Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Maverick Spotlight - Jason "The Jet" Terry (Offseason Edition)
"Mavs Spotlight" is a series of exclusive one-on-one video interviews conducted by Mavs.com's Earl K. Sneed with various Dallas Maverick players and coaches. Up first is sixth man Jason Terry, who talks about the disappoint of the team coming up short of its aspirations of winning a championship.
"The Jet" details his off-season plans, from hosting summer basketball camps for area kids, to bettering his game to help the Mavs compete for a championship in the 2010-11 season. No. 31 also explains to Dallas fans that a title is on the horizon.
"We're close (to competing for a title). We're constantly evolving, we keep changing...Dallas deserves it, a championship," Terry said.
Terry, who averaged 16.6 points per game during the season, finished as the runner-up to Atlanta's Jamal Crawford for Sixth Man of the Year, after winning the award in 2009. But his scoring output dropped to just 12.7 points a contest during the Mavs' first-round playoff defeat to San Antonio.
With that said, Terry is dedicated to spending the entire summer in the gym. Here it from the man, himself:
The series continues Monday, when "EKS" chats with Caron Butler. For all of your off-season news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Mavs meet the media one last time (04/30/10)
There was certainly a sense of unfulfilled success as the Dallas Mavericks assembled for one last time to conclude the 2009-10 season. That's because the Mavericks didn't see their season coming to an end in the final days of April.
Dallas' 97-87 loss in Game 6 to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night handed the Mavericks their third loss in the first round of the playoffs in the last four years. That's not the ending that the Mavs saw when they planned out their season goals at the start of training camp back in September.
"I think we're having this conversation (about the end of the season) way too soon. I would have thought we would be talking about this maybe some time in June," forward Shawn Marion said on the quick postseason exit.
"It's still fresh, so it still hurts right now," Dirk Nowitzki added.
Friday, much sooner than Nowitzki and Marion expected, the team met with members of the Dallas media to conduct final interviews before venturing out to various summer destinations. Though the Mavericks won 55 games during the regular season, eventually capturing just their third division title, the attention quickly turned to what the team needs to do to contend for an NBA championship next season.
"We accomplished a lot this season, but now we have to immediately turn our focus to next season," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.
But there are a few unanswered questions that the Mavs must address this offseason.
First and foremost is Nowitzki's possible free agency. The Mavs' unquestioned leader and all-time leading scorer in franchise history could opt out of his contract, making him one of the prize jewels in the long-awaited free agent class of 2010.
"It's too early for me to say what I'm going to do," Nowitzki said. "I don't have to make a decision until July...But I always said I want to end my career in Dallas. It wouldn't feel the same putting on a different uniform."
President of basketball operations and general manager Donnie Nelson is dedicated to keeping Nowitzki in house.
"I could never envision Dirk in another uniform. Both (Mavs owner Mark Cuban) and management are determined to do whatever we have to do to make sure that isn't the case," Nelson said.
Meanwhile, his coach and teammates don't even want to think about the possibility of Nowitzki leaving Big D.
"I can't even fathom that," Carlisle said. "I'm confident that Mark and Donnie will take care of that. I can't imagine him playing somewhere else."
"He's the cornerstone of the franchise. I'd say there's probably a 98 percent chance of him coming back," Jason Terry said after teaming with Nowitzki for six seasons.
But while the likelihood of Nowitzki testing free agency seems slim, center Brendan Haywood will definitely be testing the market as his contract draws to a close.
Haywood, a new arrival to Dallas along with Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson after a seven-player trade with Washington on Feb. 13, figures to be a very sought-after big man come July. Still, the 7-footer said that he would love to return to play his home games in the American Airlines Center.
"I haven't talked to my agent yet, and we will sit down and go over my options. But I loved playing in Dallas. I loved the atmosphere of the crowd and I think I fitted in well with the guys in the locker room. But it's too early to talk about what's going to happen now," Haywood explained.
Nelson, however, has made it clear that re-signing the former North Carolina standout is on the Mavs' summer priority list.
"We have a lot of things in the works, but we'd love to have Brendan back," Nelson said. But while Nelson prepares himself for the next few months of willing and dealing, both the executive and the coach believe that rookie Rodrigue Beaubois is a building block for the organization's future plans.
The Guadeloupe native and former French League product dazzled at times during his first year. Now Beaubois will be asked to patent his skills, likely playing in the Summer League as he tries to make the transition from playing the majority of his minutes off the ball to running a team as a point guard.
