Survival showdown: Spurs, Mavs have to win Game 7 or go home Web Posted: 05/22/2006 12:05 AM CDT Johnny Ludden Express-News Staff Writer The Spurs wrapped up practice Sunday afternoon, and coach Gregg Popovich called everyone together. As the players gathered, he dispensed a few words of advice for the all-or-nothing challenge awaiting them tonight. "Don't forget," Popovich said, "who we are." For the Spurs, that means playing within their system. Leaning on their defense. And, perhaps, remembering that for all the breathless moments in six games against Dallas, they remain the NBA's defending champions. For one more night, at least. Their reign having lasted from one Game 7 to another, the Spurs return to the AT&T Center to finish their Western Conference semifinals series against the Mavericks. No one will be discussing the mud level of the San Antonio River or who's drinking margaritas with whom. The bearhugs and jab to the jewels, if not forgiven, will be forgotten. After six months of battling for the conference's best record and another two weeks of high-stakes drama, the Spurs and Mavericks will settle their differences with one game. "This is probably how most people would have scripted it in the Western Conference finals," Michael Finley said. "But it's the semifinals, and you have two of the better teams going at it night in and night out. "Game 7 should, in my opinion, be no different than the previous six." Which means the teams probably could save some energy and fast-forward to the final minute. Only one of the six games wasn't decided in the closing seconds. In each of those five, the losing team thought it should have won. Throw out Dallas' Game 2 rout, and the score differential for the rest of the series is 497-495 in favor of the Spurs. "It's that close," Popovich said. "That makes the most important thing playing well (tonight). Because after that, it doesn't really matter." Popovich even called the Spurs' home-court advantage "fool's gold." The Mavericks have won twice at the AT&T Center this season, including the 22-point pounding in Game2. Not since Charles Barkley closed HemisFair Arena in 1993 with a late jumper over David Robinson have the Spurs been eliminated on their own floor. The home team has won 81 percent of Game 7s, including both this season. Of course, if the Spurs paid close attention to the odds, they probably wouldn't have dug themselves out of a 3-1 hole. "It might be in (the Mavericks') heads a little bit because of the fact we were 3-1 down, and it's not easy to come back from that," Manu Ginobili said. "But now it gets to a point where it's one single game." The Mavericks acknowledged they treated Friday's loss as if it were a Game 7. But they also have had two days to recover, as well as the emotional ? and offensive ? boost Jason Terry should provide when he returns from his one-game suspension. And, Finley said, "They have a coach who has overcome so many things in his life that he's not going to let his team succumb to pressure." Like the Spurs, the Mavericks have experience in these situations. Last season, they blew out Houston by 40 points in Game 7 of the teams' first-round series. Dirk Nowitzki and Adrian Griffin also were on the 2003 Dallas team that won Game 7s against Portland and Sacramento before losing to the Spurs in six games in the conference finals. "It's the thing you live for," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. "When you're younger, you're in college or you're watching the NBA in high school, you say, 'Man, I wish I could be part of this Game 7.' Now your wish has come true." The margin between the teams is so slim, Popovich said, that tonight's outcome once again could be decided by late-game execution. While the Mavericks want to quicken the pace with Terry back, the Spurs hope to keep them under 100 points, as they have in each of their three victories. They also would like to see Tim Duncan and Tony Parker produce more than they did Friday when they made only 11 of 36 shots. Ginobili, meanwhile, often has saved his biggest performances for the biggest moments. On Friday, he carried the team with 30 points and 10 rebounds. After the Spurs returned from Seattle tied 2-2 in last season's conference semifinals, he scored 39. Eleven of his 24 points in Game 7 of last season's NBA Finals against Detroit came in the fourth quarter. "There are special players who are really able to intuitively understand situations that help win games," Popovich said. "Whether it's a steal or an offensive board at the appropriate time. Having the fortitude to shoot a 3 when maybe it's not exactly called for. "Manu is one of those guys who has been in a lot of situations who knows what wins. Dirk is another guy who's been in a lot of situations who knows what wins." Tonight's game comes almost 11 months to the day the Spurs beat the Pistons to win last season's championship. Another victory tonight, and they extend their reign to the conference finals ? something they couldn't do in their previous two title defenses. "I don't live in the past," Finley said. "I live in the moment. And the moment right now is a Game 7 against Dallas."
Despite the outcome, both teams should be proud of the level of play in this series. This game could have gone either way, but the Mavs are fortunate that it went their way. Kudos to the Spurs and their class as always. I'm sure this series is just the first of many in this intensifying rivalry.
Amen to that. What a commendable effort by both teams, and it'll definitely be a series to remember. One of the most exciting for me, definitely. It's just one of those times that the game and the series were so good, although you're mad your team lost, you're really not too hot because you enjoyed witnessing its events so much.
