Written by Zach Harper | 17 April 2009

A storied rivalry pits an underdog against a dynasty in its twilight.



How the Spurs Got Here
San Antonio (54-28) wasn't able to rely on the trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker like they have in recent years. Duncan has put up solid numbers on sore knees, Ginobili had to end his season after suffering a stress fracture on his right distal fibula and Tony Parker has had to step up, having an MVP-like season ... if there weren't players named Kobe, LeBron and Wade around. The Spurs won the Southwest Division with a gangsta limp. Okay, it was just a limp, because this team is about as gangsta as Jamie Kennedy in Malibu's Most Wanted. The addition of Roger Mason Jr. was huge and glue guys like Michael Finley and Matthew Bonner have helped turn this team into a defensive monster, ranking 2nd in points allowed with 93.3 a game.

How the Mavericks Got Here
After being unceremoniously booted out of the playoffs in the first round by the New Orleans Hornets last season, the Mavs (50-32) hired a new coach, Rick Carlisle, and tweaked their lineup, moving Jason Terry to the bench. It has made all the difference and Terry is on his way to the 6th Man of the Year award. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd are still showing that they are players you have to respect, and the Mavericks turned a season around that started rather auspiciously, going 2-7 in the first 9 games. The Mavericks find themselves as the underdog, which suits them just fine. If we know one thing about the Mavs, it's that they don't handle being the favorite well. Roll the tape on their collapse against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals and as the No. 1 seed against the Golden State Warriors. 

Match-up History
06/07: Mavs 3-1 in Regular Season
07/08: Spurs 3-1 in Regular Season
08/09: Series Tied 2-2 in Regular Season

Match-ups By Position
Point Guard: Tony Parker vs. Jason Kidd
Critics of Parker's game have often said that he rode on the back of Tim Duncan, crumbling too often when the spotlight was on him. Well they might want to ease up a bit. Parker averaged 22 points and 6.9 rebounds on way to earning the respect as a leader that he deserves. Kidd isn't nearly the player he used to be, but he seems more comfortable on the Mavs as they gear up for the first round against the Spurs. He even got a triple-double in the final game of the regular season, looking like the Kidd of old. But Parker is the PG in his prime. He averaged 31.2 points and 7.2 assists in 4 games against the Mavs this season.
Edge: Spurs 

Shooting Guard: Roger Mason Jr. vs. Antoine Wright
When we were picking our fantasy basketball sleepers, Roger Mason Jr. was on the list. He hasn't disappointed and has been a constant scoring option on a team hobbled by injuries. His 3-point average is worse against Dallas on the season compared the rest of the West, but his field goal percentage was up. He's a great free throw shooter and will kill you at the end of the game. Wright isn't much of a threat and might lose the starting spot to Jose Juan Barrea if Carlisle wants to push the tempo against the Spurs. It might not be a bad idea given how brittle the Spurs are at this point.
Edge: Spurs

Small Forward: Michael Finley vs. Josh Howard
Finley has fought his way back into the starting roster this season. He isn't going to jump out of the gym like he used to when he was on the Mavericks, but he hits shots when it counts, as proved by his 3-pointer against the New Orleans Hornets at the end of the game on Wednesday. Howard is a player that can take over a game, but he's going to have a hard time doing it on his injured left ankle. Howard will fight through and get off-season surgery most likely.
Edge: Mavericks

Power Forward: Tim Duncan vs. Dirk Nowitzki
This is the match-up we all want to see, the greatest power forward ever versus the MVP of two years ago. Nowitzki is putting up points, averaging 25.9 a game with 8.8 rpg. Duncan is battling on bad knees, but he's still good for 20 and 10 a night. He's also an incredible defender. Dirk has to get the monkey off his back that came with the playoff losses to the Heat and Warriors. Duncan is one of the greatest playoff stars in NBA history.
Edge: Push

Center: Matthew Bonner vs. Erick Dampier
Be honest. Who just threw up in their mouth looking at this match-up. Are we in Bizarro world? It can be the only explanation for these guys both appearing in starting lineups. But the series could rest on these titans' shoulders. Bonner is averaging a mind-blowing 8.8 ppg against the Mavs, while Dampier is shooting a breathtaking .857% from the field against San Antonio ... on 1.8 shots a game. Ok, that's enough sarcasm. Do I have to choose? Really? This is like choosing a kick in the crotch or drinking pee from a cup after being told it's lemonade.
Edge: We all lose

Bench: Gooden/Hill/Bowen/Thomas/ vs. Terry/Barea/Bass/Hollins/Singleton
Both teams have starters fighting through a significant injury, Duncan with his knees and Howard with his ankle. Drew Gooden has been a great mid-season acquisition. Bruce Bowen can still give a defender fits ... or a kick in the back. George Hill is maturing rapidly. The Mavericks bench starts, and maybe ends, with Jason Terry. Barea has been a surprise for the Mavs, but it's all about Jet. The way he has handled this switch tells you all you need to know about Jet. He's fun, he's energetic and he is having a career season. Call him the anti-Iverson. Terry has meant so much to the Mavs this season and he will have to continue the ride if his team is expected to go deep into the playoffs. We love Terry but depth is going to matter in a series we think goes the distance.
Edge: Push

Coach: Greg Popovich vs. Rick Carlisle
In spite of his attempt in the summer to look like a date rapist, Popovich is still one of the best coaches in the game. He gets the most out of his players, regardless of the situation, and you can't underestimate the playoff experience that has come with the 4 rings he coached the Spurs to. Carlisle has righted the Mavs' ship after Mark Cuban nearly had an aneurysm this season and has the Mavericks believing they can win this series. But you can't mess with a man going for one for the thumb.
Edge: Spurs

X-Factor: Defense
There is one element to every great Spurs team and that's a commitment to defense. This Spurs teams doesn't remind me of any of their past championship teams, for obvious reasons, but they know how to play playoff basketball. The grind it out half-court style of basketball favors the Spurs and you can't expect the Mavericks to continue to put up over 101 points a game against a team like San Antonio. If the Mavericks can adapt, they could pull this series out.

Prediction: Spurs in 7
The Dallas Mavericks feel like th ey dodged a bullet, having narrowly missed a first-round test against the more athletic Denver Nuggets. The confidence is there but so are the questions. Like the Houston Rockets, the Mavericks have caved recently in the playoffs. The Spurs live for this time of year. The regular season is really just a warm-up for them. Do you really want to bet against the Big Fundamental when it comes playoff time? Nah. 

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