"If you look at (Beaubois), he played about 80 percent of his minutes off the ball. He's going to improve and get better, and we'd like to see him become better both with the ball and off the ball," Carlisle said. "But he's a special player and a hard worker."
"(Beaubois) has a swagger about him. And if he stays humble, he will be fun to watch for a long time. He is a special player, and if he can stay grounded, he has a good future," Nowitzki said of the 22-year-old.
Now the players go their separate ways, coming together again in September with hopes of contending for a title.
"We're close (to competing for a title). We're constantly evolving, we keep changing. The City of Dallas deserves it, a championship," Terry concluded.
Beginning Monday, May 3, Earl K. Sneed will present exclusive interviews with Maverick players and coaches in a special series called "Mavs Spotlight." For all of your off-season news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Spurs close the curtains on Mavs' season (2) Dallas Mavericks 87 at (7) San Antonio Spurs 97 (Spurs win series 4-2)
The Dallas Mavericks came into the 2009-10 season with fantasies of holding the Larry O'Brien trophy above their heads. Thursday night, the Mavericks' worst nightmare became a reality.
For the second straight game, the Mavericks attempted to stave off elimination at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. Only this time, the Mavericks didn't have the comfort of playing in their home arena. Entering Game 6 knowing that it would take a victory to extend their season and force a Game 7 back in Dallas, the Mavericks galloped into the AT&T Center. They limped out.
A season that saw the Mavs win 55 regular-season games and just their third division title in franchise history came to a screeching halt, as the squad from Big D fell 97-87 in a game in which they battled until the clock read all zeroes.
"San Antonio was a little bit more opportunistic than we were...They were able to end the series tonight," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're all disappointed. That's unfortunately going to be a constant when you lose."
The Spurs quickly established an advantage in what would prove to be the series finale, starting the first quarter with seven straight points. With the San Antonio defense picking up point guard Jason Kidd full court to ground the Mavericks' fast-break attack, the Spurs quickly built up a double-digit lead.
"They paid a lot of attention to (Kidd). They made a point of making him work offensively," Carlisle said.
Meanwhile, Dallas struggled to find the bottom of the net. The Mavs went down 22-8 at the end of one, after hitting just 4 of 18 shots in the quarter. Dallas went the final 5:17 of the period without a score, with four points apiece coming from Caron Butler and Dirk Nowitzki.
"You have to give the Spurs credit. They're a good defensive team. That's what they do. That's what they've hung their hat on over the last decade," Nowitzki said.
"We were struggling. We were probably shooting the ball a little too quick," Carlisle explained. "Some of our quick shots were resulting in quick breaks for them and momentum. We had to try to get settled down, on the one hand. The other hand, it was hard to get anything going. That was tough. The first quarter has been a big story in this series, and it was our undoing tonight."
Nowitzki's jumper broke a 14-0 Spurs' run at the 10:46-mark in the second quarter. With both Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood picking up their third fouls, the Mavericks' rallying attempt couldn't get off the ground. Then Nowitzki picked up his fourth foul with 4:49 left in the half, ending No. 41's time on the court until the third period. But rookie Rodrigue Beaubois' quickness sped up the tempo, as the Mavericks were finally able to muster up some offense.
"(Beaubois) has been a guy that has been able to give us a lift all year...The decision to go with Beaubois was just because dynamically he's a different type of player," Carlisle said. "I love the way that Beaubois was ready and how he played."
After trailing by as much as 22, the first-year standout guard sparked an 11-3 Dallas run to cut the Mavs' halftime deficit to 47-34.
"We made that little push there right before the half, and Roddy (Beaubois) got going," Nowitzki said. "We felt good about ourselves, being in that position."
A 35-percent shooting first half told the tale through 24 minutes of play for the Mavericks. So too did the Spurs' 18 free throw attempts in the half, compared to just six for the Mavs. But Butler's 14 points led all scorers at the midway point, giving Dallas hope. Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili led San Antonio with 13 points of his own.
To start the second half, Carlisle went to a lineup of Beaubois, Kidd, Butler, Nowitzki and center Erick Dampier. The unit began the third quarter with a quick 10-2 spurt, capped by a Nowitzki three to cut the margin to just five.
"We really came out determined there in the third quarter. We made a nice little run and we were right back in it," Nowitzki said.
After his early foul trouble, Nowitzki made up for lost time, willing his team in front 57-56 on a 3-pointer with 4:57 left in the period. The 7-footer then received helping hands from Butler and Beaubois. But the Spurs' defense stiffened, sparking a 14-6 run to close the quarter up 70-63.
