If game four was all about the Spurs' role players stepping up, this time it was the Mavericks' turn to return the favor. Facing elimination, the Mavericks played like a team with no tomorrow and outplayed the Spurs right from the get go.

Caron Butler provided the offense for the Mavs, scoring 35 points with 11 boards and Brendan Haywood gave the inside toughness that Dallas needed, he finished with 8 points and 8 boards in 31 minutes of action.

Now let's look at the numbers that helped the Mavs to extend this series.

35.9 - After averaging 48.0% in field goal percentage in the first four games of the series, the Spurs went cold in this one; making just 28 of 78 of their shots or 35.9% for the entire game.

28 - Roger Mason Jr. get the minutes he wanted and played for 28 minutes. However, he did not take advantage of his time on the floor. Hitting only 1 of 6 shots as he scored 3 points with 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers and 3 fouls.

21? - Tim Duncan started the series on a strong note, scoring 25 or more points in the first 3 games. But #21 has only averaged 7.5 points over the last two games. Not a good sign for the Spurs.

4 - Brendan Haywood has 4 blocks in this game as he provided good interior defense for the Mavs.

Richard Jefferson took only 4 shots in 24 minutes after scoring 15 in Game 4 and Manu Ginobili committed 4 turnovers in just 18 minutes of play.

The Spurs need to realize that they need to win 4 games to advance to the second round.

0 - Keith Bogans went 0-5 from the field in 12 minutes of playing time.

Points to Ponder

• The Spurs came out flat in this game, not the right way to close out an opponent. They have to be prepared mentally and physically for the Mavs in Game 6
• Coach Gregg Popovich opted to give the starters a little more rest instead of trying to come back for the win and end the series.
• The Mavs responded by pure aggression and playing better basketball overall.
• The Spurs will have homecourt as they try to finish the series in six games at home. However, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have not played very well the last 2 games. If the Spurs want to end this series in six, they will need Timmy and Manu to be themselves.
• The Mavericks might be feeling good about themselves after a blowout victory despite trailing the Spurs in this series 3-2.

Jeff and I were invited, once again, to participate in the WOAI Sports Roundtable. Due to some work scheduling conflicts, I couldn't go, but luckily Jeff was there and represented all of Project Spurs well.

Jeff and the panel discussed the Spurs-Mavs series and went into detail and if they really should be considered a seventh seed in a very competitive Western conference.

Click here to watch the video on WOAI.com.

Rarely can a player change the momentum of a game in 12 minutes of play, but in Sunday night's victory over the Dallas Mavericks, that's exactly what DeJuan Blair did. Blair finished the game with seven points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot.

Blair checked into the game with 1:52 left in the first to give Tim Duncan a breather. Right away, Blair missed an early lay-up against Brendan Haywood, but that would be Blair's only missed field goal of the night. With time running out in the first, Tony Parker made a strong move to lane but was blocked by Haywood. Blair recovered the loose ball and was able to find George Hill in the corner for a three as time expired. Blair's assist gave the Spurs a three point lead heading into the second quarter.

In every game this series, the team winning the first quarter has gone on to win the game. Recovering loose balls, or as Rick Carlisle called them in his post game interview 50/50 balls, would be a reoccurring theme for Blair the rest of the game.

Blair started the second quarter in place of Duncan. Three minutes into the second quarter, Blair made a tough, physical move on Haywood, using his body to push off him and creating enough space to finish with an easy lay-up over the bigger Mavericks center. Blair made the best of his minutes and gave Duncan needed time to rest.

Unlike the previous three games, Blair showed up big for the Spurs in the second half. He came in for Duncan with 3:13 left in the third and picked up were he left off in the first half. He recovered another 50/50 ball then scored another lay-up.

On the next Dallas possession, after a Ginobili loose ball foul, Blair picked off Caron Butler's inbound pass and knocked it to Richard Jefferson. Jefferson passed it to Ginobili who missed a contested lay-up, but Blair was there and grabbed another one of his five offensive rebounds, and got fouled going strong to the rim. Blair and Mavercks star Dirk Nowitzki got into it after Manu hit free throws for a technical on Nowtizki, but Blair made the right decision and calmly walked away, not risking the chance of getting a technical and giving the Mavs easy points.

When the fourth quarter started DeJuan Blair was still on the court, and Duncan was on the bench, resting his now 34-year-old knees. He grabbed his fourth offensive board off a missed Jefferson three, then passed it to Ginobili who was clotheslined by Edurado Najera. Najera was called for the flagrant two foul and ejected from the game. Ginobili made both free throws and the Spurs retained possession of the ball. Blair then grabbed his fifth rebound of the night and scored his sixth and seventh point on the tip in of a Ginobili miss. On the very next Mavericks possession, Blair blocked a J.J. Barea jump shot. But with tensions running high between these bitter two rivals, after a missed Tony Parker shot, Blair hit Jason Kidd across the face and was called for a flagrant one foul. Duncan came in for Blair at the 10:07 mark in the fourth.

