Just as much as San Antonio Spurs fans love to hate all things Dallas Mavericks, well the feeling is mutual.

DallasNews.com is putting on a "March Menace" tournament where fans of Dallas' four professional teams can vote on their least-liked player of all-time.

Seems Spurs' Tim Duncan and former Spur Bruce Bowen made the Mavericks tournament bracket.


Yesterday, Duncan was paired with Shawn Bradley and Duncan "won" that matchup. Duncan will face the "winner" of the Bowen-Kiki Vandeweghe matchup which is going on today.

OK Spurs fans time to fire back. Which Maverick do you love to hate and is in your eyes a menace? Jason Terry? Mark Cuban? What about Jerry Stackhouse when he played for Dallas? Leave us your vote and why.

With the San Antonio Spurs on a rare, extended break before Friday's showdown against the Dallas Mavericks, Spurs head coach took the opportunity to have a long practice and film session which lasted two and a half hours long.

Not surprisingly, the Spurs focused on defense during the practice. Check out what Tony Parker and Antonio McDyess had to say.

(video WOAI.com)

From time to time, in my interviews or story research, I came across great notes or quotes that may not be relevant for the current article, but they're also too good to be left on the cutting room floor. The leftover notes and quotes title is used as an homage to former Express-News sports editor Barry Robinson.

San Antonio Spurs' Gary Neal on the differences between international basketball and the NBA:

"Athleticism night in and night out. When you play in the NBA everybody's more athletic all across the board from bigger point guards to bigger longer and more athletic centers. I think that's the biggest adjustment a lot of guys who played in Europe have to deal with. If you asked Tiago the same thing he would probably say the athleticism because that's not something you see night in and night out. You might see one player but you won't see it on a consistent basis. It just takes time to adjust and get used to playing at that speed and that pace."

Austin Toros and Spurs players on rookie James Anderson:

"He's good, James is really good. He's playing limited minutes but he's still close to our leading scorer," Toros rookie Lance Thomas said. "I love his game. The way he's playing, he won't be here too long but we still gotta compete. He's competing out here for as many minutes as he's playing and everyone's gotta take that approach when they're out on the floor."

"James coming back is definitely going to help us. He's a skilled scorer and in the NBA you know you need as many players as you can especially in situations where you play back to backs," Gary Neal said. "We've been 4-4 on back-to-backs and maybe if James was there it would give us some more energy maybe he would've helped us with a spark and we would've won two of those games and been 6-2 instead of 4-4 so it's definitely great to have more firepower so we embrace James and were happy he's back."

"It's always great to have guys come down from the Spurs. He definitely adds to our team on both ends of the floor but his offense really stood out yesterday," Toros forward Michael Joiner said. "He's playing limited minutes so I can only imagine if he played the whole game with us what it would be like."

New Jersey Nets guard Ben Uzoh on how his childhood favorite Spurs are doing this season:

"They've done a great job, they really have. They've been monitoring Tim's minutes and he's been real efficient with the minutes they've been giving him. Manu and Tony have been playing unbelievable and they got strong bench play. So everyone knows their roles and they do a good job playing together."

Milestones:

The San Antonio Spurs extended their streak of consecutive seasons with a winning road record to 14, dating back to the 1997-98 season. It is two seasons longer than the previous record set by the Lakers.

The Spurs have one of the toughest remaining schedules over the next few weeks, as they prepare for the playoffs. Over the next 15 games, the Spurs will face 11 teams with .500-or-better records and 11 potential playoff teams.

Tim Duncan appeared in his 1,000th regular season game vs. Portland on December 12. Antonio McDyess joined Duncan in the millennium club last week against the Detroit Pistons.

• Congratulations to former San Antonio Spurs player Terry Porter who was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame:

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) inducted Travis Grant, Bill Odell, Scottie Pippen and Terry Porter into the NAIA Hall of Fame during the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship tip-off banquet. (naia.cstv.com)

• Want to see Spurs' Gary Neal when he was playing high school basketball? Sure you do! His wife shared a link of some old footage of Neal in high school. Check it out HERE.

• With March Madness underway, BasketballProspectus.com thinks the Duke Blue Devils are like the Spurs:

The Blue Devils are sort of like the San Antonio Spurs of the NCAA. Their conservative nature belies a more radical brand of basketball. Both teams are heavily dependent on the three-point shot, while Duke becomes all the more exciting if point guard Kyrie Irving can return to the lineup for the NCAA Tournament. Like Tony Parker, Irving is a one-man fast break.

• Speaking of the Blue Devils, read what Austin Toros' Lance Thomas had to say about working hard in the D-League and reading books at Toros Nation.

• Express News' Tim Griffin talks about the various opinions on the Spurs in many NBA Power Rankings.

• NBA.com talks about the injury David Robinson suffered in the 1996-1997 season and how it led to Tim Duncan:

As of result of Robinson’s absence, the Spurs finished with a dismal 20-62 record – which was third worst in the NBA that season.

While San Antonio dealt with its frustrations, a budding superstar was dazzling in the college ranks. Tim Duncan was by and large the most prolific collegiate player in the country at the time and it was inevitable that he would be the first player chosen in the 1997 NBA Draft.

Hit the jump to read about how you can win free tickets to the Spurs-Blazers game in San Antonio this month, this day in Spurs' history, and more.

With tomorrow being St. Patrick's Day and the beginning of the NCAA basketball tournament, the fine folks out at Taylor PR invited Project Spurs to join a basketball round table discussion with basketball great Bill Walton.

Walton was in town to help promote GUINNESS -- the boldest of beers -- calling on all basketball fans to take a day off from work and enjoy a pint of GUINNESS tomorrow while taking in the many St. Patrick's Day festivities and March Madness.

"It's a day to step back, enjoy the important things in life with a perfectly poured pint of GUINNESS and take bold action," said Walton.

It was a great setting. Just a bunch of sports writers shooting the breeze, drinking GUINNESS with Walton in New York City at Legends Bar & Grill. He spoke on everything from college basketball and his favorite player BYU's Jimmer Fredette, the NBA playoffs, which team will come out of the Western Conference, his injuries, and more.

The video of this round table will be posted later but during the discussion Walton mentioned San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili as one of the best players in the NBA. After the round table, I followed up with Walton on his thoughts about Ginobili and here is what he had to say:

"Manu Ginobili is more than capable of being the best player in any game. In any game he can be the best guy. What he has been able to do coming from Argentina, I mean truly, he is the epitome of true greatness in the globalized, changing world that we all live in today," said Walton to Project Spurs. 

Walton went on to say, "To come from Argentina, to have Argentina win the World Championship, to have him win a gold medal in the Olympics, to have him be the winner of the NBA championship, I mean come on! But that's what makes him so special and he's such a class act. He's so creative, he's so dynamic, he's so vibrant, he's so explosive and he does things that you can't even dream of."

"He comes up with this stuff out there, I mean my god, where did that come from? Yet he is able to deliver. With everybody else, we just call that junk, trash but he delivers. He is phenomenal."

I'm sure all Spurs fans would agree with Walton.

(Thanks to Don Povia at HHRMedia)  

Ever wonder what life is like on the road for the San Antonio Spurs' D-League affiliate Austin Toros? Where do they eat? How is the team feeling with the D-League playoffs fast approaching?

Well you are in luck.

Toros forward Michael Joiner writes for Project Spurs' affiliate blog Toros Nation and recently he wrote on the current Toros road trip, his thoughts on Marcus Cousin getting the call-up to the Utah Jazz, and much more. 

If you have any questions for Michael or would like to comment on his posts, feel free to comment below or email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   and we’ll be sure to get your questions/comments to him. Follow Michael on twitter @mjborn2win.

By Michael Joiner, Toros Nation

It’s been a while now. I know there have not been any write ups from me. There have been two reasons: We have been playing at home (but I thought about doing write ups then), and because I have not had the right thing to write about (writers know about this.)

Well, the on the road series has lead us into another season: it’s the playoff chase. This is the part of the season where teams are competing, you see players leaving, you see the rookies take that growth of maturity and become men or you can see the total opposite.

Since my last write up, we have acquired two new players, a teammate of mine has been called up, we have worn pink jerseys, and the bond of this team has grown tremendously.

First, let me say CONGRATULATIONS to the man in the middle for the Toros this season, Marcus Cousin. He earned a NBA Call-up to the Utah Jazz. Next, let me address the pink jerseys. No, there was not a washing machine problem. We wore pink to show support for the FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER! It was a great cause and a even better event for everyone.

We have had some roster changes. We have acquired Kyle Weaver and Trey Kelly. These guys have replaced Moses and Steph. Every last one of these guys have been a positive impact for our team and has helped us to play better. The changes that one sees. It amazes me. While writing this, I am waiting in the lobby with Kyle getting ready to play the Texas Legends.

Well game one of these weekend series was a tough one to deal with because we let it get away. Our team felt like we had it, but we didn't come out with the outcome that we wanted. We had a good team effort so we will take that over into tonight's match up.

The hotel we stay in is fairly new called the NYLO hotel. Real European style and 9 year old size beds. But it has a interesting look that makes you like it. It has a 70′s feel in 2011. Check it out if you are ever in Plano (no this is not a commercial).