San Antonio put a little breathing room between the two squads at the beginning of the final period, as George Hill and Richard Jefferson slashed and scored inside. Still, Nowitzki continued to come on strong, shooting right over the top of the shorter Spur defenders. After a mini Spurs' run, the Mavs found themselves down eight with 4:06 remaining in their season.
That's when Butler drilled a three to keep Dallas in contention. Yet, as he had throughout the fourth, Hill answered with a bomb at the other end.
"Down the stretch, again we had our chances. But you got to tip your hat off to them. George Hill, I think, was the X-factor in the series...He made some amazing plays," Nowitzki said.
Down 89-81 with 2:44 remaining, the Mavs attempted to make one last push. But their first-quarter struggles finally caught up with them, as the Spurs put Dallas away for good at the foul line. With their team down 10, both Kidd and Nowitzki walked off the court for a final time this season, subbing out with 16.5 seconds left to signify the end of the Mavs' playoff run.
After recording an NBA-best 27 road wins during the regular season, the Mavericks lost a three games in San Antonio en route to dropping the opening-round series 4-2.
"In this series, I think we had our chances," Nowitzki said. "But it comes down to you have three chances to win one game (in San Antonio). And you've just got to find a way to win one. We were in all three of them. We were right there, and they just made a couple more plays than we did. That's what it comes down to."
Nowitzki finished with a game-high 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting, while Butler pitched in 25 points. Off the bench, Beaubois contributed 16 points and five rebounds.
"(Beaubois) has a swagger about him. And if he stays humble, he will be fun to watch for a long time. He is a special player, and if he can stay grounded, he has a good future," Nowitzki said of his young teammate.
Though little contribution came from anyone else.
"We needed some other guys to have a big game. We just couldn't quite get there," the coach said.
Ginobili's 26 points led the Spurs, while Hill added 21. Tim Duncan's 17-point, 10-rebound night handled the interior, with Tony Parker finishing just shy of a triple-double with 10 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
After their early struggles, the Mavericks finished the night shooting 44 percent, compared to San Antonio's 47 percent for the game. A 43-40 rebounding edge also tilted the Spurs' way, helping lead to a 17-10 advantage in fast-break points.
Now, the Mavericks head into the offseason sooner than expected, with an incomplete feeling and a remaining desire to hoist the championship hardware.
"We are disappointed. We had some ups and downs all season long, and we fought through some things," Nowitzki summed up the season. "We made a big trade and had some ups and downs after that, because it was a long season. We had some good momentum going into the playoffs and we were playing well with the new guys...Obviously, going into the playoffs as a two seed is all that we could have wanted. We just happened to see a tough seven seed, that got rolling at the right time, got healthy and started to play well."
Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. Earl K. Sneed also talks with fans and answers questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.
For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Focused Mavs try to force Game 7 (2) Dallas Mavericks at (7) San Antonio Spurs (3-2 Spurs' lead)
If you listen closely, you can still hear a heartbeat ticking in the Dallas Mavericks' locker room. The Mavs still have a very strong pulse as they enter the AT&T Center for a Game 6 showdown with the San Antonio Spurs.
Sitting just one loss await from ending their season, the Mavericks showed both the Spurs and the rest of the basketball universe that the squad from Big D is still very much alive. Dallas' 103-81 win on the American Airlines Center floor in Game 5 of the series not only staved off elimination, it also stole some much-needed momentum away from the Spurs. Though San Antonio still holds a 3-2 series advantage, the Mavs made it clear to the Spurs that they are in for a fight.
"Right now, we're in a position where we have to fight. They're up 3-2. We win (in Game 6) and we'll put a lot of pressure on them," center Brendan Haywood said.
"Our guys are not going to mail it in," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle added. "There is a lot of pride on the line in every game. The series isn't over, even though a lot of people are assuming that it is."
Now the matchup swings back to San Antonio, where the Mavericks will be out for an encore performance while looking to force a Game 7 back in Dallas. But if the Mavericks are to take their winning show on the road, then they will also need Caron Butler's primetime performance in Game 5 to travel down south.
Butler's playoff career-high 35 points and his 11 rebounds impacted the game from the opening tip. The former All-Star finished the night by connecting on 12-of-24 from the field, 3-of-8 from 3-point range and a near perfect 8-of-9 at the foul line. His series breakthrough has allowed the Mavericks to fight another day. "When you're backed into a corner, you have to scratch and claw your way out," Butler said. "That's what we did tonight...I'm not ready to go home."