Playoff basketball is extremely emotional, and Blair being the young player that he is might have got a little two emotional. But that's exactly what we want from Blair. A player who leaves it all out on the court and gives everything he has to the team.

Sunday night, that's what Blair did. He sacrificed his body and left it all out on the court in the little amount of time he had. I think we might see Blair play a couple more minutes per game. And I can't wait.

The Spurs 'big three' struggled in this one combining for just 31 points on 9-34 shooting from the field. However, as bad as that sounded, the Spurs found a way to win. With George Hill leading the way, the Spurs were able to take a 3-1 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks in their 1st round playoff matchup.

That being said, let's take a look at some of the numbers that stood out in this game.

64.3 - The Spurs continues to struggle from the foul line and just made 18-28 (64.3%). They have to make their free throws count moving forward.

41 - George Hill became the first player other than Duncan, Ginobili or Parker to lead the Spurs in scoring in a playoff game since 2007. A span of 41 games, Hill scored 29 points on 11-16 shooting from the field and 5-6 from behind the arc.

28 - The Mavericks scored 31 points in the second quarter, 30 in the fourth; but they only managed to score 28 points in the first and third quarters combined.

23.5 - With the San Antonio Spurs' defense suffocating them, the Dallas Mavericks just shot a measly 23.5% from the field during the third period.

11 - Tim Duncan scored just 4 points on 1-9 field goal shooting on his 34th birthday but he did managed to grab 11 boards. A game high tied with Dirk Nowitzki.

The Mavericks led by 11 points at the half, but the Spurs turned an 11 point deficit into a 7 point lead entering the final period after holding the Mavs to just 11 points for the entire 3rd quarter.

George Hill matched the Mavericks' point total in the third quarter, scoring 11 points in the third period.

8 - The Spurs had more steals than the Mavericks, 8-5. Four by Manu Ginobili and two by George Hill. The Mavs committed 8 turnovers in the third quarter alone.

1 - Leading 3-1, the Spurs just needed to win one more game to advance into the next round.

0 - George Hill didn't commit a single turnover for the game despite playing a game-high 45 minutes.

Looking Ahead

The Spurs did their part protecting homecourt and now hold a 3-1 series lead over the Mavs. Game 5 is on Tuesday in Dallas. The Spurs should put more pressure on the Mavs and come out playing hard and try to finish this series as early as possible. Manu Ginobili will need the 'extra' time to heal and Duncan will welcome some needed rest before another series starts.

A year ago, the Spurs front office looked like geniuses when they acquired the services of then free-agent Roger Mason Jr. With injuries to key players (Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) at the time, he emerged as one of the best offseason pickups in 2008.

In his first year as a Spur, he went on to provide good production at the two guard spot as he averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 82 regular season games at 30.4 minutes of playing time. He also shot the ball well, connecting 42.5 percent from the field, 42.1 percent behind the arc and 89 percent from the foul line.

He even got the moniker "Big Shot Rog" because of his penchant for hitting game winners during the regular season. Most notably against the LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns and the LA Lakers.

However, once the post season started against the Mavericks, his numbers went down to 6.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.6 rebounds in five games as the Spurs were bounced out in the first round of the playoffs in 2009.

At the start of this season, with the Spurs key players back healthy, and with the offseason acquisitions of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess, things looked good for the Spurs. It could also mean a better year for Mason, because according to Coach Popovich most Spur plays better during their second year.

Not for Mason, the lack of minutes has limited his production and has affected his confidence. In 79 games this season, his averages are 6.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.2 minutes action. His shooting percentages also went down, 38.9% from the field, 33.3% from the 3-point area and 79.4% from the free throw line.

He also demanded to be traded at the trade deadline because he felt that the lack of playing time has affected his performance. The Spurs tried to grant his wish but to no avail. He will remain a Spur at least for the remainder of the season.

As the Spurs meet the Mavericks once again in a first round playoff series, Roger Mason Jr. has fallen out of the rotation. So far, he is scoreless in four playoffs games against the Mavs and he hasn't been given much time to prove his worth. He is only averaging 5.3 minutes per game including a 1-minute outing in game three and did not play in game four.

But the fact remains, Manu is playing well right now, George Hill has been solid and is recovering nicely from an injury and Tony Parker has embraced his off the bench role and the Spurs are playing good basketball with Mason virtually not a part of it.

The only way for Mason to earn more minutes is to make his shots when given the chance and maybe make a hustle play or two when he is on the floor. He has to make the Spurs realize that he really wants to help the team win.

