Schoening: Series On

[duncan228]

Series On
by Bill Schoening

You didn't really expect anything different, did you?

When the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks play a preseason game there's a buzz. So when they hook up for a playoff series, watch out. That is the case once again this season and judging from the first two games, this series will be another memorable one.

The Spurs are determined to keep 7-foot German Dirk Nowitzki in check. In Game 2, Nowitzki connected on just three field goals. The Spurs have given him a variety of looks by putting different defenders on him. Matt Bonner, Michael Finley, Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Ime Udoka and Kurt Thomas have all spent time in the first two games trying to contain the high scoring forward.

The Mavs, conversely, are trying to figure out ways to slow down point guard Tony Parker, who exploded for 38 points and eight assists in Game 2. Former Texas A&M Aggie Antoine Wright has gotten into early foul trouble in each of the first two games while guarding Parker.

Jason Kidd, JJ Barea and Josh Howard have all taken their cracks at Parker as well. Mavs' coach Rick Carlisle may end up employing more zone in an effort to turn Parker into more of a shooter than a scooter. The Spurs, already facing a challenge without the services of Manu Ginobili, now gear up for a raucous crowd in Dallas for games three and four.

The series is on.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Antoine Wright is dumber than a bag of rocks......and this is coming from an Aggie. No way he or anyone else on that mavs roster is able to stick with Tony over the course of this series. He better get used to riding the pine....

[Manufan909]

He forgot, Mason on Dirk, but I guess that is something that should be forgotten. And I think Bonner played Tenacious D on Dirk, he was 4 pts away from outscoring, and even outboarded him, all in 10 less minutes.

Bowen was the best on Dirk, though. And Terry, and JJ, and Howard.