Dallas Mavericks-San Antonio Spurs Preview

[stevenger]

http://basketboltr.net/2008/02/27/dallas-mavericks-san-antonio-spurs-preview/

[dirk4mvp]

Spur fan: If we win, we totally own the Mavs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have 4 rings.

[Dex]

Spur fan: If we win, we totally own the Mavs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have 4 rings.

Win, Win, Win. :smokin

[sribb43]

Mavs fans: if we win, J-Kidd is God and we will win it all
if we lose, bring back Devin and Diop, they are the TP and TD stoppers

[phyzik]

Spur fan: If we win, we totally own the Mavs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have 4 rings.


sounds about right to me. :king

[G-Nob]

Spur fan: If we win, we totally own the Mavs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have 4 rings.


Its helpful to our inferiority complexes.

[Doug Collins]

sounds about right to me. :king

Ditto

[Barbarian]

Dallas fan: If we win, we totally own the Spurs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have Magloire to to stop Duncan in the playoffs.

[Findog]

Mavs can't possibly beat the Spurs without Desagana Diop.

[td4mvp21]

mavfan: If we win, nothing has changed, we still own the Spurs!!!! If we lose, so what, it's the regular season you said yourself it doesn't matter.

[Findog]

If we lose, so fucking what. We have Magloire to to stop Duncan in the playoffs.

Goddamn right we do. Magloire is going to ABUSE Tim Duncan. He's going to make you cry out for mercy and long wistfully for the days of Desagana Diop.

[dirk4mvp]

Dallas fan: If we win, we totally own the Spurs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have Magloire to to stop Duncan in the playoffs.


At least somebody around here knows the fucking truth.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Spurs fan: Which sports bar has the cheapest beer and the best wings?

Mavs fan: Yeehaw!! Which sports bar has the cheapest beer and the best wings? Yeehaw!!

[dirk4mvp]

Spurs fan: Which sports bar has the cheapest beer and the best wings?

Mavs fan: Yeehaw!! Which sports bar has the cheapest beer and the best wings? Yeehaw!!


:lol

[Allanon]

This going to be a great game, can't wait to watch it.

Lots of questions to be answered tonight.

[Findog]

Spurs fan: sí! which sports bar has the cheapest beer and the best wings? sí!

Mavs fan: Yeehaw!! Which sports bar has the cheapest beer and the best wings? Yeehaw!!

Fixed.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

This going to be a great game, can't wait to watch it.

Lots of questions to be answered tonight.


Perhaps even a few tomorrow.

[stevenger]

This is a play off game. But Jason Kidd trade was wrong. Spurs can win the game. Dallas Mavericks cant prove after kidd trade

[duncan228]

This is a play off game.

Playoffs start in April.
This is a regular season game.

[Barbarian]

At least somebody around here knows the fucking truth.

Actually I'm always fucking wrong. but thanks anyways.

[td4mvp21]

This going to be a great game, can't wait to watch it.

Lots of questions to be answered tonight.

It's tomorrow.

But really, if we win, I'll be pretty fucking happy. Doesn't mean we are going to beat the Mavs in the playoffs though. We beat them in March in the 05/06 season, and that didn't get us anywhere when we played them. I'd like to win it just to establish that we can indeed beat them :lol

[Findog]

It's tomorrow.

But really, if we win, I'll be pretty fucking happy. Doesn't mean we are going to beat the Mavs in the playoffs though. We beat them in March in the 05/06 season, and that didn't get us anywhere when we played them. I'd like to win it just to establish that we can indeed beat them :lol

I think the Spurs are better than the Mavs right now.

[Findog]

And actually duncan228, I think the playoffs have pretty much begun. When the top 8 teams are separated by 5 or 6 games, any team is in danger of falling out with a bad streak, or a signficant injury that lasts more than a few games.

[Allanon]

Oops tomorrow it is. As you can see, after the recent stretch of boring Laker games and Spur games, I'm looking forward to some real matchups.

[duncan228]

True Findog, the West is too tight to mess around, but it's still one game in February.
The Playoffs are down the road.
The Spurs have a lot to work on before they're ready for any 7 game series.
Everything until then is more fine tuning.

Win or lose this game, it doesn't mean shit in April/May.