"I don't know what got into him, but we're going to need it next game," Haywood said of Butler's career playoff-best.
Butler wasn't the only one in full affect.
The Dallas defense also grounded the Spurs' offensive attack, holding San Antonio to just 36 percent shooting on the night. Meanwhile, the Mavericks turned defensive stops into transition scores, finishing with a 23-8 advantage in fast-break points.
"It is pretty obvious that it is going to be defense and the ability to get the ball in transition where good things can happen for us. We did a great job of that (Tuesday night)," Carlisle said.
Domination inside also went the Mavs' way, taking a 52-41 rebounding edge and outscoring the Spurs 19-9 in second-chance points. Perhaps more importantly, Dallas' 42-30 advantage in points in the paint came off of 20 total assists, compared to just 11 helpers for San Antonio.
"What you saw (in Game 5) was the ball moving from side to side, and we got exactly what we wanted," Butler said.
Now, the Mavericks prepare to head into the Alamo City, fully expecting to see the same Spurs squad that won Games 2, 3 and 4 in the series.
"You have to think they're going to be fired up down there. We've just got to go down there and win one," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.
Game 6 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday night. If the Mavericks should falter, then season comes to a crashing halt. If they win, Game 7 will be back in Dallas on Saturday.
"I don't want to go home," Butler said emphatically. "We want to bring this thing back to Dallas."
The Mavs-Spurs first round series schedule is as follows: Game 6 -- Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio 7 p.m. CT TXA21/ TNT Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT
Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. Earl K. Sneed also talks with fans and answers questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Butler puts Mavs on his back (7) San Antonio Spurs 81 at (2) Dallas Mavericks 103
The Dallas Mavericks didn't want Tuesday night to be the last time they laced up their sneakers this season. Instead, the Mavericks entered Game 5 of their first-round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs with a workman-like mentality. Not ready to turn in their time cards, the Mavs showed just why they believe there's still work to be done.
Down 3-1 in the series, the Mavs gladly returned to their home floor hoping for a different result than the previous three games, all Dallas defeats. The Mavs did their best to make sure Game 5 went a different way. So did Caron Butler.
Butler put in a full day's work, as the Mavericks routed the Spurs in the American Airlines Center. With his team's season on the verge of a finale, the two-time All-Star produced a masterful performance worthy of Broadway, posting a playoff career-high 35 points and leading the Mavs to a 103-81 runaway win.
"When you're backed into a corner, you have to scratch and claw your way out," Butler said. "That's what we did tonight...I'm not ready to go home."
To give his squad an early boost, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle inserted Brendan Haywood at the starting center spot in place of Erick Dampier.
"It was a decision to change the dynamics. I thought Brendan responded well," Carlisle said.
Perhaps the shake up paid off early, as a 7-0 spurt led by Butler turned into a quick advantage for the Mavs in the first quarter. Matt Bonner's long-range shooting kept the Spurs close, but behind Butler's 12 points in the period, the Mavs escaped with a 27-21 advantage after one.
"I was talking to myself, just telling myself to be aggressive. I play better when I'm angry," Butler said.
"Caron is always aggressive, he really is. I thought his great game tonight was not only a function of how well he was playing, but the guys around him had a great feel for getting him the ball -- spacing the floor in a way, so that he could drive it...Making the extra pass to find the hot guy," Carlisle explained.
With Haywood dominating the painted area, the home team put some more distance in between the two squads to start the second quarter. Meanwhile, Butler continued his destruction of the Spurs' defense, as Dallas sped up the tempo and scored in transition.
"We were able to force the tempo of the game. That was the biggest thing," Shawn Marion said.
"It is pretty obvious that it is going to be defense and the ability to get the ball in transition where good things can happen for us," Carlisle added. "We did a great job of that tonight."
But after the Mavs sprinted to as much as a 17-point lead, the Spurs closed on an 11-2 run, with nine points coming from Tony Parker, to trim Dallas' advantage to 53-46 at the half.
"They're going to make a run, because they're a good team. We've just got to keep our heads," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.
The Mavericks' 49 percent shooting in the first half set the tone, as their defense held San Antonio to 44 percent. Butler's 19 points at the midway point led all scorers, while Parker posted 17 points at the other end.
"We need (Butler) to attack. We need him to be aggressive. I like what he did tonight," Nowitzki said.
The duo of Butler and Nowitzki quickly pushed the margin back into double digits to start the third quarter, a 12-minute stretch that has been the Mavs' downfall in the series.
