Tag: 2014 NBA Playoffs

Spurs blast Mavericks out of the playoffs

It was something that most fans and pundits expected before game seven.  That is, a blowout.  The San Antonio Spurs took full advantage of their home court, pounding the Dallas Mavericks into submission and out of the playoffs with a 96-119 victory.

Mavericks Coach Rick Carlisle praised the Spurs after the fight.

“We got hit by a tidal wave early,” Carlisle said in the post conference. “They had their best game today. They’re the best of the best, and they’ve been great for a long time. They’ve got a great chance, obviously.”

Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich readily agrees.

“I’m certainly glad it’s over,” Popovich said in the post conference. “(It) kept many of us up, night after night, trying to figure them out. We’re thrilled, and I think our best game was tonight. We played very, very well, and I think it was one our best games of the year.”

The Spurs next face the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference Semi-finals.  The Trailblazers closed out the Houston Rockets in six games and none more exciting than the buzzer-beater shot by Damian Lillard to end the series, the first time since 1997 where John Stockton of the Utah Jazz did the exact same thing to the Rockets.

“It was a hell of a win,” Portland Coach Terry Stotts said after the game. “I don’t know that it could have been any more dramatic.”

Great seats are still available for Round Two of the Western Conference Semi-finals. Be sure to get yours now!

Spurs take Game Four

The San Antonio Spurs came into game four knowing that they needed a much better performance than what they put on Sunday afternoon.   They did just that,  coming out and quickly putting the Mavericks in a 20-point deficit. In the end, the Spurs walked out of American Airlines Center with a 93-89 victory.

The Mavericks battled back and at one point in the game was tied at 87 apiece.  The Spurs then ran a simple pick and roll play with Tony Parker being trailed by Devin Harris.  Nowitzki, who was in foul trouble most of the fourth quarter, was playing a bit too soft and the defensive exchange did not happen in time giving Boris Diaw time to float to the top of the key the go-ahead 3-pointer.

“It was just a regular pick-and-roll,” Diaw said. “We try to put Dirk Nowitzki in pick-and-roll because it’s harder for him than for [Samuel] Dalembert, for example, to switch on Tony. It’s harder for Dirk to be able to help and come back to the player that set the screen. That’s why I was the one on the pick-and-roll. That’s exactly what happened. He helped on Tony and he was a little late and I was wide open for the three.”

Before the game, both the Spurs and the Mavericks showed solidarity to the Clippers organization and protested the Clippers owner by wearing black socks.

“My understanding is that the whole league is doing it,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “The fact that they’re together and doing it to basically say that this is not right, is something I respect.”

“We’re going to do the same thing that Houston and Portland did,” Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich said before the game.  “Both teams are going to wear the black socks. Rick (Carlisle) and I talked and we’re both going to wear them in support.”

Tickets for GAME FIVE are still available so be sure to get yours now and support your San Antonio Spurs

Mavericks steal game three on buzzer beater

The Dallas Mavericks know they are lucky to have walked away with a victory in Game three of the Western Conference Playoffs.  Forward/Center Dirk Nowitzki for one is still calling the Spurs the “heavy favorite.” Now whether that is gamesmanship or reality for Dirk, it is apparent that the Mavericks seem to want this a little more than the scorned Spurs.

“We definitely don’t want to get comfortable now,” Nowitzki said. “Yeah, it was a big game, but if we lose tomorrow, we’re tied going to their place with two home games for them. We want to keep the same mentality we’ve had this whole time. Play hard.” 

Head Coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t think his team are taking the Mavericks lightly after them in regular season, but at the same time, would like to see more from his veteran squad.

“I don’t think the guys are disrespecting Dallas because we beat them in the season four times. They know it’s the playoffs. But at the same time, I’d like to see a little bit more nastiness, a little bit more physicality, a little bit more fire from people.” 

Game four is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 tonight at American Airlines Center in Dallas.  Plenty of great seats and cheap tickets are still available!  Get yours now!!!