[stretch]

This is a play off game. But Jason Kidd trade was wrong. Spurs can win the game. Dallas Mavericks cant prove after kidd trade
I have a head ache after trying to read this nonsense :dizzy

[td4mvp21]

I think the Spurs are better than the Mavs right now.

I think so too but the better team doesn't always win a regular season match. The point I was trying to make is that even if the Spurs win, it doesn't mean we will win the in the playoffs. If they lose, doesn't necessarily mean they're gonna lose to the Mavs in the playoffs. That's assuming the Spurs and Mavs even meet in the playoffs, last year the Mavs didn't do their part to ensure that matchup!

[Findog]

I have a head ache after trying to read this nonsense :dizzy

The lack of articles before nouns strongly suggest an 8th-grade education at best.

[duncan228]

Here's the preview:

Mavericks-Spurs Preview
By MIKE LIPKA

The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs have both been adjusting to the return of a point guard this week.

Although Jason Kidd's absence from Dallas was about 11 years longer than Tony Parker's time away from San Antonio, it's the Mavericks that are clicking offensively going into Thursday's meeting at the At&T Center.

The Mavs (38-19) lost their first game with Kidd after acquiring their former No. 2 overall draft pick from New Jersey, but they've since won three straight, scoring at least 98 points in all three games. Kidd has totaled 40 assists in those contests.

The Spurs (38-17), meanwhile, scored only five points in the first quarter of Monday's game against Atlanta, but recovered for an 89-74 win - their sixth in a row - in Parker's third game back. He missed the previous nine with an ankle injury.

"He's coming around," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "It's going to take a couple of games. He'll have some ups and downs for a little while."

For Kidd, it's been mostly ups since the trade. He had last played in Dallas during the 1996-97 season, when the Mavericks traded him to Phoenix, but he's already changed the mindset of his new team to be more willing to pass and run.

The Mavs only have assists on 55 percent of their field goal this season, but that number is 68 percent in the last three games.

"It's infectious. Everybody is infected with the passing disease. It's fun to be a part of," Dallas guard Jason Terry said. "How can you not enjoy running up and down the court with him out there?"

Kidd had 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the Mavs' 102-94 win over Chicago on Monday, narrowly missing out on his 100th career triple-double.

Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Jerry Stackhouse matched a season high with 23 points and center Erick Dampier had season highs of 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

Dallas won despite committing 21 turnovers.

"It was really fun to watch," Mavs coach Avery Johnson said. "We just weren't a very good passing team and now we're trying to become a better passing team. Because of that, you may have some mistakes. But the way we're starting to move the ball, I like it."

The Mavericks could get some more inside help Thursday. They signed free agent Jamaal Magloire on Wednesday with hopes of replacing DeSagana Diop, who went to the Nets in the Kidd deal.

San Antonio also recently obtained a big man, as Kurt Thomas - acquired from Seattle last Wednesday - made his Spurs debut with nine rebounds in 13 minutes against the Hawks.

The Spurs shot 1-of-17 from the field in the first quarter, setting franchise lows for points and field-goal percentage in a quarter, but they outscored Atlanta 59-37 in the second half.

Duncan, whose career high of 53 points came against the Mavericks in December 2001, had 23 points and 10 rebounds Monday. Parker played his best game since returning, totaling 15 points and nine assists.

"I finally felt a little bit better," Parker said. "I really got my second wind in the second half. The first half was not our best but the second was much better. I found a rhythm I felt myself coming back."

The Spurs have won 10 of their last 11, allowing an average of 87.1 points over that stretch while retaking the Southwest Division lead.

They're 23-5 at home this season, though they'd lost three straight to the Mavs in San Antonio before beating them 97-95 there without Duncan on Dec. 5. Manu Ginobili had 37 points in that game, while Parker added 23.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I have a head ache after trying to read this nonsense :dizzy

Stretch, let me help. I mastered in Duckese at Northern Southwest Arizona University--East Yuma campus. This looks to be a similar dialect, so let me give it a shot:








This is a play off game.

You might read this and think that the poster is confused and believes it to already be the first week of May. In actuality, by separating the "play" and the "off" the writer has masterfully conveyed, in Duckese, that this game really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, hence the "play"; and the "off" expresses the poster's firm belief that the Mavs and/or the Spurs will be "off" in terms of their shooting percentages. Two keen insights, and I appreciate the heads up!








But Jason Kidd trade was wrong.