"We definitely responded the right way coming out of halftime," Nowitzki said.
Dallas began the quarter by scoring the first ten points. All told, the Mavericks opened up a 19-point lead with a 15-3 run. The lead reached as much as 22, with the Mavs outscoring their rivals from the south 82-64 heading to the final period.
"We didn't have that third quarter letdown," Butler said.
Reserve guards J.J. Barea and Jason Terry put the Spurs out of their misery at the start of the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Butler did the job at both ends of the floor. With Spurs coach Gregg Popovich resting his key players down the stretch, it became evident that the Mavs would indeed force a Game 6 in San Antonio. Both teams played most of the fourth with their reserves.
"Our guys are not going to mail it in. There is a lot of pride on the line in every game. The series isn't over, even though a lot of people are assuming that it is. This is one step, so we are two steps towards our goal with two wins. And now we have to focus in on the next one," the coach concluded.
Butler was certainly the catalyst towards inching closer to reaching that goal, connecting on 12 of 24 shots, swishing in 3-of-8 from behind the 3-point arch and drilling 8-of-9 at the foul line. The star also pulled down 11 rebounds to record a double-double.
"(Butler) really is one of our tough guys. A lot of the times he went up in the crowd and pulled down rebounds. Offensively, he had a great rhythm going and he was extremely aggressive and made good decisions for the most part," Carlisle said when praising the versatile swingman. "I was really, really thrilled to see him have a game like that. He is just a great guy. He is just one of those kind of guys that you just love to see a guy like that succeed and have that kind of night...He has just been a great pro and a guy that is really into winning."
"I don't know what got into him, but we're going to need it next game," Haywood said of his teammate's performance.
But Butler wasn't alone on the court. Nowitzki added 15 points, while Terry contributed 12 off the bench. Marion and Jason Kidd added 10 points apiece, giving the Mavericks five scorers in double figures. In his first start of the series, Haywood went for eight points while also grabbing eight rebounds.
Parker finished with 18 to lead San Antonio. After his 29 points in Game 4, George Hill scored 12 in his followup outing. The Dallas defense also held Tim Duncan to just 11 points on 3-for-9 shooting, while Manu Ginobili scored just seven after hitting just two of his seven shots.
With a 20-11 edge in assists, the Mavericks out-shot the Spurs on the night, 44 percent to 36 percent.
"What you saw tonight was the ball moving from side to side, and we got exactly what we wanted," Butler said.
The Mavericks also dominated the interior, as evident by their 52-41 rebounding edge, 42-30 advantage in points in the paint and 19-9 margin in second-chance points.
Now the Mavericks try to do it again, heading into the AT&T Center for Game 6 after dropping both Games 3 and 4 in the very same building by a combined seven points. If Dallas can change its luck on the Spurs' home floor, then it will force a Game 7 back in the American Airlines Center.
"You have to think they're going to be fired up down there. We've just got to go down there and win one," Nowitzki said.
"I don't want to go home," Butler simply said. "We want to bring this thing back to Dallas."
Game 6 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday night.
"Right now, we're in a position where we have to fight. They're up 3-2. We win (in Game 6) and we'll put a lot of pressure on them," Haywood said.
The Mavs-Spurs first round series schedule is as follows: Game 6 -- Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio 7 p.m. CT TXA21/ TNT Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT
Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. Earl K. Sneed also talks with fans and answers questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Do-or-die Game 5 in Dallas No. 7 San Antonio Spurs (3-1) at No. 2 Dallas Mavericks (1-3)
It's win now or go home for the Dallas Mavericks. One win, and the Mavericks live to fight another day. A loss, and the offseason begins.
Losers of Games 2, 3 and 4, the Mavs enter an all-important fifth matchup of their first-round series with the San Antonio Spurs knowing that the season could come down to Tuesday night's contest. Though the Mavs are well aware that they must win three straight to claim the series, the squad is taking a game-by-game approach. That starts with getting a win in Game 5 to extend the season.
"Is it hard to win three games in a row during the playoffs? Yes, it's hard. But if it wasn't, everyone would be playing in the NBA," center Brendan Haywood said. "The way I look at this series is one game at a time. We have a game on Tuesday, and I don't look any further than that. If we don't take care of the game on Tuesday, there won't be another game later in the week. We have to win one game and go from there."
"It starts with winning Game 5," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle agreed. "That's got to be the starting point. We've got to play and win the game."
