even more

I don't know I think it might have just been throughout that season. Remember the game in early March where Horry put his teeth on Stackhouse's arm? That's when the bad blood really began to boil over.

[Budkin]

Buncha fat mexicans rooting for different teams is all it is.

:lol

[Dex]

I don't know I think it might have just been throughout that season. Remember the game in early March where Horry put his teeth on Stackhouse's arm? That's when the bad blood really began to boil over.

http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actuarial_discussion_forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3264&stc=1&d=1141485680

:lmao That was hilarious when Horry "bit" him.

[ohmwrecker]

so most dallas sportsfans just consider the spurs a traitor to their city.

That is totally inaccurate and unfounded.

[Biggems]

Spurs/Mavs has been a pretty good rivalry since about 2000. I remember a game in 99-00 when TD dropped 53 on them only to lose when Tim Hardaway hit a 30-foot desperation shot. Then there was a game at Reunion when Finley stuck the game winner right in Sean Elliott's face as time expired. A year or two later Duncan buried a game-winner in Nowitzki's face on an NBC Sunday game. However, the rivalry got heated when Juwan Howard took Derek Anderson's arm off at the shoulder in game 1 of the 01 WCSF and then tried the same move on Malik Rose in game 4. Ever since then there has been lots of bad blood between the teams. The Spurs were pissed at the cheap shots, the Mavs were pissed that Spurs fans were pelting their wives and parents with beer and popcorn and shit after that foul, then Cuban started running his mouth, and so on.

One of those cheap shots came courtesy of Eduardo Najera.....ever since that cheap shot, I have called him a dirty Mexican...and dont you dare call me racist, cause he is from Mexico....then again, he has been cheating since his days at Cornerstone here in SA, when he broke rules to play for them.

I was very disappointed with the cheap shot by Howard. I had a lot of respect for him as a player, but then he went out and did that...oh and followed it up with several more later in his career, a few of those against the Spurs. Howard went from overpaid, overhyped, but classy....to overpaid, overhyped, and classless.

Jason Terry is a punk too. Punching players in the nuts, tripping players intentionally, grabbing their feet so they can't get up, etc.

But that's ok, I am sure they have their issues with Bruce....still, Bruce never did anything that malicious to the Mavs players...nothing like what I have listed above.

Yes, the Mavs have gotten the best of the Spurs on a few occasions, and that made it a rivalry. It is not a rivalry if one team dominates the battles. Still, even though the Mavs have won a few battles, they have nothing in their trophy case to show for it.

I promise you this.....The Mavs hate the Spurs a lot more passionately than the Spurs hate the Mavs. Just like the Spurs hate the Lakers a lot more than the Lakers hate the Spurs.

[sefant77]

But that's ok, I am sure they have their issues with Bruce....still, Bruce never did anything that malicious to the Mavs players...nothing like what I have listed above.

Pure "luck"?

So the Mavs were always the one with the cheap shots and dirty plays against the holy fair Spurs? Seriously?

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

I don't know I think it might have just been throughout that season. Remember the game in early March where Horry put his teeth on Stackhouse's arm? That's when the bad blood really began to boil over.

I rememeber that whole season but that detail slipped my mind :lol
Yeah that was when it started that year I suppose

[Cessation]

Horry is a true competitor, lol.

[Thompson]

If memory serves (though, I was all hopped up on Xanax and liquor at the time simply to make it THROUGH that game), Manu had just hit a shot (a 3?) to put the Spurs up by 3. He then fouls Dirk on the arm going up for a lay-in with about 8 seconds left to play. Dirk makes the bucket AND the FT, then hacks Duncan across the forearms as he's trying to dunk it with 2 seconds left -no call. the game goes into OT, and the Spurs lose game. fucking. seven. on their. own. home. floor.

FIFY. Several other horrible calls/non-calls in that series, but this one almost certainly decided the series.

[DeadlyDynasty]

It's too bad Derek Anderson didn't play in the first 2 games, they may have been 30-point blowouts as well.

[FromWayDowntown]

I don't think there was really much of a rivalry before the 2003 playoffs. In fact, if you ask me, the thing that made it a rivalry was Game 1 of the 2003 WCF; the Spurs were up 15 or so in the 4th quarter, but the Mavs rallied in that crazy game where they made 49/50 free throws to steal HCA. At that point, I think the threat of the Mavericks to the Spurs became real and the urgency on the Spurs end finally matched the urgency that the Mavericks had played with since the 2001 WCSF.