There are many options on what to eat while on the road. Players choose based on how they feel, what or where others may go, and what’s in their budget. Some have gone to 5 Guys, Chic-Fil-A, some Italian spot, and the hotel restaurant.

ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose has his take on a potential San Antonio Spurs-Dallas Mavericks playoff clash and says the Los Angeles Lakers may have a say in it.

Do you agree with him Spurs fans?

Note: This isn't a Spurs-related post, but we'll have several new posts throughout the day.

Jeff and I have made some great friends, have met some of the sports bloggers we look up to and respect the most and even met the team at Bloguin, thanks to the first ever Blogs With Balls event in New York City.

It was also after that event almost two years ago that Jeff and I became extremely motivated and started putting into action our plans to make Project Spurs what it is today.

When I heard Don Povia, Kyle Bunch and the BWB crew were planning to bring BWB to Austin, I knew I had to be there. I was hoping for some badgeless BWB events since the main panel was part of South By Southwest Interactive.

On Monday I made the short trek up to Austin for the Blogs with Balls Digital Tailgate at the Pepsi Max lot.

Darren Rovell of CNBC, Jemele Hill of ESPN and Dan Shanoff of Quickish participated in a digital sports flash panel early on. Foursquare employees were also playing a foursquare game, several ping pong and foosball tables were also set up.

It was great meeting so many new people and catching up with some friends of Project Spurs in Povia and Fansided's Adam Best among others.

I must say though, that the highlight of my day was getting to talk to Gary Vaynerchuck again and getting to pick his brain in a Q&A session.

• San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili had this to say after the huge loss to the Miami Heat:

"They needed the game more than us."

• Express News' Tim Griffin has five takes on the Spurs-Heat game.

• Though the San Antonio Spurs own the NBA's best record and are tops in the Western Conference, TheSportsJury.com thinks the Los Angeles Lakers are the best in the West and will capture another title:

In the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs started 46-9 this season to pretty much outdistance themselves from the rest of the NBA’s elite.· They have been hailed by most as the team to beat in the Western Conference.· However, the two-time defending Champion Lakers are showing why they are still the prohibitive favorite not only in the west, but for another NBA title.

• RedsArmy.com is keeping the Spurs under the Boston Celtics' microscope as the playoffs near.

• The San Antonio Spurs D-League affiliate Austin Toros are in the D-League playoff hunt. Check out how things might shake up for the Toros at Toros Nation.

• Hoops World still has Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich as the Coach of the Year:

The disappointing 30-point loss in Miami after beating the HEAT by 30 in San Antonio just 10 days ago should remind everyone not to take the results of any one game too seriously.  This hasn't derailed Coach Popovich's bid for COY or signaled that Coach Spoelstra finally has the HEAT firing on all cylinders.

Coach Popovich has taken last year's 50-win team to first place overall in the NBA and a projected 66-win season, COY is his to lose.

• Former Spurs player James White shared this video of him winning the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest out in Italy:

• Here is how you can enter for a chance to score some free tickets to the upcoming Spurs-Portland Trail Blazers game on March 28 at the AT&T Center:

1. Follow @TiqFeed_Texas on Twitter.

2. Once you've followed, send out a tweet that says "Follow @TiqFeed_Texas" and include your favorite live Texas sports moment, followed by the hashtag #LoneStarTiqs for chance to win free Spurs tickets.

3. One person who tweets that out will win a free pair of tickets to the March 28 Spurs-Trail Blazers game.

The San Antonio Spurs have called up guard/forward Danny Green from the D-League's Reno Bighorns and have signed him for the remainder of the season, according to several sources.

Green averaged 20.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in his D-League stay with the Bighorns.

This will be Green's second stint in San Antonio. He was originally signed on November 17, then released on November 23 after a number of early season releases including Bobby Simmons, Alonzo Gee and Garrett Temple.

It's no surprise that the Spurs have expressed interest in Green before. He has the potential to be a lockdown defender, but can also help on the offensive end and knockdown the spot-up three. He also rebounds well for a player his size, has an excellent work ethic, has the hunger to improve and is known as a character guy, which makes him a perfect fit for the Spurs.

However, if he's going to have a chance to help the Spurs, they'll also have to be patient with him and his development, which is something Spurs coach Gregg Popovich seems to already be aware of.

"He’s a talented young man who has impressed us with his combination of pretty good defensive skills and awareness and a pretty good shot,” Popovich told the Express-News earlier this season. “He’s a young guy who, in time, is going to be a good player. Sometimes it takes somebody two, three, four years before they find the right situation."
 
Green should be available to play in Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.