Spurs vs. Mavericks: Gameday Preview

Mon frere Brett Edwards is right: This would-be epic between San Antonio and Dallas is more likely to resemble the D-League All-Star Game than Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Dallas has cinched up home court throughout, and the Spurs are frozen in their 3-seed position. But honestly... it's Spurs-Mavs in April! It's gotta be great, right?

Two factors make this afternoon affair worth watching:

Flight White. James White, a Fanhouse favorite, hasn't played in the Spurs' last two contests, which probably means he somehow pissed off Pop. (My bet: James used one of Pop's 1990 Bordeauxs for sangria. Bastard.) But no matter -- the Spurs roster is only so long, and with Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, and Brent Barry likely only seeing a handful of minutes a piece, Flight White should get some burn. And where there's burn, there's fire. Or something. If not, we need to seek and destroy Popovich. If not now, when?
Jerry Stackhouse. Stack is mad because the league's suits won't let him wear 'Robinson' on his existing #42 jersey to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's historic Major League debut. (This is the same league, mind you, that saw the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks wear green jerseys to commemorate St. Patrick's Day.) Stack + anger + national TV = fireworks. If Jerry or Mark Cuban (who I assume supports his player over David Stern) get mic time and don't earn a fine from the league, I will be disappointed.

I think we'll see Spurs-Mavs again this spring (sorry Phoenix), but there's no reason you can't enjoy today's spectacle, too.