Stevenger was just rehashing the fact that the first Jason Kidd trade to Dallas didn't work out. Thanks for the refresher...ummm...Venger!! :tu









Spurs can win the game.

I think this line speaks for itself. Obviously the writer wanted us all to know that he feels that Barak Obama will likely win the democratic nomination for president of the United States.











Dallas Mavericks cant prove after kidd trade

To prove:
Mathematics. to verify the correctness or validity of by mathematical demonstration or arithmetical proof.

It's common knowledge that Desagana Diop performed significantly higher in scholastic apptitude tests while in school than did Jason Kidd. Stevenger just wanted us to be aware that the Mavericks mathematical equation solving skills took an enormous hit by trading for Kidd, and the Mavericks are likely going to pay dearly for this gaff in the NBA's next science and mathematics fair.







I hope this helps! :tu

[duncan228]

:lmao Chopper!

This year's SPAM Pilgrimage is going to be incredible.
You've been warming up for it for weeks now. :)

[Shank]

According to Hollinger, the winner of this game will then have a 5% chance of making the playoffs.

[Obstructed_View]

Every game from here on out is important.
Every game from here on out against western conference teams is important.
Every game from here on out against western conference teams that are in the playoff hunt is important.
Every game from here on out against division teams that are in the playoff hunt is important.

While not exactly as do or die as a playoff game, this game is, for the reasons above, about as big as regular season games get this time of year, and both teams had better show up ready to play. I always like to see the Spurs beat the Mavericks.

It should be kind of nostalgic to see the Spurs playing against Kidd and the Mavs. We used to go to a couple of Spurs games at Reunion every year back when the three Jays were here.

[Flight3107]

This is a play off game. But Jason Kidd trade was wrong. Spurs can win the game. Dallas Mavericks cant prove after kidd trade


Are you fucking drunk? :drunk

[danger]

I dont know if this has been stated but on NBA.com there is a video about the spurs and mavs rivalry. That manu foul on dirk in game 7 brings back memories of that roller coaster ride...

[BonnerDynasty]

Look for Duncan to pass the torch to Matt tomorrow night. This will be his breakout game!

[m33p0]

Mavs can't possibly beat the Spurs without Desagana Diop.

Goddamn right we do. Magloire is going to ABUSE Tim Duncan. He's going to make you cry out for mercy and long wistfully for the days of Desagana Diop.
:lol :lol :lol

[milkyway21]

Jason Kidd was a Mavwreck before, so what's the difference? :wakeup

[duncan228]

I guess I'll use this thread rather than start another one.

Spurs.com

http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/080228.html

Probable Starters:

Parker
Guard
18.6 PPG
Ginobili
Guard
20.6 PPG
Bowen
Forward
5.5 PPG
Duncan
Forward
19.8 PPG
Oberto
Center
5.1 PPG

Spur in the Spotlight
Kurt Thomas
"I'm definitely getting more confident out on the floor."

Did You Know...
The Spurs franchise was originally located in Dallas … Dallas head coach Avery Johnson played for the Spurs three different times, winning a title with San Antonio during the ’98-’99 campaign … the Silver and Black are honoring Johnson for his time as a Spur when they will retire his jersey on December 22 … Spurs guard/forward Michael Finley played for Dallas for eight-and-a half seasons, and was named an All-Star twice (2000, 2001) during his time there … he is the Mavericks all-time leader in three-pointers made (with 870) … Tim Duncan (’97) and Josh Howard (’03) are both alumni of Wake Forest and Michael Finley (‘95) and Devin Harris (‘04) are both alumni of Wisconsin.

Some quotes from practice yesterday:

Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich

Q: With Jason Kidd’s addition to this team (Dallas Mavericks) how does this change the way you attack this team defensively?

A: “It doesn’t change anything, this late in the season we have to be who we are; we can’t just change everything because of a player. We are fully aware that Dallas has added a hall of fame player to their club, and that makes them even better. They were already a competitor so we know we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Q: How is Kurt Thomas doing now that he has a couple practices?

A: “Kurt (Thomas) is doing a fine job….We’ve thrown an awful lot at him very quickly, but he’s a pro just like Damon (Stoudamire) and he’s catching on.

On the Yao injury: “It’s really unfortunate they were probably playing the best basketball in the league. It makes you realize how difficult it is to be the last team standing. It’s not just about being good, it’s about health and a lot of things.”

