The Mavs and the Spurs are keeping pretty good pace despite the Pistons' strong start. The Spurs are only 2.5 games behind if my math is correct. That can be made up in a week if the Pistons stumble. So, for all the talk of the Pistons' stunning start, the Spurs are right there in our rear-view mirror. WARNING: Vehicles in your rear-view are closer than they appear.

I've been goofing off, just like the Spurs We are a game behind Mavs but all of that will get settled tonight Pop and Avery are down playing it but the teams are all hot to get out there and show them what they've got, especially Michael Finley playing against his old team.

Nothing much new on Spurs. A week or so ago there was talk of trading Brent Barry, they told him not to get on the plane. Pop said Barry was about where Devon Brown was when he got traded, just not a consistent player. Pop is really happy that Finley has got game, and also Nick the Quick got 7 points in 91 seconds and another 7 points in 55 seconds

I hated to see Pistons fall to Nuggets, but you have to remember Pistons and Spurs got targets on their backs and everyone wants to beat them. Nuggets beat us on 1/22 and beat the Mavs on 2/10, then you guys on 3/1. They play a hard game, we play them again 3/22

I have a theory about scheduling. I see Pistons have a ton of back to back, we have hardly any, and I realize heavy schedule can take its toll on team. BUT, we have had a couple of stretches, 6 days between games (2/2-2/8 and 2/15-2/21) and I feel that does more team damage than closely scheduled games. No one has expressed it, but I think those long breaks keep them from getting and keeping a rhythm. These guys are out of sync. I think they probably know it but cant figure out what it is. Should I tell them? Nahhhh, I just want them to win West so we can play Pistons again. I would rather see Suns win than Mavs if Spurs dont make it. But till then GO PISTONS/GO SPURS

BSA, is it the late game tonight?

I am trying to finish up at work so I can catch some boob tube basketball.

Halftime, Mavs up by 2. They got out early, Spurs missing everything, but then in the second quarter they started turning the ball over and the Spurs got themselves some easy buckets and got back into it.

I know these are both excellent teams and so they're kind of beating up on each other right now, but as it stands after this half, I like our chances against either of them. The spurs, right now at least, are definitely not where they were last year at this time, let alone in june. The mavs got a lot of horses, they are improved defensively (obviously) and more patient offensively, and tonight they certainly looked decent at the start, but they seemed to get really out of sync as soon as the spurs turned up the defensive intensity.

Everything changes when you gotta play against defenders. It's easy to look good against chumps, but when you got a guy up in your grill, it gets alot harder. I think the Mavs look pretty good, but, as they say... Offense sells tickets, Defense wins Championships.

Niether of these clubs should be taken lightly. In the end, it will come down to who can really play some D.

This Spurs win worked out well for the Pistons... as we get the tie breaker for home court with them... it's like we gained 1 1/2 games on the West tonight (if the Spurs come out of the west)....
I don't think Dirk is a prime time player... he'll put up gr8 numbers during the year and go 10 for 25 in the big games.
Go Spurs... I want a rematch.

Nice win by Spurs over the Mav's. Looks like you guys really have their mental number. The Mavs definently don't want to go head to head with Pops & company in the playoffs. But that match-up is looking as enevitable as the Pistons / Miami match-up. Unless Denver goes miracle and actually strings some wins together in a real play-off series, something I just can't see at this point.

But you better stay healthy, the big guy comes in with any sprains in the spring face-off and Cuban finally gets his wish, to get his butt thrashed in the Finals..

__________________
"Most of the arguments to which I am party fall somewhat short of being impressive, knowing to the fact that neither I nor my opponent knows what we are talking about." Dangerfield

Don't forget about Phoenix.

Mavs looked like they were cooking at first but couldnt bring it together. I think Mavs and Spurs play alike, Mavs are looking better this year. I think Avery Johnson is giving them "spur" training, he was a Spur for 3 years. Fans gave him a standing ovation, we love our spurs even when they are gone.

Maybe Mavs are playing better without Michael Finley, because I cant see Dirk and Michael working together...but then, I cant remember what Mavs were like before I remember that Suns beat Mavs in west finals when Shawn Marion got 33 points, then only 3 points against Spurs due to Bruce Bowen. And Bruce did Dirk in last night by keeping his scoring down. I'm curious to see how spurs do against Suns. We lost to them on 1/7. We play them twice this month, 3/9 and 3/17. ouch

It's really not my place to say anything about Darko (as he aint and never will be a spur) but I follow everything you all write about team and have to agree that it's really good that Darko is gone. No team needs a prima donna. Hey, its not because of his age and immaturity, he will be the same when hes 30-40-50 etc. He thought Pistons needed "him" and he was going to come in and show "them" what basketball was about. Well, it dont work that way. He can go to Orlando and take command and show "them" but sooner or later it's gonna be that same old story. He just won't learn.

Bench? Real professional players dont mind "bench". Look at Finley, VanExel, Fabriano, Barry. They know they are "bench" and they know when they are called, even for last quarter seconds, they play with all their heart. Only immature, unprofessional, spoiled jerks dont like "bench".

Oh, that reminds me, Robert Horry played last night, first time in a long time (our because of abdominal strain) and he did good. Go Pistons, do a job on those pesky Sonics and Lakers on your back to back, especially Lakers, we have them 3/6, 3/10 and 3/30

I didnt see it, but I'm in and out of game, and then I read ArmyGirl post about the biting incident. I went to SA Exp News to see what they said and this was all I saw:

By game's end, Horry also had gotten under the skin of the Mavericks. He and Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse became tangled going for a rebound and had to be separated by teammates, referees and both head coaches. Both players received technical fouls, and afterward, some Mavericks accused Horry of biting Stackhouse during the infighting.

The local evening news said something about Stackhouse being a crybaby, but I missed all of that too

Guess I'll have to go to Dallas site to get their version.