GameDay: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
Spurs at Mavericks
7 p.m. Tuesday, American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: TNTRadio: ESPN/103.3 FM, ESPN/1540 AM (Spanish)
Records: Spurs 44-25; Mavericks 44-27
About the Spurs: They have quietly gotten their act together with the playoffs less than a month away. San Antonio lost its first four games after the All-Star break on a swing through the West but has won 10 of 12 since. The two losses were in overtime – 128-125 to Cleveland on March 12 and 104-100 at New York on March 17. ... The Spurs won their third game in a row Sunday at Atlanta 114-95 as Tiago Splitter had a season-high 23 points and eight rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard added 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Tim Duncan contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four blocks in the win over the Hawks. ... Leonard leads the Spurs in scoring (15.9) and rebounds (7.4) with Tony Parker (14.9 points, 5.0 assists) and Duncan (14.1 points, 9.3 rebounds) adding balance.
About the Mavericks: They have lost two in a row and didn’t exactly look like a well-oiled machine in their last win at home against the Orlando Magic. After Sunday’s 98-92 loss in Phoenix, coach Rick Carlisle was extremely angry and questioned his team’s soul. ... Guard J.J. Barea will miss his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. ... Guard Devin Harris left the Phoenix game in the first half with an illness and did not return. He is questionable against the Spurs. ... The Mavs are hoping the Monta Ellis who scored 38 points on 15-of-23 shooting during a 99-93 win over the Spurs on Dec. 20 shows up Tuesday. They sure don’t won’t to see the Ellis who was 4 of 22 from the field and scored just 11 points in Sunday’s loss to Phoenix. ... The Mavs opened this season Oct. 28, falling to San Antonio 101-100 despite 26 points by Ellis. It was the 10th consecutive regular-season loss to the Spurs, a streak that ended with the win in December. ... Following Tuesday’s game, the Mavs and Spurs play again Friday in San Antonio.
This story was originally published March 23, 2015 at 7:43 PM with the headline "GameDay: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks."