< ><B>Mavericks-San Antonio Spurs preview</B></P><>7 p.m. today, SBC Center, Ch. 11, ESPN2; ESPN-FM (103.3), KFLC-AM (1270, Spanish)</P><>09:59 PM CST on Thursday, January 13, 2005</P><>By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News</P><><B>Season series: Spurs lead, 2-0 </B></P><><B>Key matchup
Jason Terry vs. Tony Parker:</B> The Spurs\' point guard has scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games and has averaged 6.8 assists in that span. He also has shot 34-of-57 from the field in those four games. Terry has been on a roll, too, averaging 18.7 points and 6.7 assists in the last three games. If Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan cancel each other out, this will be the matchup that dictates who wins the game. </P><><B>Inside the Mavericks</B>
<B>Getting offensive:</B> They have scored at least 100 points in each of their last eight games, meaning this will be a good test for the Spurs\' vaunted defense and the Mavericks\' offense. The Mavericks shot just better than 50 percent in those eight games. </P><><B>By the numbers:</B> Jason Terry and Minnesota\'s Wally Szczerbiak are the only players in the league (minimum 10 3-pointers made) who shoot better than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and 80 percent from the free throw line. ... Dirk Nowitzki\'s three rebounds against Houston were his lowest total of the season. </P><><B>Inside the Spurs
It starts with D:</B> The Spurs are allowing only 85.7 points per game, best in the NBA. Foes are shooting 41.7 percent, second best in the league. In two November meetings, the Mavericks did not break 90 points, averaging 84.5. </P><><B>By the numbers:</B> The Spurs are beating opponents by 11.5 points per game. If they keep that up, it\'ll be the fourth-highest point differential in league history. ... Gregg Popovich is the winningest active coach by percentage at 66.1 percent. Don Nelson is fifth at 57.4 percent. ... Manu Ginobili has averaged 17.3 points in his last six games. </P><P>---------------------------------------------------------------</P><P><B>Howard expected to miss game vs. Spurs</B></P><P><B>With Dampier also ailing, Mavericks will defend by committee</B></P><P>09:54 PM CST on Thursday, January 13, 2005</P><P>By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News</P><P>SAN ANTONIO – The meat and the feet of the Mavericks\' defense were gone against Houston and will be again tonight against the San Antonio Spurs. </P><P><B>Josh Howard did not make the trip and is not expected to rejoin the team today. He has been suffering from an upper-respiratory infection and has lost considerable weight in the last week. </B></P><P>\"He\'s improving, but he\'s still weak,\" coach Don Nelson said. </P><P>Howard is the Mavericks\' best perimeter defender, a fast player who can lock down opponents. His absence – coupled with center Erick Dampier\'s sore knee, which limits his ability to be a force in the paint – means the Mavericks again will have to defend by committee. </P><P>The absence of Howard and Dampier\'s abbreviated action (19 minutes) was part of the reason the Rockets rolled up 124 points against the Mavericks on Wednesday. </P><P>\"They were just too good,\" Dirk Nowitzki said. \"They made shots all over the place. We\'re not a great defensive team, so every good defender out there is supposed to help. And Josh is our best defender. We put him on all the good scorers.\" </P><P><B>Nelson said Dampier\'s minutes were monitored Wednesday, and they may be shortened again tonight. </B></P><P>\"I try not to complain, but it is a reason [why] our defense let us down a little against Houston,\" Nelson said. \"I\'m not sure it would have mattered. Offensively, they were quite a machine.\" </P><P><B>Nothing different:</B> Michael Finley has seen the Spurs for years, and there are no surprises in store for the Mavericks tonight. </P><P>\"It\'s the same old, same old,\" he said. \"Most of their offense goes through Tim Duncan. There are no tricks. They\'re not coming up with new plays. They\'ve added pieces, but it\'s just like a house. You can add a piece here or there and it\'s not going to make the value go up that much.