I mentioned that the Mavericks needed to avoid a slow start in Game 2. The message apparently got lost in space.
The Mavs had a big, glaring 0 on the scoreboard until Caron Butler got a 3-pointer to go with 7:45 left in the first quarter. The Spurs scored the first nine points of the game, and the Mavs are lucky that it didn’t turn into more of a runaway early. Missing your first six shots and 12 of your first 13 is not going to get anybody a commanding 2-0 advantage in the playoffs as the series is now tied 1-1 after a 102-88 Mavs loss
But the Mavs, down 16-6 with 4:16 left in the quarter used free throws from Butler, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry, two layups from the Jet and a J.J. Barea 3 to finish the quarter only down by a respectable four to the Spurs at 24-20.
The Mavs entered the second quarter with a little momentum despite Matt Bonner shooting a 3 to put the Spurs up by seven. Terry, who led the offensive attack with 27, answered back. Despite the deficit, a Brendan Haywood slam dunk at the 8:34 mark got the Mavs within one, down 34-33. Following a jump shot by Tony Parker, who had 16 on the night, a pair of Terry free throws placed the Mavs in good position again at 36-35. A 12-1 run by San Antonio nixed any immediate comeback hopes as the Spurs took a 48-36 lead. They left the court for halftime with a 58-46 advantage. Spurs forward Richard Jefferson notched 17 of his 19 points in the first half.
The Mavs missed their first three shot attempts to open the second half. It didn’t look promising. Jason Kidd, another veteran the Mavs could lean on, shot 1 for 7 for the game with five points. Dirk Nowitki, who finished with 24 after not scoring in the first quarter, began to show his presence in the third with six points in the quarter. But it was a technical foul on Nowitzki with 3:25 left in the third that allowed the Spurs to take a 20-point lead at 80-60.
Despite getting to within single digits, the Mavs allowed too many San Antonio runs in the fourth, including an 8-0 run in which Dallas didn’t score for 3:30 minutes.
Tim Duncan was the top rebounder for the Spurs with 17 boards and 25 points. The Mavs, who were trying to focus on the rebound battle, were outnumbered 51-42.
In a big hole early, the Mavs failed to fully recover and only shooting 36.5 percent for the game led to their 102-88 downfall. The series shifts to San Antonio for weekend games on Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m.
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i thought the spurs would be able to hang with the mavs for game two. i guess when you shoot as well as the spurs did you can beat anyone. we will have to see if age hits the spurs back home. i still like the mavs for the series but game two was a very important win for san antonio and it looks like this series could get to a game six or seven (which i think would favor the mavs)
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