Spurs 94 Mavericks 90 Game 4 2010 Playoffs

That was awesome.

I have to admit that it is a little weird watching the Spurs play such frantic, suffocating defense as they have played the last two games. If it were 2003 or 2005 or 1999 I wouldn't be surprised. Even back in 2007 I don't remember seeing such awesomeness.

I know I am a little biased. People always talk about how boring the Spurs are and really I can't look at it objectively. Seeing the Spurs win has always been entertaining for me. They play sound basketball and don't make stupid mistakes. After seeing execution like that, it's hard watching horrible teams slosh their way through games. One guy I know called this last game 'Heat-Knicks' style. I must disagree. Sure there was toughness and hard fouls and people getting hit in the nose (RJ on Dirk) but there wasn't point guards pouding the ball for 20 seconds before launching a trey, or a center pounding the ball for 20 seconds before heaving it up at the rim. Me and my little brother used to call that Eastern Conference basketball. You'd see guys like Tim Hardaway and later, Baron Davis lunge themselves through the lane hoping for a call, with no hope for a score. I don't see that in this series.

******

I am getting a weird vibe from this series. Maybe it is because I've been listening (unfortunately) to a lot of Dallasites bitch about the Mavericks being mentally soft. Hell, Mike Taylor, the Dallas transplant called them mental midgets. Although coming into the season I thought that the Spurs were stacked, there was no question that the Mavericks played a lot better than the Good Guys this year. Add to that the trade for Butler, a scorer and seemingly tough guy that would add playoff grittiness and the stage was set for an ass kicking. Well, it has been, just the other way around. These games have been close and whatever, sure. I am mostly talking about the way they were won. Dallas has been in a position to win in each of the last three games but in different ways, the Spurs just punked 'em.

That is where the weird vibe hits me. It reminds me of 2006. The Spurs were in position to win two of the first three games they dropped. Mavericks have games 5 and 7 at home. If they can borrow some balls (see? it's creeping in) they will win game 5. If they can somehow win in game 6 they have the home court for the deciding final game 7. Just like in 2006.

If it has to be like that, well I hope it turns out the same for the lower seed. Any way, it was a great third quarter comeback by the team, it was awesome to see the second team guys step up and play well while the Big Three had their off game. That is how it is supposed to be: when your star(s) have their inevitable off-game one of the other guys steps up and carries the team.

Can't wait for Tuesday.