\" </P><P>As for charting the Mavericks\' improvement this season after two November whippings by the Spurs, Finley added: \"For one, it will show us how we respond after a loss, how we handle adversity, especially going on the road. And two, we\'ll see how we play against one of the top teams.\" </P><P><B>Good times, still:</B> Don Nelson was asked what he thought of his team now that the cushy five-game, 17-day homestand is history. </P><P>\"Actually, it\'s not over yet,\" he said. \"It\'s still kind of a honeymoon, although we have a tough game [in San Antonio]. We have a number of home games after that, and we should do well over this next period of time. Then it really tightens up. February is very difficult. </P><P>\"I\'m looking forward to going on the road again. We\'ve been home so long, all our wives are ready to kick us out.\" </P><P><B>Briefly:</B> Part of the problem with the Mavericks\' collapse against Houston was that they didn\'t go to their strength, which is Dirk Nowitzki, at the offensive end. <B>\"We didn\'t get the ball to him enough when we were behind,\" coach Don Nelson said.</B> ... Michael Finley on the 4-1 homestand: \"You\'re as good as your last game. I can\'t really remember the four wins. I remember the last loss.\" ... <B>Nowitzki said the brief confrontation he had with Jerry Stackhouse in the second half Wednesday \"is over.\"</B> The two had a difference of opinion about a defensive assignment. \"We had a little argument, but at this point, we\'ve got to stick together,\" Nowitzki said. \"It was a little frustrating in the second half. We got embarrassed. To give up [almost] 130 points on your home court is embarrassing.\" </P><P>-----------------------------------------------------------------</P><P><B>No drastic measures for Mavs</B></P><P><B>Game with Spurs is big test, but it\'s too early to be ultimate barometer</B></P><P>10:20 PM CST on Thursday, January 13, 2005</P><P>By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News</P><P>SAN ANTONIO – <B>No matter what the networks, the analysts or other hype machines may say tonight, this is not April or May. </B></P><P><B>It\'s January. And while everybody wants a yardstick, this visit to San Antonio is more of a pulse check for the Mavericks. As in, do they still have one. </B></P><P>You get knocked around on your home court by a .500 team that shoots lights out, and the quick reaction is to let it go. No reason to dwell on the Houston Rockets, who played far over their heads for one half. </P><P>But whether they caught the Mavericks napping or whether it was a reminder that this team cannot yet be trusted on a bigger stage, the Mavericks will be challenged tonight to show their competitive spirit and come out firing against the Spurs, the consensus favorite to win the NBA title. </P><P>\"Maybe it was a little wake-up call for us,\" Dirk Nowitzki said of Wednesday\'s 124-114 loss to Houston. \"But now we\'ve got a tough game. San Antonio has kicked our butt twice this year. </P><P><B>\"A good showing would mean nothing. We\'re too good to hang our hat on that. If we want to be in the top of the West, we have to beat them.\" </B></P><P>Don Nelson has wondered when his team will develop consistency. He thought he was seeing some before Josh Howard became ill and missed Wednesday\'s game. Now, Nelson said: \"We may never know about them. It\'s a work in progress.\" </P><P><B>Nowitzki expects to rebound with a vengeance.</B> </P><P>\"We\'ve beat a bunch of teams we\'re supposed to beat,\" he said. \"Then a good team came in, put a little pressure on us and we folded. But <B>a good team always comes back strong from a loss.</B>\" </P><P><B>Even if it\'s not the ultimate measuring stick awaiting them. </B></P><P>----------------------------------------------------------------</P><P>小牛的情况还是那样，没有霍华德，丹皮尔膝部有伤无法多打，所以要依靠整体的防守；但是对手就不一样了，昨天那支队可以叫超常发挥，明天那支将会叫正常发挥，火箭和马刺完全不是一个档次的，所以明天我们将没有借口。赢不了马刺，就没法理直气壮地说自己是强者。再者，顺便送火箭一支刚刚输了球的马刺，有助于让人们希望“中国人民的主队”击败马刺的梦想成为幻想。输了，我能接受，但是队员自己呢？你们接受得了吗？所以就去拼吧，为你们自己赢，不是为我们球迷。</P> |
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