Tony Parker

Q: Jason Kidd, the new addition to the Dallas Mavericks, what does he bring to this team that they maybe didn’t have before?

A: “Obviously great passing. (He’s) one of the best point guards in our league and he definitely pushes the ball and gets easy baskets in transition. I think they’re going to play faster now with him because of the great guys around him.”

Q: Does it hurt them (Dallas Mavericks) not to have Harris and Diop anymore?

A: “Well you can always have your arguments. Diop, he played great defense on Timmy (Duncan) and they were doing a good job switching on me and on Manu…It depends who you ask, Devin Harris and Diop definitely caused some problems.”

Q: After starting those past two games off rather slowly have you guys, or will you guys do anything differently?

A: I think we will play the same way. I think we are headed in the right direction of playing good basketball and just try to stay healthy and keep improving.”

Q: As far as the first quarter is concerned?

A: “Hopefully we can shoot better than 6%. I don’t think its going to be hard to do that, buy you never know. When you play good teams it’s not good because you can go down 10 or 15…Teams like Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix you can’t afford to do that.”

Q: Do you remember a year in the Western Conference where everybody was so tight?

A: “No, not at all, this is the first year where up until the last game you can drop from first to eighth really fast. It’s so close you have to win every game, it makes it tough, and you can’t have no let downs.”

Q: Have you looked at your schedule you guys have coming up?

A: “Its brutal, we have like 18 games…its going to be a tough month so we just have to stay focused and make sure we get through.

Kurt Thomas

Q: Now that you have a few practices under your belt how do things feel for you?

A: “A lot better, I'm definitely getting more confident out on the floor.”

Q: You got a chance to see Jason Kidd a lot of times playing with the Knicks, what does he do for a Dallas Mavericks team?

A: “Just the fact that he's a leader and the way he pushes the ball up the floor, he can pretty much do it all out there. He rebounds, he definitely is an assist man, and he can also put the ball in the basket. He is just an all around player, great defender; you just got to take your hat off to what he brings to the table.”

Q: Is it a little more exciting now that a shot at a championship may not be as easy as it once was?

A: “Well it’s never easy, so it doesn’t get easier no matter where you are, but to be a part of this team and know what they bring to the table each and every night is a big part of it.”

[duncan228]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA.02282008.Spurs.EN.388aa0d.html

Pro basketball: Mavericks set to test new look on Spurs

Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer

For Spurs guard Michael Finley, there will be no double take when new Dallas point guard Jason Kidd walks into the AT&T Center tonight retrofitted in a Mavericks jersey.
There will be no need to check his watch, just to make sure it isn't 1995 all over again.

When you've been in the NBA for as long as Finley has, you come to expect the unexpected. Especially when the trade deadline rolls around, even if it involves an All-Star changing places.

"You just never know what's going to happen in this league," Finley said. "You never knew Shaquille (O'Neal) would be traded twice in his career, either."

The Spurs will have to wait for an up-close look at the new-look Phoenix Suns, O'Neal's newest new team. Tonight, with first place in the Southwest Division on the line, they are offered a first glimpse of another team hoping to make good on a February facelift.

Kidd, an eight-time All-Star and proven playoff veteran, rejoined the Mavericks last week in a trade-deadline swap with New Jersey that came amid a frenzy of roster reshuffling among Western Conference powers.

In doing so, Kidd, 34, returned to the team with which he began his career 13 seasons ago, the centerpiece of a midseason makeover meant to push the Mavs toward the forefront of an ever-tightening conference chase.

Just 51/2 games separate the leading Los Angeles Lakers from the eighth-place Golden State Warriors, with the Spurs and Mavs jockeying for position in between. In the Southwest Division, the Spurs lead Dallas and New Orleans by just one game.

"We're fully aware Dallas just added a Hall of Fame player to their club," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. "And that makes them even better."

That point has been debated in NBA circles since the league rubber-stamped the trade last week.
Dallas is 3-1 since Kidd's arrival, though all three victories came against teams likely lottery bound and the loss was to New Orleans. In four games with Dallas, Kidd has averaged 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 3.8 steals and has single-handedly revitalized Dallas' transition offense and passing game.

However, Kidd's return came at a cost: To get him, the Mavericks took out a second mortgage on their future.

Dallas parted with 25-year-old Devin Harris, one of the league's up-and-coming point guards, as well as DeSagana Diop, a 7-foot backup center useful for banging on the bigger bodies in the West (see Duncan, Tim).

