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mavericks on other end of a double header, we should clean them up in defense is in tune
Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs preview
By Eddie Sefco / The Dallas Morning News
Scouting the Spurs
The Spurs are coming off what has to be one of the worst defensive games of the Gregg Popovich era. Toronto shot 59.2 percent and scored 124 points – and still lost. The Spurs got 36 points from Manu Ginobili, 24 from Richard Jefferson and 22 from George Hill and won without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Both could be back tonight. ... The 131 points the Spurs scored Monday were the most under Popovich in a nonovertime game. ... They have a modest 3-3 record, with all three wins coming at home. ... Against the Spurs, opponents are shooting 48.6 percent overall and 37 percent from 3-point range. ... Second-round pick DeJuan Blair, whom the Mavericks had eyes for, is averaging 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 points.
Scouting the Mavericks
It's the first of two meetings with the Spurs in eight days, and while the Mavs have had success against the Spurs in the playoffs, they have lost three of the last four regular-season meetings in San Antonio. ... Jason Terry moved into eighth place on the list of top scorers in franchise history and should pass Sam Perkins for seventh place early next month. ... Terry averaged nearly 22 points against the Spurs last season. ... This will complete the Mavs' third set of back-to-back games. They have 20 back-to-backs this season. They swept games at the Lakers and Clippers, then won at home against Utah and lost in New Orleans the following night.
mavericks on other end of a double header, we should clean them up in defense is in tune
Pessimistic about our defense against Mavs.
I just hope we'll be able to contain Drew Gooden.
Speaking of the Big Drizzle, I'm imagining a scene in which Rick Carlisle gathers the team so Gooden can tell everyone what he learned about the Spurs' system during his time in San Antonio. Drew looks around, stammers a bit and says something like, "Well, uh, they, uh, rotate a lot. On defense."
Mavs are very confident right now. I definitely think they'll get it done. Prediction mavs win 102-95.
Dallas (5-2) at San Antonio (3-3)
Game info: 8:30 pm EST Wed Nov 11, 2009
TV: KTXA, FSSW
By Dan Pieringer
With two All-Stars sitting out because of injuries, the San Antonio Spurs delivered their best offensive performance of the young season. To beat the Dallas Mavericks, however, the Spurs will likely need a better defensive effort.
It’s unclear if Tim Duncan or Tony Parker will be available Wednesday night when the Spurs host the Mavericks in the teams’ first meeting since Dallas ousted San Antonio from the first round of the playoffs in April.
Parker and Duncan were both sidelined by ankle injuries Monday night. Parker has a mild sprain the team has said could keep him out for a week, and Duncan is considered day-to-day with swelling in his left ankle.
Despite missing two of their top players, the Spurs (3-3) beat Toronto 131-124, recording their highest point total since a 133-126 double-overtime win at Dallas on Dec. 9. Manu Ginobili scored 36 points off the bench, Richard Jefferson added 24, and George Hill had 22 in his first start of the season. All three point totals were individual season highs.
San Antonio is averaging 119.0 points in its wins, and has been held to 89.3 points per game in its losses. The Spurs, though, feel that stepping up their defense is the key to staying on track. They’re giving up 102.5 points per game after holding opponents under 94.0 each of the last 12 seasons.
“I think we’re going to score, we just got to play better defense,” said Ginobili, who made six of San Antonio’s season-high 14 3-pointers and had eight assists and a career-high four blocked shots against the Raptors. “We were talking before the season about trying to be the best team in the league defensively, and so far we’re not even close.”
The Spurs struggled on defense in their last meeting with the Mavericks on April 28. Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 to lead six Dallas players in double figures as the Mavericks eliminated the Spurs from the first round of the playoffs with a 106-93 victory in Game 5 in San Antonio.
Dallas has won five of six against San Antonio, dating to the teams’ final regular-season meeting of 2008-09. Ginobili didn’t play in any of those games because of ankle problems.
The Mavericks (5-2) have shown they’re capable of big offensive performances lately. After averaging 96.2 points over their first five games, they’ve averaged 125.0 in winning their last two.
Like San Antonio, however, Dallas is more focused on being effective on the other end of the floor. After giving up 61 points in the first half Tuesday night, the Mavericks allowed just 42 in the second as they overcame a 17-point deficit to beat Houston 121-103.
“There’s no secret what’s going to get us wins,” said top reserve Jason Terry, who led Dallas with 24 points against the Rockets. “When we didn’t play defense, we got down by 15. We have to continue to lock in, get stops and run.”
Terry has helped spark the Mavericks’ offensive surge, averaging 26.0 points and going 27 for 38 (71.1 percent) from the field over the last three games.
Dallas has also gotten a boost from the return of Josh Howard, who missed the first five games while recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Howard, an All-Star in 2007, has averaged 15.0 points in 24.0 minutes in his first two games.
Howard averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 50.0 percent from the field in eight total games against San Antonio last season.