And it's a game the Mavericks will be calling on their veteran leadership to win. Both Carlisle and forward Shawn Marion have been on teams that overcame 3-1 holes. Carlisle coached a Detroit Pistons squad that came back from the 3-1 disadvantage to knock off the Orlando Magic in 2003. Marion's Phoenix team did the same, only it was in 2006 when the Suns handed the Los Angeles Lakers a series defeat. Both of which came in the first round, giving the Mavericks two blueprints for success.
Marion addressed the team after Monday's practice, telling his teammates to stay positive and to remain confident. "We just have to believe. It could easily be flip flopped, and we could be up 3-1. I feel very confident," Marion said.
"(Marion) just said that they were the better team (in 2006) and they believed," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the pep talk.
Now, the Mavericks believe that they will have an opportunity to shock the basketball world and show that they are also the better team.
Although the odds are completely stacked up against the Mavericks now, Carlisle doesn't see this as an opportunity to shake things up. Instead, the head coach believes that if his team fully operates the game plan to the best of its abilities, then they will walk away with a victory. Hopefully leading to three straight wins.
"We've got to play our game better," the coach said. "In the middle of a playoff series, you're not going to reinvent who you are."
For Carlisle, that means his team returns to turning defensive stops into instant offense with transition scores. When the Mavericks have been at their best, they have been a run-and-gun team utilizing fast-break scores. But when the Mavs have struggled, the Spurs have been successful at forcing Dallas into turnovers in the half-court sets.
"We're a running team and we will still be looking to run," Carlisle said.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks will be looking for an answer to slowing down standout George Hill, a second-year guard who is coming off of a 29-point performance in Game 4. The Spurs' budding star picked up his scoring, nailing 11 of 16 shots and swishing in 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point arch, with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker collectively totaling 14 points while Manu Ginobili came on late for his 17 points.
"I thought if you told me before the game that we would hold the 'Big Three' (Duncan, Ginobili and Parker) to the numbers they had in the game, I would have said we win the game...You have to give Hill credit, he was unconscious from the 3-point line," Nowitzki said.
But the Mavericks will look to take away Hill's perimeter opportunities Tuesday night. With their backs against the wall, the Mavs will not only try to force the ball out of Hill's hands, but they'll also try to extend the series to at least a Game 6 back in San Antonio on Thursday night.
"If we get one win, then we put the pressure on them to win it in six," Nowitzki said.
"We're working for an opportunity to go back out on the road," Carlisle added.
After two games away from Big D, the series returns to the American Airlines Center for Game 5, which will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
The Mavs-Spurs first round series schedule is as follows: Game 5 – Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas 8:30PM TXA21/ NBA TV Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT
Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. Earl K. Sneed also talks with fans and answers questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Dallas' desperate days No. 2 Dallas Mavericks 89 at No. 7 San Antonio Spurs 92
A sense of desperation will make a team do some amazing things. The Dallas Mavericks definitely felt desperate for a win as they headed into Game 4 of their opening round series with the San Antonio Spurs. But now the Mavs are more desperate than they could have ever imagined.
After dropping both Game 2 and 3, the Mavericks entered the fourth matchup down 2-1 in the series. But a win Sunday evening would have erased the events of the previous two games, also handing the home-court advantage back over to the Mavs. That wasn't the case.
Instead, the Mavericks appeared to only be the more desperate team for 24 minutes on Sunday. It was San Antonio, not Dallas, that overcame a double-digit first half deficit and walked away from the AT&T Center floor with a 92-89 win and a 3-1 series advantage.
"I thought we played hard," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after his team's third straight loss. "I thought we played unselfishly. We battled. But again, there's a number of plays that we have got to become the aggressor on. And we didn't do it tonight."
Despite a cold-shooting start to the opening quarter, the Mavericks remained in a good position throughout the first period. After starting the game by missing his first four shots, Caron Butler found his groove, swishing in three straight jumpers to catapult the Mavs to the lead. But Butler's two offensive fouls and Tony Parker's relentless, rim-attacking play brought the Spurs right back. George Hill's 3-pointer to close the quarter capped off a 10-2 San Antonio run and gave the Spurs a 20-17 lead after one.
"We didn't shoot well early, but we were very aggressive and very strong-willed. I liked all of that," Carlisle said.
The Mavericks took control in the second quarter, with Shawn Marion finishing at the rim while Dirk Nowitzki connected with patented jump shots. A fast-breaking Dallas attack sparked a 10-2 spurt, opening up a nine-point advantage. The lead reached as much as 15, the largest Mavs' advantage of the series. But the team collectively gasped when sixth man Jason Terry went down after rolling his left ankle attempting a transition layup. The star would be okay, and the Mavs would go on to escape with a 48-37 halftime advantage.
Led by Marion's 12 points and Nowitzki's 10, the Mavericks shot 46 percent in the half, holding the Spurs to just 39 percent shooting at the other end. Hill's 13 points led San Antonio at the midway point. On his 34th birthday, the Dallas defense held Tim Duncan to without a made field goal in the half, missing all seven of his shot attempts. The Mavericks also held a 29-18 rebounding edge. Hill continued to keep the Spurs in contention in the third quarter. But the Mavericks countered with more Butler and Marion. Still, the hometown Spurs continued to come on strong, turning their disadvantage into a slight advantage with a 16-2 run. The period was all about the San Antonio defense, as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich began to send multiple defenders Nowitzki's way to disrupt the Mavericks' offensive flow. The strategy worked.
"They ran at me from the get-go -- on the block and on the dribble, they came after me. When I was isolated on the free throw line, they came at me as well," Nowitzki explained. "After the game I had two days ago, they weren't just going to watch me shoot. They were aggressive tonight and got the ball out of my hands."
The Mavs went scoreless for over six minutes of play. The emotions even got the best of both teams, as Nowitzki earned a technical foul and Richard Jefferson picked up a flagrant one during a physical period. With the Mavs missing on nine straight shot attempts, the Spurs outscored Dallas 29-11 in the third to take a 66-59 lead into the final quarter.
"Our undoing was the third quarter. We had seven or eight turnovers, we shoot 27 percent. They got on a run that we needed to stave off sooner," Carlisle said. "Their defense picked up, and we needed to respond better to it...The 50-50 plays, we've got to do a better job with them."
"I think the Spurs picked up the intensity on defense. Once they picked up the intensity, we had a hard time scoring the ball," J.J. Barea added.
The fourth period began with Mavs reserve forward Eduardo Najera drawing a flagrant two call and an ejection for his hard foul on Manu Ginobili. Meanwhile, DeJuan Blair dominated Dallas' bigs inside, collecting offensive rebounds and scoring on put-backs. But later, Blair picked up a flagrant one for a blow to Jason Kidd's face.
"It was a brawl, a street fight," Nowitzki said.
The sequence ignited Kidd, as his playmaking kept the Mavericks in the game. Still, Hill continued his destruction of the Dallas defense, finding the bottom of the net with an array of jumpers. After going scoreless through the first three quarters, Terry kept the Mavericks close in the fourth with his perimeter shooting, spearheading a 13-2 run to pull to within 86-84.
When the Spurs began to pull away, Terry once again stepped up with a timely three to cut the deficit to 89-87 with just 57.2 ticks remaining. But the Mavericks were quieted the rest of the way, while the Spurs put some distance between the two teams at the foul line. Down three, the game came down to the final .1 of a second, when Terry was unable to get off a desperation, game-tying shot attempt before the final buzzer.
In a close affair, the game came down to who protected the ball the best and which team was able to score down the stretch. Both categories went San Antonio's way. The Spurs committed 12 turnovers, compared to 15 for the Mavericks. Meanwhile, San Antonio finished the night out-shooting Dallas, 45 percent to 42 percent.
"Both teams kept plugging away, but we just didn't make enough plays. Shooting in the low 40 percents won't cut it in this series," Nowitzki said.
Despite the Mavs' 48-43 rebounding advantage and 32-30 edge in points in the paint, the Spurs still captured the victory due to a 55-41 scoring margin in the second half.
The Mavs also fell in defeat despite six double-figure scorers. Nowitzki and Butler posted 17 points apiece, as Marion added 14. Terry scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, while Kidd and Barea both scored 10 from the Dallas backcourt.
Not shying away from the bright lights of the postseason stage was the second-year pro Hill, who finished with a game-high 29 points on 11-of-16 from the field and 5-of-6 from behind the arch. Ginobili (17), Jefferson (15), Parker (10) and Antonio McDyess (10) all made up for the birthday boy's four-point night, as Duncan finished hitting just one of his nine shots.
"I thought if you told me before the game that we would hold the 'Big Three' (Duncan, Ginobili and Parker) to the numbers they had in the game, I would have said we win the game...You have to give Hill credit, he was unconscious from the 3-point line. The Spurs' role players stepped up and had a good game," Nowitzki said.
Now the Mavericks are faced with the daunting task of winning three straight games to close the series out. That starts with extending the season with a win in Game 5.