That's part of the reason the Spurs player most likely to be affected by Kidd's return westward — point guard Tony Parker — declared himself "really happy" with the trade when it went through last week.

In part to make up for the loss of Diop, the Mavs signed another ex-Net, 6-foot-11 former All-Star Jamaal Magloire, on Wednesday.

"You can't say Jason Kidd isn't going to help them," Parker said. "(But) Devin Harris and Diop definitely caused us problems."

Whether Kidd can cause the Spurs the same sort of problems remains to be seen.

For both teams, the first clue comes tonight.

If you ask Kidd, the trade that made him a Maverick again garners two thumbs up. Like Parker, he's really happy with it, too.

Rescued from the going-nowhere Nets, Kidd was dropped smack dab in the middle of a playoff race.

In that, Kidd — who never won more than 36 games in his first two full seasons with Dallas last decade — doesn't need to be reminded that it isn't 1995 anymore, either.

"I didn't get an opportunity with that franchise (in the mid-90s) like this one," Kidd said. "This is different, and I'm going to take advantage of that."

[stretch]

Stretch, let me help. I mastered in Duckese at Northern Southwest Arizona University--East Yuma campus. This looks to be a similar dialect, so let me give it a shot:









You might read this and think that the poster is confused and believes it to already be the first week of May. In actuality, by separating the "play" and the "off" the writer has masterfully conveyed, in Duckese, that this game really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, hence the "play"; and the "off" expresses the poster's firm belief that the Mavs and/or the Spurs will be "off" in terms of their shooting percentages. Two keen insights, and I appreciate the heads up!









Stevenger was just rehashing the fact that the first Jason Kidd trade to Dallas didn't work out. Thanks for the refresher...ummm...Venger!! :tu










I think this line speaks for itself. Obviously the writer wanted us all to know that he feels that Barak Obama will likely win the democratic nomination for president of the United States.












To prove:
Mathematics. to verify the correctness or validity of by mathematical demonstration or arithmetical proof.

It's common knowledge that Desagana Diop performed significantly higher in scholastic apptitude tests while in school than did Jason Kidd. Stevenger just wanted us to be aware that the Mavericks mathematical equation solving skills took an enormous hit by trading for Kidd, and the Mavericks are likely going to pay dearly for this gaff in the NBA's next science and mathematics fair.







I hope this helps! :tu

:lol

yea, i understood what he was saying. it was just so poorly written that i actually had put some effort into reading it to understand it.

[2centsworth]

The Mavs will play like it's game 7 of the imaginary finals. Spurs will respond by not wanting to give that much energy. Mavs will win, Mavs fan will jerkoff, and then the Mavs will do crap in the playoffs when every team matches their intensity.

[ludda]

Spurs will win this one. Mav fans will knee jerk about the Kidd trade.

[monosylab1k]

According to Hollinger, the winner of this game will then have a 5% chance of making the playoffs.
But that's only if team efficiency at 8:25 in the 2nd quarter is 15.554984965 or beyond for one or both teams if the coefficient of the rebound-to-lane violation ratio is beyond the same formula that measures win percentage when the tangential rate of ice cream in the arena is proportional to fast break attempts between the 3:00 and 4:00 mark of all second overtimes in each respective team's history.

[monosylab1k]

I can't wait to see the Spurs go on that 77-0 run during those 10 minutes that Diop would have played if he wasn't traded.

[duncan228]

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/500652.html

Centering in on San Antonio
By JEFF CAPLAN Star-Telegram Staff Writer

SAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs are 4-0 in playoff series since the Mavericks defeated them in Game 7 of the second round in 2006.

And there's a belief among some Mavs that if they had taken care of their end last postseason, another Mavs-Spurs series might have prevented a fourth championship parade from chugging down the River Walk.

The Mavs loved the way they matched up with the Spurs. But that was back when Devin Harris matched point-guard speed with Tony Parker and the center tandem of Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop clung to Tim Duncan as well as anyone has.

But that was before Harris and Diop were shipped to New Jersey and the Jason Kidd era rekindled four games ago.

"It's all new territory for us," Mavs coach Avery Johnson said. "We know how some of our players match up against their players, but we've added some new guys and we're not there yet."

Parker, the 2007 Finals MVP, perhaps speaking truthfully or trying to goad or maybe just trying to diminish the rivalry, smiled and said the trade pleased him. No Harris and no Diop, he said, was a relief for the Spurs.

As multiple storylines between old rivals unfold tonight, not the least of which has the Mavs trailing the Spurs by one game in the Southwest Division, one storyline in particular has captured the center of the Mavs' attention.

Suddenly, Dampier, their stoic 6-foot-11 center, is allaying fears that the Mavs won't be strong enough or deep enough at center in a playoff series against Duncan and the Spurs, the Lakers' retooled front line or the Suns' Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire.

In four games since the All-Star break, Dampier has been energized on the defensive end. He had 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots Monday against Chicago. He's blocked 20 shots in the four games and is averaging 9.5 rebounds as his playing time has jumped to 31 minutes, almost 10 more than his average before the trade.

"It's just knowing that you're going to get the majority of the minutes," Dampier said, "knowing you have to stay on the floor, stay out of foul trouble, so I try to be a presence out there, whether it's on the defensive end or the offensive end."

He'll get help defensively tonight from Mavs newcomer Jamaal Magliore, a 6-foot-11 banger, and veteran Juwan Howard.

In the last four games, Dampier is giving the Mavs an offensive low-post presence. Of the players Kidd was supposed to help make scoring easier -- mostly Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry -- Dampier is possibly at the top of the list.

His scoring totals aren't staggering -- 11, 6, 9 and 6 points -- but they are above his season average of 5.7, and he's missed only five shots in 20 attempts. And more shots are ahead if he and Kidd gain greater chemistry.

"I just think this game is so much confidence as ability and when everybody believes in each other no matter who's on the floor that goes a lot further than somebody being a weak link," Kidd said. "We believe in Damp. He's a weapon."

Kidd told Dampier to be ready for passes after setting screens.

"They're going to go solo [defending Dampier], so it's my job to get him the ball and let him show his offensive moves," Kidd said. "That's the only thing I've always told him since I got here."

Dampier, offensive moves? That's a new one. But Dampier long has campaigned that if he got the ball more in the set offense, he'd score more.

"I did it before. It's just a matter of getting in a rhythm, getting used to him [Kidd] and getting used to catching passes from him," Dampier said. "I'm working on stuff with him, like just where to catch the ball on a pick-and-roll. That could easily be a goal for me, 12 points. I used to average a double-double, so I'm going to try to get back to that."

That double-double season was 2003-04 with Golden State, when he was in the last year of his contract and one that encouraged Johnson, who played for the Warriors then, to recruit Dampier to the Mavs the next season.

Dampier has had spurts before but nothing close to consistent double-doubles. Rarely do must teams account for him in the low post the way they might if he continues to catch Kidd's passes and slam them home.

"You've seen it a little bit already," Johnson said. "Kidd has hit him with some passes and Damp has finished the ball unlike anything we've seen. We hope with [Kidd's] passing ability and penetration that we can get a few more points from Damp inside."

It would change the way the Spurs and the rest of the West must defend the middle of the Kidd-era Mavs.

SHARP SPURS

Consider Tony Parker to be completely pro-Mavs trade. "To be honest, I'm really happy for that trade," the Spurs' point guard told reporters. "[DeSagana] Diop was doing a job on us. And Devin Harris, most of the time, he played well against us. So I thought it would be good for us. No disrespect to Jason Kidd -- he's a great point guard. But those guys who left always gave us trouble." How do the Mavs match up with the champs now? Here are their chief concerns:

1 Parker's speed. With Harris gone, the Mavericks have no one who can keep up with the 2007 NBA Finals MVP.

2 Tim Duncan. While Diop's size will be missed, the truth is the Mavs have never really had an answer for Duncan. Now the burden of containing him falls to Erick Dampier, Juwan Howard and undersized Brandon Bass. New acquisition Jamaal Magloire could be activated for tonight's game.

3 Manu the Machine. Kidd, Josh Howard and Devean George probably will take their turn against Manu Ginobili, who has become the Spurs' primary scorer and is averaging 30.8 points in his past six games. Asking Kidd, the team's primary ballhandler, to guard him is asking a lot.

4 The Spurs' size. With the acquisition of rugged 6-9 center-forward Kurt Thomas, the Spurs added a solid post defender and jump shooter to help Duncan and 6-10 Fabricio Oberto. That's some serious interior size.