*********************
Team Stat Leaders
Points
Dirk Nowitzki Dal 26.7
Manu Ginobili SA 17.5
Rebounds
Erick Dampier Dal 9.7
Tim Duncan SA 11.8
Assists
Jason Kidd Dal 8.2
Manu Ginobili SA 4.2
Prediction: Mavs 194, Spurs 183 in (single) overtime.
Bonner all fired up and ready to dominate Dirk.
Wednesday: Mavericks (5-2) at Spurs (3-3)
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: FSNSW
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350
STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - MAVERICKS
PG - 3 George Hill (6-2, 2nd yr) - 2 Jason Kidd (6-3, 16th yr)
Hill's 22 points vs. Toronto helped assuage the loss of Parker.
SG - 10 Keith Bogans (6-5, 7th yr) - 5 Josh Howard (6-7, 7th yr)
Howard, like Ginobili, finding groove after offseason ankle trouble.
SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 15th yr) - 0 Shawn Marion (6-7, 11th yr)
In offseason arms race, Marion is Mavs' version of Jefferson.
PF - 24 Richard Jefferson (6-7, 9th yr) - 41 Dirk Nowitzki (7-0, 11th yr)
Starting for Duncan at power forward not what Jefferson signed on for.
C - 42 Theo Ratliff (6-10, 15th yr) - 25 Erick Dampier (6-11, 13th yr)
After consecutive DNPs, Ratliff earned first Spurs start against Raptors.
SPURS RESERVES
8 Roger Mason Jr, G, 6-5, 6th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 8th yr
1 Malik Hairston, G, 6-6, 2nd yr
24 A. McDyess, C/F, 6-10, 15th yr
45 DeJuan Blair, F, 6-7, 1st yr
15 Matt Bonner, C/F, 6-10, 6th yr
22 Marcus Haislip, F, 6-10, 4th yr
MAVERICKS RESERVES
11 J.J. Barea, G, 6-4, 4th yr
3 Rodrigue Beaubois, G, 6-2, 1st yr
13 Matt Carroll, G, 6-6, 7th yr
43 Kris Humphries, F, 6-9, 6th yr
6 Quinton Ross, G/F, 6-6, 6th yr
33 James Singleton, F, 6-8, 4th yr
31 Jason Terry, G, 6-2, 11th yr
COACHES
Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Mavericks: Rick Carlisle
INJURIES
Spurs: Tony Parker (left ankle sprain) and Tim Duncan (left ankle swelling) are doubtful.
Mavericks: Drew Gooden (right ribcage strain) is questionable. Tim Thomas (right knee surgery) is out.
PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS
Spurs: Ian Mahinmi, Duncan, Parker.
Mavericks: Gooden, Thomas.
NOTABLE
New-look Spurs face Mavs for first time since April playoff series, which Dallas won in five games, but could be without pair of All-Stars in Parker and Duncan. ... Parker's absence could be critical — he averaged 31.3 points vs. Dallas in the 2008-09 regular season. ... The Spurs' 131 points vs. Toronto were the most for a regular-season game in Popovich era.
- Jeff McDonald
Mavs got this 1, but im looking foward to next Wensdays game.
You can only hope to slow down a player such as Gooden. You will never contain him.
Yeah next Wensday is going to be a barn burner
Should be an easy win for Dallas. If they drop this game, they deserve derision.
It is a back-to-back for the Mavs, so even if they lose, the Mavericks fanbase would not explode. However, the Spurs still have Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson. Jefferson played more comfortably as the main offensive player in the 1st unit and Ginobili would step up because he does not like losing. George Hill showed some promise and if he could bother Jason Kidd like I think he can, then the game is up for grabs. The only problem is Dampier. We know what Dirk can do and he is going to torch us. Dampier is the X-Factor for the game.
Can't see how the Spurs can win this one. Mavs simply have too many offensive weapons. Even Ericka Dampier is playing out of this mind, as of late. The Spurs defense is like Swiss cheese.
So do you think Dampier would explode in 2 consecutive games?
I think the Spurs will score well again, but I'm afraid the Mavs will light us up as well. I predict we will lose by about 15 with both teams over 100 points.
The biggest thing I am hoping for tonight is to see some more signs that the new guys are getting more comfortable, and some kind of improvement in defense.
This game will be much like the Toronto game I suspect. Dallas, a great offensive team, might struggle a bit with that strength being the second game of B2B. But they are a better defensive team than Toronto and Spurs won't score as easily.
I call it a close game. Spurs 108 / Mavs 105
without tim and tony and with the defense still a work in progress it will be tough but perhaps the second leg of a back-to-back will wear on the mavs legs.
I have a feeling Tony might talk Pop into letting him play before game time. Either way, I think the mavs win this one unless our defense miraculously shows up out of no where.
This is going to be like last year: Manu will come up with the heroics to win the games with Tim and Tony out.
I'm a little nervous, to be honest. This is just the kind of game the Mavs love to lose.
There's no reason to start Theo at this one.
Start Dice, Bonner, RJ, Bogans and GH3 and help Bonner every time Dirk touches the ball
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