The Spurs inched closer to securing home court advantage throughout the postseason with a 109-100 win over the Mavericks on Thursday, and Dallas saw its playoff hopes become even more tenuous with the loss.
San Antonio leads the league in three-point shooting percentage, and put on a 16-of-34 display from beyond the arc that helped carry the team to its 61st victory of the season. Dallas hung around for the first half, and came back with a nice second quarter after falling behind by double digits early. Dirk Nowitzki scored 12 of his 19 points in the period, and a furious close to the half saw Dallas take a two-point lead into intermission.
The Spurs cranked up their defense in the third, getting into the passing lanes to create turnovers and then scoring in transition. Patty Mills went on a shooting spree that saw him hit three of four threes in the period, and he and Tim Duncan each had 11 in a third quarter where the San Antonio lead reached 11 by the time it was finished.
The loss was a tough one for the Mavericks, because they’re in a dog fight for one of the final two playoff spots in the West. Dallas now sits in the eighth spot, tied with Phoenix but a game back in the loss column, while being even with ninth-place Memphis in losses but holding two more victories.
The Mavericks control their own destiny, though, considering their final two games of the season are against Phoenix on Saturday, and then at Memphis the following Wednesday.
As for the Spurs, the reason for their league-best record lies in their versatility. Manu Ginobili was below average by his standards in this one, finishing with 10 points and seven assists while committing five turnovers, and Tony Parker didn’t play at all due to injury. But Kawhi Leonard came through with 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Mills led all scorers with 26 points, albeit on 25 shots.
San Antonio remains extremely difficult to deal with in the regular season, while the Mavericks show flashes of that at times, especially on the offensive end. But Dallas saw its 22nd ranked defense betray them in this one, on a night where the Spurs, as usual, found a way to execute flawlessly at times on both ends of the floor.