[ancestron]

I think either the Spurs or the Mavs will probably win.

[phxspurfan]

"You can't say Jason Kidd isn't going to help them," Parker said. "(But) Devin Harris and Diop definitely caused us problems."



I love how journalists find ways to combine quotes and add words. It makes it seem like the subject said something they didn't at all intend to say.

[dirk4mvp]

I can't wait to see the Spurs go on that 77-0 run during those 10 minutes that Diop would have played if he wasn't traded.

:lol

[duncan228]

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/02/kiddparker-matchup-not-averys-top-concer.html

Kidd-Parker matchup not Avery's top concern
Tim MacMahon

Avery went out of his way after yesterday's practice to downplay the Jason Kidd-Tony Parker matchup.

In fact, Avery pointed out that the point guards might not actually match up that much tonight. The Mavs will throw as many as four different defenders at Parker, but their primary concern is making sure Manu Ginobili doesn't go wild.

"If you don't get Ginobili under control," Avery said, "you're going to struggle."

Tim Duncan is arguably the NBA's best player of the last decade ( :smokin ), but Ginobili has been the Spurs' best player this month. He's averaging 25 points, 6.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds in February, carrying the Spurs to a 9-1 record despite Parker missing the first seven games of the month with an ankle injury.

Ginobili had an off shooting game in the Spurs' win Monday over Atlanta, but he was coming off the franchise's highest-scoring five-game stretch since George Gervin's days.

Don't be surprised if Ginobili, not Parker, is Kidd's primary defenisve responsibility.

[ehz33satx]

Spur fan: If we win, we totally own the Mavs. If we lose, so fucking what. We have 4 rings.

Exactly. Actually, it's not the regular season that matters, as you as a Mav's fan have yet to figure out. The regular season is just a tune up for the playoffs, where it really counts.

[Findog]

Exactly. Actually, it's not the regular season that matters, as you as a Mav's fan have yet to figure out. The regular season is just a tune up for the playoffs, where it really counts.

Wow. That's quite enlightening. I had no idea. I never understood what the deal was with those games played after the season ended on April 20th, but now I do. Your pedantry is appreciated.

[Xylus]

Wow. That's quite enlightening. I had no idea. I never understood what the deal was with those games played after the season ended on April 20th, but now I do. Your pedantry is appreciated.
:clap

[mavsfan1000]

Spurs will probably win as they are at home and the mavs haven't quite gotten use to Kidd being their new point guard yet. We'll see how it goes.

[duncan228]

Another one to pass the time...

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/news.aspx?id=4134510

Don't mess with Texas: Mavs pay a visit to Spurs

(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs will shoot for their seventh straight win when they close out a three-game homestand tonight versus the Southwest Division-rival Dallas Mavericks at the AT&T Center.

The division-leading Spurs are 2-0 so far on the homestand and 23-5 as the host in 2007-08. They recorded an 89-74 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, as Tim Duncan had 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots to help San Antonio overcome a terrible first quarter.

Tony Parker scored 15 points and dished out a game-high nine assists for the Spurs, who posted just five points in the opening 12 minutes. Manu Ginobili contributed 13 points in San Antonio's 10th victory in 11 tries. Kurt Thomas, who was acquired from the Sonics last Wednesday, made his San Antonio debut with nine boards against the Hawks.

San Antonio, which has won three in a row at the AT&T Center, is a half game ahead of New Orleans and a game in front of Dallas in the Southwest standings.

Dallas has won three straight games and will hit the road on Thursday. It has won two in a row as the visitor and owns a 14-16 mark away from American Airlines Center this season.

The Mavericks are well rested after Monday's 102-94 home victory over the Chicago Bulls. Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the charge. Jason Kidd posted 11 points, nine boards and eight assists for the Mavs in his first home game since being acquired from New Jersey last week.

Dallas came out on top despite committing 21 turnovers.

On the injury front for Dallas, guard Eddie Jones (stomach virus) is questionable for Thursday's game against San Antonio.

Thursday's showdown between Dallas and San Antonio is the third of four matchups this season. Both teams have split a pair of meetings so far, while Dallas has won four of five and five of the last seven encounters.

The Mavericks, who are slated to host the Spurs on March 23 at American Airlines Center, have won three of their last four trips to San Antonio. These teams have split the last 10 matchups at the AT&T Center.