Johnny Ludden: Spurs’ edge over Mavs: Fear not

[carina_gino20]

SAN ANTONIO – They traded elbows, bruises and fouls, two old Lone Star rivals cracking each other, and somewhere from this scrum the ball fittingly found its way to the man with the bandaged, busted nose. Manu Ginobili(notes) rose from the corner and buried a long, arcing shot, thrusting one more dagger into this Texas blood war.

These San Antonio Spurs don’t scare easily, and that explains as much as anything why they’re one victory from flooring the Dallas Mavericks. They entered the West playoffs as a No. 7 seed and could emerge from their opening series as the conference’s heavyweight. Ginobili’s fearlessness has always given the Spurs reason to believe, but this also now spreads from the youngest on their roster.

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[Lebowski Brickowski]

“It’s just getting started,” Mavs guard Jason Terry(notes) vowed. “…It’s going to get a lot worse.”

I don't doubt it from this punk-cheap shot artist.

[DesignatedT]

at mavs players. why don't they just stop with all these moronic quotes and go out and win a game. they're not very bright.

[boutons_deux]

JET is one stupid .

[MoSpur]

The quotes from Terry don't surprise me. He's very talented and a very good ball player, but he's not very bright. He needs to just focus and go out and ball.

[Budkin]

Jason Terry for (yet another) loss.

[Phenomanul]

Blair celebrated his 21st birthday just three days earlier. Hill will turn 24 in another week. The Spurs don’t usually win with players so young and with their stars contributing so little. Still, all of their championship teams owned the same trait: From Mario Elie to Stephen Jackson, from Steve Kerr to Bruce Bowen, from Malik Rose to Fabricio Oberto, the Spurs’ supporting casts were cut from the same sturdy fiber that Hill and Blair now share. There’s a reason why Jaren Jackson left the Spurs with a championship ring and Hedo Turkoglu didn’t... To survive in San Antonio, one must not only withstand the heat of the playoffs, but also Popovich’s personal fire.

Ouch...

[Slomo]

"Over the course of a week, Gregg Popovich’s dog pound had somehow transformed from poodle to pit bull"

[Mark in Austin]

I don't doubt it from this punk-cheap shot artist.

Terry's playing with a fractured face too, so my guess is he won't be cheap shotting Manu. If the Spurs have proven anything so far this offseason, it's that they've moved beyond not backing down to actually calling other teams players to account physically for their cheap shots.

As long as the refs manage to keep things from getting too far out of hand, I like this edge - the Spurs will need it for the rest of the playoffs, no matter how long or short their run is.

[MoSpur]

at Ludden taking a shot at RMJ

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I love Ludden articles.



I hope the Spurs come out in game 5 with that game 4 second half intensity. The Spurs need to keep in mind that they could have easily lost any of the last three games and know not to let up. I've been impressed by this group so far...let's hope it continues.

[TheProfessor]

Hill looked even worse when he initially arrived in San Antonio to work out. In one pick-up game, he was outplayed by the teen-aged son of Spurs director of player personnel Dell Demps.

Sign that kid!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

“It’s just getting started,” Mavs guard Jason Terry(notes) vowed. “…It’s going to get a lot worse.”

Cue Terry flagrant as they're losing in the fourth quarter of game 5.... he's such a he will probably hit Manu in the face with a fist, too.

I only pray someone like Blair is there to cold that little piece of Dallas trash.

[anakha]

I only pray someone like Blair is there to cold that little piece of Dallas trash.

Send Mason to do that instead. He's expendable.

[duhoh]

Send Mason to do that instead. He's expendable.

like najera right?

[MannyIsGod]

there’s a reason why jaren jackson left the spurs with a championship ring and hedo turkoglu(notes) didn’t.

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn

[m33p0]

“Dirk being Dirk, me being me – and that’s not good,” Blair would later say with a laugh.

[EMS33]

If the mavs what to learn something from the spurs maybe they should shut their mouths and show somebody something on the court.

Kinda like when you were little, "actions speak louder than words." But its OK the mavs still have growing up to do, I mean we are "old" and "over the hill" but we have won four championships with our actions on the court. Maybe someday they will grow up a little and join the big boys with a ring or four. I just don't see that happening.

[EricB]

Cue Terry flagrant as they're losing in the fourth quarter of game 5.... he's such a he will probably hit Manu in the face with a fist, too.

I only pray someone like Blair is there to cold that little piece of Dallas trash.

Hopefully blair is smarter than that. After getting his ass chewed last night I think he will.

[m33p0]

Nutcracker unleashed?

[LoneStarState'sPride]

I guess diarrhea of the mouth is a requirement to be a mav.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yeah I don't want Blair suspended, just thinking of who on our squad could break that little Terry in two with one punch.

Someone like Mason would definitely be a better sacrificial pawn. Maybe Hairston too

That said, was thinking who would actually be on the court when something like that goes down.

[Mark in Austin]

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn

you know, I overlooked that line when I read the piece the first time.

Nice.

[SenorSpur]

I love the retaliation hard fouls administered by both RJ and Blair. If there are more to be dealt in Game 5, I trust one will be given to Turlehead, who I expect to replace Najera as the Mavs number one cheap shot artist.

[SenorSpur]

Yeah I don't want Blair suspended, just thinking of who on our squad could break that little Terry in two with one punch.

Someone like Mason would definitely be a better sacrificial pawn. Maybe Hairston too

That said, was thinking who would actually be on the court when something like that goes down.

Agree. I don't want Blair suspended either. I just want to see that little punk-ass get his comeuppence.