ducks
05-21-2006, 10:50 PM
SAN ANTONIO - As a little reminder, the San Antonio Spurs would like to let everyone know that their mission is far from complete.
Sure, the Spurs did what few outside of San Antonio thought they could do -- rally from a 3-1 deficit against the Mavericks and force a Game 7. But the Spurs know the comeback isn't totally complete until it's totally complete.
"It was huge, the same as Game 5," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said of Friday's 91-86 road victory. "But we don't have to get too confident.
"We haven't accomplished anything yet. So we've got to try to finish the job Monday."
Game 7 of the best-of-seven series is at 7 p.m. Monday at the AT&T Center, with the winner advancing to the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers-Phoenix survivor. That series is also tied 3-3 with Game 7 set for 9:30 p.m. Monday.
The Spurs-Mavs series has been so competitive that five of the six games have been decided by five points or fewer. Aside from the Mavs' 113-91 Game 2 win in San Antonio, five games of the series have been decided by 14 total points.
Will anything change Monday when the Spurs try to become the ninth NBA team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series?
"We'll see another competitive game just like these," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sure, we'd like to win by 20 and Dallas would like to win by 20, so one of us can survive without getting a heart attack or an ulcer.
"But another game like [Game 6] would be great just to finish off the series that way and see who wins."
It's a series that could be talked about for many years.
"The Mavs are going to be in our home, fans are going to help us, and we're going to have a lot of energy," Spurs point guard Tony Parker said. "So hopefully we can get a win and it will be a great series."
The Spurs spent a lot of energy just getting back into this series. Now that they're even, they won't boast about their accomplishments or make outlandish predictions.
Popovich said: "You just flip a coin and whichever way it lands, that's the team that will probably win."
Finley starts a trend
Although he spent most of his first season with the Spurs as a reserve, Michael Finley has started the past three games. And the Spurs have won all three.
Finley spent eight-plus seasons with the Mavs and has used his expertise to help stop some of the things they do. He also buried a key 3-pointer that helped the Spurs win Game 6.
"Starting fits me well in this series," said Finley, who started only 18 games during the regular season. "Defensively, I know their strategies.
"In the next series, I don't know."
Finley has found himself sometimes guarding his friend, Dirk Nowitzki, in this series, and says, "He got my MVP vote this year. "Any time he has the ball, he's a shot waiting to happen."
Briefly
Spurs forward Robert Horry is in the eighth Game 7 of his career -- the most by any active player.
The Spurs took Saturday off and will practice today.
Sure, the Spurs did what few outside of San Antonio thought they could do -- rally from a 3-1 deficit against the Mavericks and force a Game 7. But the Spurs know the comeback isn't totally complete until it's totally complete.
"It was huge, the same as Game 5," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said of Friday's 91-86 road victory. "But we don't have to get too confident.
"We haven't accomplished anything yet. So we've got to try to finish the job Monday."
Game 7 of the best-of-seven series is at 7 p.m. Monday at the AT&T Center, with the winner advancing to the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers-Phoenix survivor. That series is also tied 3-3 with Game 7 set for 9:30 p.m. Monday.
The Spurs-Mavs series has been so competitive that five of the six games have been decided by five points or fewer. Aside from the Mavs' 113-91 Game 2 win in San Antonio, five games of the series have been decided by 14 total points.
Will anything change Monday when the Spurs try to become the ninth NBA team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series?
"We'll see another competitive game just like these," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sure, we'd like to win by 20 and Dallas would like to win by 20, so one of us can survive without getting a heart attack or an ulcer.
"But another game like [Game 6] would be great just to finish off the series that way and see who wins."
It's a series that could be talked about for many years.
"The Mavs are going to be in our home, fans are going to help us, and we're going to have a lot of energy," Spurs point guard Tony Parker said. "So hopefully we can get a win and it will be a great series."
The Spurs spent a lot of energy just getting back into this series. Now that they're even, they won't boast about their accomplishments or make outlandish predictions.
Popovich said: "You just flip a coin and whichever way it lands, that's the team that will probably win."
Finley starts a trend
Although he spent most of his first season with the Spurs as a reserve, Michael Finley has started the past three games. And the Spurs have won all three.
Finley spent eight-plus seasons with the Mavs and has used his expertise to help stop some of the things they do. He also buried a key 3-pointer that helped the Spurs win Game 6.
"Starting fits me well in this series," said Finley, who started only 18 games during the regular season. "Defensively, I know their strategies.
"In the next series, I don't know."
Finley has found himself sometimes guarding his friend, Dirk Nowitzki, in this series, and says, "He got my MVP vote this year. "Any time he has the ball, he's a shot waiting to happen."
Briefly
Spurs forward Robert Horry is in the eighth Game 7 of his career -- the most by any active player.
The Spurs took Saturday off and will practice today.