Spurs vs. Mavericks

SPURS
The Spurs (62-20) come into the playoffs as the number 1 seed in the Western conference and had the best record in the entire NBA this season. Last year the Spurs came within one game of winning the championship. Even though the Spurs are old the just keep winning. They have one of the best coaches in the NBA. With all of their experience and leadership, they make very few errors. Their big three of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobilli just keep producing again and again along with their supporting cast of talented players. Most likely, they are the favorites to make the finals from the Western Conference.

MAVERICKS
The Mavericks (49-33) come into the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Last season this team failed to make it to the postseason. Led by Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs snuck into the playoffs at the last minute to grab the last spot in the west. The Mavs have a good offense scoring 104.8 points per game and share the ball well at 23.6 assists per game. Two things that the Mavs will have to find an answer for are the defense and their rebounding. Their defenses gives up over 102 ppg and they only grab about 40 rebounds a game which is 26th is the NBA.

STARTERS
PG MAVERICKS JOSE CALDERON SPURS TONY PARKER
Jose Calderon is an offense only kind of player. He is a good offensive player with a good three point shot and good passing abilities. Tony Parker will run circles around him, literally. During the 3 games against the Mavs this season, he averaged 23.3 points on over 50 % shooting. Tony Parker has been one of the best point guards in the league in the past decade and in this series he will show why he is great.

ADVANTAGE: SPURS

SG MAVERICKS MONTA ELLIS SPURS DANNY GREEN
Monta Ellis is a shooting guard that lots to drive to the whole and shoot long 2 point jumpers. He is a bad three point shooter and has sometimes during his career had a bad field goal percentage. Danny Green is a shoot threes and give me some defense kind of player. This is probably the only matchup on paper that the Mavs actually have an advantage.

ADVANTAGE: MAVS

SF MAVERICKS SHAWN MARION SPURS KAWHI LEONARD
Both of these players are/were really athletic with Leonard being the better player who is a good defender and an efficient offensive player. Marion likes to shoot threes and has a very awkward delivery on his shoot, but somehow it goes in... sometimes.

ADVANTAGE: SPURS

PF MAVERICKS DIRK NOWITZKI SPURS TIM DUNCAN
This matchup has two future hall of famers battling it out. Dirk has a great jumpshot and seems to have no limit on his range. His step back one legged jumper over the top of the defender is insane. Duncan is a great player with great fundamentals and a good medium range jumper that he likes to bank in off of the glass. He is good in the post also. This individual matchup should be fun to watch.

ADVANTAGE: EVEN

C MAVERICKS SAMUEL DALEMBERT SPURS TIAGO SPLITTER
Dalembert is and older player who doesn't like to get up and down the court and would rather bang with the opponent. His offensive game is not that great but is serviceable. And his defense is not much better either. Splitter is and up and coming player with good defense and a increasingly improving offense. He defensive rating per 100 possessions is 94.5 best on the team and 10 points lower than Dalembert.

ADVANTAGE: SPURS

PREDICTION: The spurs swept the season series with the Mavs this year and I do not see the Mavs posing much of a threat to the reigning Western Conference Champions. The big three of Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan prove to be too much for the Mavs. Spurs in 5.