Tonight is an intra-divisional showdown where the San Antonio Spurs (27-8) host the Dallas Mavericks (20-15). The Spurs hold first place in the Southwest Division and the Mavs are seven games back from the Spurs.
The Game At Hand:
The Mavs look to regain some ground after a 110-97 win against the Lakers on the previous night. The Spurs are still dominating the Western Conference, winning five of their last six games and averaging 112 points per game in that six-game span.
So far, the Spurs have a 1-0 season series record against the Spurs. The Spurs beat the Mavs on the road 116 to 107, thanks Spurs guard Danny Green’s 22 points and shooting 100% from the field.
Shawn Marion (shoulder) did not travel with the team to San Antonio. Jae Crowder and Vince Carter who had 19 off the bench last night will see extra minutes.
Keys To The Game:
1. Stop the Fundamentals:
Part of Greg Popovich’s success with coaching the Spurs is making his players play by the fundamentals. The Spurs are ranked first in the lead in the efficiency and commit the fewest turnovers in the league. The Mavs have to somehow force the Spurs to turn over the ball on defense.
2. Perimeter Shooting:
The Mavs struggled to guard the 3-point line in the previous game versus the Spurs this season. San Antonio shot about 44% from behind the arch. The Mavs should guard deadly shooters like Danny Green and Marco Belinelli aggressively. This will hopefully help prevent this game from getting away from Dallas.
Matchup Of The Night: Dirk Nowitzki vs. Tim Duncan
When the Mavs and Spurs meet it’s always treats those watching to a Dirk vs Timmy battle at the power forward position.
The way each embraces the position couldn’t be more different. While Dirk revolutionized the “4” spot with his ability to stretch the floor and score in numerous ways, Duncan has remained steadfast in his fundamentals that have carved out one remarkable career including four championships.
Dirk acknowledged he believes Duncan may be the NBA’s greatest power forward ever. It’s hard to disagree with him, a guy who probably sits in the top 5 best PFs in NBA history himself.
When and Where:
Tip-off starts at 6:00pm CST and broadcasted on both ESPN and Fox Sports Southwest.
GO MAVS!
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