AT&T CENTER-Given a second shot at a closeout game after their disappointing Game 5 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the only adjustment needed by the San Antonio Spurs between games was to find the energy and focus they lacked on the road. “Minds are kind of hard to understand sometimes,” Manu Ginobili said. “We went [...]

Here’s a riddle for you: lots of folks are saying that the San Antonio Spurs need to win Game 6 tonight in San Antonio and end the series, because if it goes to Game 7 in Dallas, all the pressure will be on the Spurs. But by saying that, aren’t they putting all that pressure [...]

The score says the Mavericks beat the Spurs by 22 points, but it was worse than that. And Gregg Popovich knew it. The Spurs’ starters didn’t see action in the 4th quarter. Pop put out the white flag towards the end of the third, and now it’s San Antonio’s turn to regroup. The Mavericks jumped [...]

A week and a half ago, who thought we’d be here, with the San Antonio Spurs up 3-1 on the Dallas Mavericks and looking to close out the series tonight? Who really thought the Spurs would execute on the offensive and defensive end for three straight games to put the Mavs on life support? Who [...]

AT&T CENTER - A year ago, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said about then-rookie George Hill, “these playoffs aren’t for George.” And through three playoff games this season, current Spurs rookie DeJuan Blair hadn’t done much to prove that this year’s playoffs fit him very well either. But on Sunday night, Blair left [...]

AT&T Center-A game after Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle benched each of his team’s new acquisitions in the second half, the San Antonio Spurs turned to theirs with the trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker struggling. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s faith was aptly rewarded. Antonio McDyess hit open jumpers, scoring [...]

Bruised and bloodied, but far from broken-well, except for his nose which is, in fact, broken-San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili returned from the locker room part Rocky Balboa, part Michael Jordan. The combination of both was all “El Contusion”. Late in the third quarter of the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 win over the Dallas [...]

For much of the series the Dallas Mavericks have been able to do very little defensively to stop Manu Ginobili. Hedging screens. Trapping. Denying passes. Changing matchups. Scratch broken noses off the list of things that could possibly deter Manu Ginobili, who will start in Game 4 for the San Antonio Spurs despite suffering the [...]

AT&T CENTER - Of all the positives to glean from the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Friday’s Game 3, one aspect in particular might give Spurs fans the most hope for the playoffs. The Spurs turned in a vintage defensive performance, reminiscent of so many title years, in taking a [...]

AT&T CENTER-For all the weapons the Dallas Mavericks acquired over this year, through the majority of the second half it was the same lineup that ousted the San Antonio Spurs in last season’s playoffs unexpectedly staring down the same point guard they still have no answer for. The difference? This season Tony Parker brought some [...]

According to Argentine newspaper Cancha Llena, the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili will not be playing in the 2010 World Championships in Turkey this summer. Whew.

The smart folks at SpursTalk are following the international press, which is giving positive, but subtle, indicators that Tiago Splitter is closer than previously expected to joining the San Antonio Spurs. This on the heels of the uber-reliable Johnny Ludden’s recent proclamation that the Spurs are growing more confident in their ability to sign Splitter [...]

Perception and reality are two vastly different and constantly changing things, especially in an NBA playoff series where momentum shifts freely from one game to the next. A superficial glance at the box scores will tell you that the San Antonio Spurs did a much better job guarding Dirk Nowitzki than in his blitzkrieg Game [...]

How shall the San Antonio Spurs proceed against the Dallas Mavericks? What Game 2 adjustments should the Spurs and Mavericks coaches consider?

For the San Antonio Spurs, defending Dirk Nowitzki in Game 1 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal Series was damn-near a lost cause. The Dallas Mavericks forward torched the Spurs for 36 points on 12-14 shooting from the field. How the Spurs choose to defend Nowitzki in Game 2 will go a long way in determining [...]