Before a nationally televised audience and a sell-out crowd of 20,000 plus, Dallas basketball fans at American Airlines Center may have gotten a glimpse of the two teams that may well play for the Western Conference championship.
By the end of the first quarter, the Mavericks found themselves trailing 28-22. Dallas Coach Avery Johnson must have thought he was playing with the sleeper team that had been defeated by the Utah Jazz just a couple of days before. The Mavericks trailed by as many as 7 points. From the very tip-off, the Spurs took charge of the game. The Maverick shot only 39% from the field while the Spurs shot at a 55% pace. Shooting guard Tony Parker and forward Tim Duncan led the scoring for the Spurs while Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard for the Mavericks had 4 apiece, with Jerry Stackhouse coming off the bench to score 6. It seemed the Spurs were playing for pride and the Mavericks were just playing.
With the start of the second quarter, it appeared as though Coach Johnson had begun to find some magic. He placed DeSagana Diop at low post, and brought Austin Croshere off the bench to play high, allowing Nowitski to play solid forward and shut down deep outside shooting. The Mavericks' shooting percentage improved to 44% and the Spurs dropped to 43%. The Mavericks' rebound increased to 12 and the Spurs totaled 7.
Spurs Tony Parker and Tim Duncan continued to wreak havoc with short jump shots and drives to the basket. Although the Mavericks outscored the Spurs, by 3 the half ended with the Spurs leading 55-52. The Spurs countered the Maverick's defensive ploy by playing Tim Duncan and Francisco Elson at their twin posts. Mavericks shooting didn't improve much in the third quarter, but their offensive rebounding did.
Then something happened toward the end of the third quarter that changed the dynamics of the game. It wouldn't be felt that quarter, but planted the seed that would germinate at the beginning of the fourth, bearing fruit the last three minutes of the game.
Spurs forward Tim Duncan, while on the bench, was called for two technicals in very short order. That got the Maverick fans in the game and took away the wind of the Spurs, placing them in the breeze of doldrums. The third quarter ended Spurs 76, Mavericks 72. The lead changed 10 times and they were tied 11 times during the third quarter.
The later part of the fourth quarter was all the Dallas Mavericks. They outscored the Spurs 19 to 10 in this quarter. Dirk Nowitzki would tie the game at 86 all with his infamous turn-around jump shot with one minute 15 seconds left in the game. Mavericks Greg Buckner would steal the ball with 42 seconds left in the game, fast breaking with a slam-dunk that could have been heard clear down in San Antonio. With 11 seconds left in the game, the Mavericks stole the ball, shot a three pointer, and got the defensive rebound back and scored again with no time on the clock. The scoreboard read Mavericks 91, Spurs 86.
Dallas has two more games out west to finish the season. This week they play Seattle and the L.A. Clippers to end the regular season. The Mavericks have won 66 and lost 14. The Spurs are at 58 wins and 22 losses. In the locker room, Maverick Jerry Stackhouse looked at the sea of reporters and said, "We aren't going to accept anything less than the ring." Coach Johnson was a bit more tactful. But he had that twinkle in his eye. A twinkle that just might bring back the magic. Enough of the magic that just might win "the whole dam shootin' match," as they say down in Texas.
Other games tonight from the NBA:
Chicago Bulls 101
Washington Wizards 68
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