In our continuing look at the best and worst moments of the 2010-11 Spurs’ season, we look at the Black Friday tumble where they saw their early 12-game winning streak snapped by Dallas.
No. 9: Black Friday fourth-quarter collapse snaps Spurs’ 12-game winning streak.
When: Nov. 26, 2010
Where: ATT Center, San Antonio.
What happened: The Spurs’ offense fell apart down the stretch as they were held without a field goal for a four-minute stretch late in their 103-94 home loss to Dallas on the day after Thanksgiving. Despite 31 points from Manu Ginobili, the Spurs saw Dallas take control as they scored nine straight points late in the game. It enabled the Mavericks to earn a a small measure of revenge for their 2010 playoff series loss to San Antonio. Dirk Nowitzki went 12-for-14 from the field en route to a team-high 26 points and Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion each scored 19 points for the Mavericks. Tony Parker was limited to nine points and was minus-17 in plus/minus. And Richard Jefferson clanked through a miserable shooting night with only two points as he missed all four field-goal attempts.
What was said: ”Dallas did a great job tonight. As a group they executed better than we did. I think they were a bit hungry and a bit more competitive than we were tonight. And it showed up in the fourth quarter,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, describing the late collapse.
What was said, Part II: ”The last few games we were executing great down the stretch and making shots, but today they did. It was pretty clear they made all the shots they needed and we didn’t,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, describing the end of the Spurs’ 12-game winning streak.
What was said, Part III: We didn’t know what the streak was. It was just a matter that they’ve been playing well. We’ve been playing pretty good and we know this is our rival. And this is what the rivalry is all about,” Dallas guard Jason Terry on snapping the Spurs’ 12-game winning streak.
What was said, Part IV: “I guess it’s a magnet (for Nowitzki’s elbow). Things happen and you’ve just got to be tough and be ready to keep playing,” Ginobili, who sustained a bloody nose early in the fourth quarter, courtesy of an elbow from Nowitzki. Ginobili’s nose was broken by Nowitzki in the 2010 playoffs.
The upshot: The victory snapped San Antonio’s 12-game losing streak which was their longest of the season. But it was the Spurs’ last home loss in a long time as they immediately started a 22-game home winning streak that would stretch through March 6 and finish as the longest home winning streak in team history. And after that loss to Dallas, the Spurs would beat the eventual Western Conference champions in each of the three remaining games against them during the regular season.
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