<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> January 5, 2007 - 8:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on ESPN</span></div><span style="color:#000099">Dallas Mavericks</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">(26-7)</span><span style="color:#3333FF">PG</span> <span style="color:#000099">Devin Harris</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">SG</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Terry</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">SF</span> <span style="color:#000099">Josh Howard</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">PF</span> <span style="color:#000099">Dirk Nowitzki</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">C</span> <span style="color:#000099">Erick Dampier</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Anthony Johnson, DeSagana Diop, Jerry Stackhouse, Deaven George, Greg Buckner</span><span style="color:#000000">San Antonio Spurs</span> <span style="color:#999999">(23-10)</span><span style="color:#999999">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span> <span style="color:#999999">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili</span> <span style="color:#999999">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span> <span style="color:#999999">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span> <span style="color:#999999">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Robert Horry</span><span style="color:#999999">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Michael Finley, Brent Barry, Fabricio Oberto, Beno Udrih, Matt Bonner</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#999999">SA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Francisco Elson will not play (tear in right rotator cuff)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#000099">Dirk Nowitzki</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 23.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.1 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Josh Howard</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 19.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.8 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Jason Terry</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 15.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.8 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 20.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.9 bpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 19.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.9 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 15.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#3333FF">DAL:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jose Barea</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">0.8 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">DAL:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Pops Mensah-Bonsu</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">1.0 rpg</span> <span style="color:#000099">Dallas's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000099">Erick Dampier</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 8.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#000099">He's going to have to bring it tonight if Dallas is going to win the rebound battle with San Antonio. Elson may be out, but San Antonio is still a very tough team down low. Any team is when they have a guy like Tim Duncan.</span> <span style="color:#000000">San Antonio's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000000">Fabricio Oberto</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 5.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg</span><span style="color:#000000">With no Elson, Oberto is going to have to come in and play VERY tough basketball. He needs to play like he was in the very beginning of the year, where he was starting. Robert Horry is getting old, he can't handle guys like Diop and Damp all night long. Oberto needs to play tough on the glass and he needs to play physical basketball.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#000099">Dirk Nowitzki</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span></div><span style="color:#000000">It was pretty obvious what the key matchup would be, huh? You could argue that these are the two best big men in the NBA, both of them are incredible players. These two always have excellent matchups, I expect tonight to be no different.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesDamn. I'll be flipping back and fourth with the Celtics game. CelticBalla's PredictionI'm taking San Antonio on this one. They are coming off two very tough losses (a bad one to Cleveland and another one the other night vs. the Wolves), so they'll really want to get a W. Having them play their "rival" (which, I think is a joke) in Dallas will give them some extra motivation. San Antonio wins it.
Yeah this will be a tough one for the mavs to win on a back-to-back game but Devin Harris owns the spurs. I say the mavs win 101-97.
It'll be a close game but I see the Mavs winning this. I think they are just the better team. The Spurs aren't as scary as they used to be, not to me at least.
I like Dallas, but I think the Spurs are going to put a end to there winning streak.SA lost to Cleveland on the road and then Minny on the road. There home and are looking to get a win.Should be a great game.
Celticballa, GREAT prediction on Fabricio Oberto being the X-Factor. He has been playing great in the first half so far. He has 10 points off of 5 for 5 shooting and he has I think 3 rebounds.The Spurs are playing very good so far, but Parker really has to stay out of further foul trouble. I know that Dallas is going to make a run sooner or later, and if the Spurs can withstand that run and get one of their own, that would be perfect. Dirk is playing great, but I can live with that. Keep Howard under control and the Spurs got this.
We need to contain Duncan, if we can slow him down we are good. I'm not worried about Oberto though, he can go off for 50 but if we can hold Duncan his fifty won't mean sh*t
Yeah no big deal. Just keep giving Oberto is f*cking layups. Let Stackhouse go one on one with Bruce Bowen. Brilliant Avery.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Saint Baller @ Jan 5 2007, 10:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>We need to contain Duncan, if we can slow him down we are good. I'm not worried about Oberto though, he can go off for 50 but if we can hold Duncan his fifty won't mean sh*t</div>that really doesn't make sense what so ever. Tim Duncan isnt the one killing you....It is obviously Oberto, and guess what? The Spurs are winning! So obviously, the Mavs are not good with letting Oberto do what he is doing. Notice how all of his points are from layups......I dont understand how you say the Mavs are going to be ok with giving him a very high percentage shot.And Mavsfan, why are you blaming Avery Johnson for what is happenning. You have to take the good with the bad. Just because the Mavs are playing bad in the first half of one game doesn't mean that he is an overrated coach.
Duncan is killing us by finding players too, he might not have 10 assists but he's a smart ass player, he is finding team mates who find other OPEN team mates.Stop Duncan, stop the Spurs offense, Stop the Spurs offense, Mavs win the game.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Saint Baller @ Jan 5 2007, 10:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Duncan is killing us by finding players too, he might not have 10 assists but he's a smart ass player, he is finding team mates who find other OPEN team mates.Stop Duncan, stop the Spurs offense, Stop the Spurs offense, Mavs win the game.</div>First of all, a team is never going to "stop" Duncan. And like you said in your post, Duncan isnt just doing it by scoring, he is doing it by passing and finding the open man......Basically, they are playing decent defense on Duncan, but he is just kicking the ball out and finding open people for 3's (Ginobili). Also, if the Mavs did somehow stop Duncan, you still have two very capable scorers in Ginobili and Parker. I will admit that Duncan is obviously the center piece to the offense, but the Spurs still have other options.
This officiating is horrific, the Spurs havent been whistled yet this quarter while the Mavs have been 5 times.
