Spurs “mug” Mavericks, take winning streak to 11.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle was asked before the game how to stop the Spurs, especially at home, and he would be as good an authority as anyone since his Mavericks were in the game until the final moments the last time these teams met, on Nov. 25, when a Kawhi Leonard three from the top of the key proved to be the dagger in an 88-83 loss for the visitors. “You gotta hope they miss,” Carlisle deadpanned, before expounding. “You have to do everything well. You’ve got to get back in transition, you’ve got to somehow contest threes and take away paint penetration. Their level of skill they have at every position makes them extremely difficult to guard and then they have a high-energy, hard-playing team that has been together a long time, so they’re as tough a team as there is in this league to play.” The Spurs offense wasn’t clicking on all cylinders back in November and truthfully it didn’t on Sunday either. San Antonio shot a so-so 46.7 percent, made just 5-of-20 threes and finished with a mediocre (for them) 22 assists. They got off to another cold start against the Mavs and had a season-low 14 points after the first quarter……Read More

Source: Spurs “mug” Mavericks, take winning streak to 11 – Pounding The Rock