[Venti Quattro]

I think it started in the 2003 WCF. During the 90's the Mavs were sucking and the Spurs were way better than them.

[midnightpulp]

I can't really get into this rivalry since I was born and raised in Southern California. I never had the vitriolic hatred for the Mavs and their fans as I do for the Lakers and their beaner, welfare collecting, frontrunning ilk, but I do appreciate the rivalry from a competitive standpoint. They are usually the Spurs' main threat aside from the Lakers, so it always feels good to get by them in a playoff series.

That said, a Mavs championship wouldn't bother me in the slightest. If the Spurs flame out this Spring, I'll be backing the Mavs. Would like to see Dirk win a ring.

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

I don't think there was really much of a rivalry before the 2003 playoffs. In fact, if you ask me, the thing that made it a rivalry was Game 1 of the 2003 WCF; the Spurs were up 15 or so in the 4th quarter, but the Mavs rallied in that crazy game where they made 49/50 free throws to steal HCA. At that point, I think the threat of the Mavericks to the Spurs became real and the urgency on the Spurs end finally matched the urgency that the Mavericks had played with since the 2001 WCSF.

Yea that was an epic game, looked like the Spurs had it in control.
As much as Mavs fans point to Dirks injury as reason we lost that series I have to disagree.

I felt like we weren't good enough at that time to beat the Spurs. Defensively SA was just in another atmosphere

[slayermin]

Its called being in the same division you burrito munching fucks :lol

You're thinking of LA. You can even get a garbage burrito.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_skLQIqzCm9o/R7L6_5LaoLI/AAAAAAAAAh4/xwnvNa43IOs/s320/GarbageBurrito.jpg

[Hemotivo]

I think it started in 2002-03 when the Mavericks were dominating the Conference and the Spurs came in and stole the Division and the Conference on the last day of the season. They had a playoff series before that but I don't think the Mavs were expected to beat the Spurs. 2002-03 was supposedly the Mavericks year and the Spurs played spoiler in the regular season and playoffs.

this

[FromWayDowntown]

this

The only thing about that is that the Spurs didn't steal the division on the last day of the season. The Mavs had a 2 game lead entering April of 2003, but by April 11, the Spurs had made up those 2 games and were up 2 games in the loss column. The Spurs clinched a tie with the Mavs by winning Game 81 at Utah, and had clinched the tiebreaker with that win.

The last game of that regular season was between the Spurs and the Mavs in San Antonio, but it meant so little to the Spurs that Mengke Bateer played 11 minutes.

The big controversy in that game, as I recall, was Cuban's complaining about the tiebreakers; at the time, the second tiebreaker (even between teams in the same division) was conference record. At the time, the Mavs had a better record in the division by 1 game, but the Spurs had a better record in the conference by 2 games and thus, owned the tiebreaker.

[Killakobe81]

One of those cheap shots came courtesy of Eduardo Najera.....ever since that cheap shot, I have called him a dirty Mexican...and dont you dare call me racist, cause he is from Mexico....then again, he has been cheating since his days at Cornerstone here in SA, when he broke rules to play for them.

I was very disappointed with the cheap shot by Howard. I had a lot of respect for him as a player, but then he went out and did that...oh and followed it up with several more later in his career, a few of those against the Spurs. Howard went from overpaid, overhyped, but classy....to overpaid, overhyped, and classless.

Jason Terry is a punk too. Punching players in the nuts, tripping players intentionally, grabbing their feet so they can't get up, etc.

But that's ok, I am sure they have their issues with Bruce....still, Bruce never did anything that malicious to the Mavs players...nothing like what I have listed above.

Yes, the Mavs have gotten the best of the Spurs on a few occasions, and that made it a rivalry. It is not a rivalry if one team dominates the battles. Still, even though the Mavs have won a few battles, they have nothing in their trophy case to show for it.

I promise you this.....The Mavs hate the Spurs a lot more passionately than the Spurs hate the Mavs. Just like the Spurs hate the Lakers a lot more than the Lakers hate the Spurs.

This. Good post. Sums up "rivalries" perfectly!!!
When i used to ravel on business I would be surprised at the bile spewn by fans in Saramento (even before the rivalry the early part of last decade), houston, etc. because in L.A. we only truly hate the celts. Dont get me wrong at times we have disliked the Spurs, Kings, Jazz, the old Sonics, and suns ... and their fans ...but for the most part only Boston really gets the blood boiling ... because even before I was born the celts used to beat us.

the hatred gets passed down from generation to generation by listening to the o.g. fans seeing the venom in the old players eyes when they talk about the losses inthe finals THAT is why i have the celts. Then i saw them beat our ass in 1984 ... that is what it's about.