"This team has won 13 straight games before, so three straight is very attainable," center Brendan Haywood said. "Is it hard to win three games in a row during the playoffs? Yes, it's hard. But if it wasn't, everyone would be playing in the NBA. The way I look at this series is one game at a time. We have a game on Tuesday, and I don't look any further than that. If we don't take care of the game on Tuesday, there won't be another game later in the week. We have to win one game and go from there."
"It starts with winning Game 5," Carlisle echoed. "That's got to be the starting point. We've got to play and win the game."
The series now shifts back up to Dallas for Game 5, which will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
"We have to stop the bleeding at home, because we've lost three in a row. We have to go home and win because we definitely need one," Nowitzki concluded.
The Mavs-Spurs first round series schedule is as follows: Game 5 – Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas 8:30PM TXA21/ NBA TV Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT
Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Monday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com NBA's road warriors look for Game 4 W No. 2 Dallas Mavericks (1-2) at No. 7 San Antonio Spurs (2-1)
After 41 games away from Big D during the regular season, the Dallas Mavericks are a confident crew on the road. That confidence will be needed once again, as the Mavericks head into Game 4 of their first round playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs down two games to one, with Sunday's contest on the Spurs' home floor.
The Mavericks' first road game of the postseason, a 94-90 loss in Game 3 on Friday night, didn't reflect the regular season success that the squad displayed en route to collecting an NBA-best 27 road wins. An early deficit forced the Mavs into an uphill climb for most of the night. Though Dallas did stage a comeback, sparked by a 19-2 run in the third quarter, the team simply didn't have enough to sustain the offensive assault down the stretch. Then San Antonio's timely scoring and fourth-quarter execution finished the Mavs off.
"It's not great always having to battle back," forward Dirk Nowitzki said after a 35-point performance in the loss. "I thought when we were down seven points (in the first quarter) we battled. But we still would like to start better.
"We battled the whole way. We had some tough calls and turnovers, but we will play again on Sunday and see what happens."
If Sunday's game is going to end with a different result, the Mavericks will need to find an answer for Spurs guard Tony Parker. Though Tim Duncan's 25 points led the Spurs, Parker's 23 impacted the scoreboard the most. The All-Star point guard, who has played as San Antonio's sixth man in the series, slammed the door on the Mavericks in the fourth quarter with jump shot after jump shot in the final minutes. Meanwhile, the Mavs came away with nothing on crucial late-game possessions.
"Parker made three jump shots in a row to seal the game. You just have to give them credit, they made big shots down the stretch. We gave it away. Down the stretch, we had too many empty possessions," Nowitzki said.
"(Parker) just ended up late-clock, you take the guy nearest where you're at and you've got to defend him," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "He hit a couple of tough, basically one-on-one shots...They weren't easy shots and they were contested. But he's the kind of player that can make those plays."
While the Mavericks must regroup and look for a better defensive strategy for Parker, the Spurs will have to do the same for containing Mavs reserve guard J.J. Barea, who tallied 14 points off the bench in Game 3.
The dynamic 6-footer earned his coach's confidence with stellar play in the first half. In the second half, Carlisle didn't hesitated to go back to Barea, as the Puerto Rico native started the third quarter at the two guard spot and never left the floor until the game was no longer in doubt.
"I was just going with a group that was going good. We needed penetration," Carlisle said of the decision. "(Barea) made good things happen. Offensively and defensively, he was active. He helped us when he was out there."
"He can penetrate, score or get the ball to someone for a three. He was really good (Friday night)," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Barea's play.
No matter how well Barea played, the Mavericks weren't able to get over the hump and get the win. Now, the Mavericks will be out to tie the series at 2-2 before traveling back to Dallas for Game 5. But the Mavs know getting a win in the AT&T Center is easier said than done.
"We knew they were going to be tough to beat at home. They have been a tough home team over the year," Nowitzki said.
But the Mavericks just have to be better than the hometown Spurs for one game.
Game 4 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 6 p.m. CT Sunday evening. The series swings back up to Dallas for Game 5, which will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at a time not yet announced. Reserve your tickets by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
The Mavs-Spurs First Round series schedule is as follows:
Game 4 – Sun April 25 Dallas at San Antonio 6:00PM TXA21/ TNT Game 5 * Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TBD Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT
Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Monday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.
"Mavs Spotlight" is a series of exclusive one-on-one video interviews conducted by Mavs.com's Earl K. Sneed with various Dallas Maverick players and coaches. Up first is sixth man Jason Terry, who talks about the disappoint of the team coming up short of its aspirations of winning a championship. 
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