Spur fans hate the Lakers but the Spurs havent done enough damage to get anywhere near the celtics on the hate-meter. Yes they closed the forum down and ended the last 3peat ...and if they beat us in the WCF this year it will suck ...but that is 3 significant losses after so many years of domination ...hard to get too upset about it. Plus the Celts beat us when we were in our "prime" in 1984 ... if we lose to the spurs ...(not to to take anything away form a top notch organization like the Spurs) it's time to re-tool anyway. whe the Spurs closed out the Forum we were too young and know we appear too old. And at the end of the 3peat if it wasnt the spurs someone was gonna beat us regardless. The Celts took away titles in 1984 and 2008. The celts are the target ...forever and always ...we chasing 17 ...

[Giuseppe]

... but, the breakthru in '85 in MA., tempered the hatred quite a bit, at least for me. It's a different set now. [Then] not only were the fans lit, the players hated each other just as vehemently. [Now] it pales in comparison. The players are almost in a stage play, acting their parts. There was no blood feud in '08 on our part, or, in '10 on their part. It's a money thing. Stern steered it that way. Steered it away from the acrimony & danger,,,,toward contentment for all/winners & losers alike. It's America, at the turn of the century.

[Rummpd]

There is no real rivalry!

Spurs and Lakers as mulitiple champions within a decage can and do have a real rivalry but wannabees please do not apply.

[Killakobe81]

As far as "modern day" rivalries (back to OP ?) I must say after living in SA for 3 years and in Dallas the last two ...it is a prety good rivalry relatively speaking for 2 reasons:

1. Cuban keeps fanning the flames
2. terry is the most hated player on either side now that Bowen is gone ...ans as long as he does that jet plabe stuff and talks shit this rivalry will contunue 'cuz mark wont shut his yap ....

[TDMVPDPOY]

was never a rivalry

we let them beat us in 06 to have the chance at the limelight and what happen? they fail

then we beasted their asses in the first round to tell them, NO means NO.

[Venti Quattro]

2. terry is the most hated player on either side now that Bowen is gone

Even Dallas fans hate him :lmao

[Killakobe81]

Even Dallas fans hate him :lmao

Kind of like Sasha , LOL who strabgely enough is contributing (to losses) with avery ...

[Roddy Beaubois]

There is no real rivalry!


Thats why theres a thousand spurfans with names like CubanSucks! and LOLMAVS!.

tbh a great number of spurfans have something to do with Dallas in their avatars or signatures. Its quite sad.

[Rummpd]

Thats why theres a thousand spurfans with names like CubanSucks! and LOLMAVS!.

tbh a great number of spurfans have something to do with Dallas in their avatars or signatures. Its quite sad.


So is falling head over heals for Roddy B who may well turn out to be a mirage sadly after his foot injury and after he tries to go from being a role player to an integral rotational player or stater.

[Roddy Beaubois]

So is falling head over heals for Roddy B who may well turn out to be a mirage sadly after his foot injury and after he tries to go from being a role player to an integral rotational player or stater.

Nice comeback.

[timvp]

The foul.

[urunobili]

Spurs/Mavs has been a pretty good rivalry since about 2000. I remember a game in 99-00 when TD dropped 53 on them only to lose when Tim Hardaway hit a 30-foot desperation shot. Then there was a game at Reunion when Finley stuck the game winner right in Sean Elliott's face as time expired. A year or two later Duncan buried a game-winner in Nowitzki's face on an NBC Sunday game. However, the rivalry got heated when Juwan Howard took Derek Anderson's arm off at the shoulder in game 1 of the 01 WCSF and then tried the same move on Malik Rose in game 4. Ever since then there has been lots of bad blood between the teams. The Spurs were pissed at the cheap shots, the Mavs were pissed that Spurs fans were pelting their wives and parents with beer and popcorn and shit after that foul, then Cuban started running his mouth, and so on.

First of all this thread delivers.

Second, thanks to baseline to help me understand better certain facts I didn't know because of being absent from basketball in that period.

Third, I think Spurs fans do hate Mavs fans at the same level. All the Cuban remarks and classless actions over the years have an entire city (not just the franchise's followers) against him.

Forth, I know it's minor but the Mavs defeating us in the Playoffs with a former Spurs icon leading them also had a little something to add to it.

[urunobili]

Fifth, Mavs fans trash talk you REALLY bad when you show your Spurs pride in Dallas! :lol