The problem for Mason? Back in March he asked for more minutes and didn't take advantage of it when given the chance. Now in April, as the Spurs are trying to get past an old foe to further advance into the playoffs he might not get another chance.

What are your thought? Does Mason deserve more minutes in the playoffs? Where should his minutes come from? Or is he better off warming on the Spurs' bench? Tell us what you think.

On Tim Duncan’s 34^th birthday, the Spurs needed a strong start to game 4 to inch closer to pushing Dallas to the brink of elimination, they did not get that start. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili shot a combined 2-15 from the field in the first half and only produced 4 points, all from Ginobili, who decided not to wear a protective mask to protect his broken nose.

The game looked like it was going to be another offensive struggle for Dallas when they missed their first four shots, but they got back on track getting Caron Butler the ball often, just as Coach Rick Carlisle said that he would do. The two teams went back and forth for most of the quarter with each team getting their own small runs, Dallas with a 6-0 run and San Antonio with a 7-0. Butler chipped in 6 points in the first quarter, matching his point total for all of game 3, while George Hill made two 3 point shots from the same spot after the Spurs did not make any at all in game 3. San Antonio held a 3 point lead at the end of the first quarter, 20-17.

After a slow start from both teams early in the 2^nd, Dallas went on a 7-0 run to regain the lead 27-24. After a Antonio McDyess 20 foot jumper Dallas went on another 8-0 run to push the lead to 35-26 and forcing Coach Greg Popovich to call a time out to stop the run and talk it over. Coming out of the time out, Ginobili made a 4 foot runner to stop the bleeding, only to see Dallas go on another 8-0 run and then push the lead to 15 points, 43-28. The Spurs were getting out rebounded, outscored and simply outplayed. Had it not been for the great play of George Hill, he scored 13 points, the Spurs could have easily been down by 20 plus points. Dallas outscored the Spurs 31-17 in the 2^nd quarter and held the lead at the break, 48-37.

We will never truly know what Popovich said to the Spurs during the halftime break, but whatever he said lit a fire in the Spurs players, especially DeJuan Blair and Hill. Blair’s numbers were not great but all of the hustle plays that he made in the 3^rd quarter definitely made a big impact on how the Spurs got back into this game. Tim Duncan scored his first two points of the game on two made free throws early in the 3^rd quarter, after shooting 0-7 from the field and 0-2 from the free throw line in the first half. The Spurs were running on all cylinders in this quarter and definitely in tune as far as their defense goes. San Antonio outscored Dallas 29-11 in this quarter which included a run of 15-0 and 26-6 overall. Things started getting heated in this quarter as Dirk Nowitzki picked up a technical foul for pushing Blair in the back after they got tangled after a free throw shot. A few moments later, Richard Jefferson was accessed a flagrant one foul on Nowitzki and the two teams exchanged some words before referees broke everyone up and got the situation under control. After all of the madness the Spurs held the lead at the end of 3 quarters, 66-59.

In the first minute of the 4^th quarter Eduardo Najera was charged with a flagrant two foul on Ginobili and ejected from the game. A couple minutes later Blair was charged with a flagrant one foul on Jason Kidd and it seemed like the game was being called under a magnifying glass at this point. The referees did not want another melee to happen like the one that happened in Indiana in 2004 and with good reason. These two teams have too much on the line to risk any of their key players to get suspended. After the teams got back to playing the Spurs went on a 12-2 run to push their lead to 13, 84-71. Dallas would not go away without a fight, the Mavericks answered with a 13-2 run of their own to get right back in the game and put the score at 84-86 in favor of the Spurs. After a much needed 3 point basket from Ginobili put the Spurs lead at 5, Jason Terry answered right back with a 3 pointer of his own to put the score at 87-89, Spurs with :57 seconds to go in the game. Ginobili got fouled while making a attempt to drive in the lane and knocked down two crucial free throws to put the Spurs back up by 4 points with :42 seconds to go. Nowitzki missed a 14 foot jumper with :28 seconds to go but Ginobili and Kidd both grabbed the ball and a jump ball was called. After Manu miss jumped on the jump ball, he knocked it out of bounds to give Dallas the ball back, down 4 with 22.7 seconds to go. After a Dallas time out, Jason Kidd missed a 3 and Jefferson grabbed the rebound and got fouled. Jefferson made the two free throws to put the game at a 2 possession game and Dallas came down the court and missed another 3 point shot and the game was over. The Spurs got a very crucial victory in this game, 92-89, and extended their series lead 3 games to 1.

Game Notes

• Tim Duncan only scored 4 points, a career playoff low, on 1-9 shooting and 2-4 from the free throw line but still managed to grab 11 rebounds.
• George Hill had a career playoff best 29 points and carried the team when the “Big 3” struggled during most parts of the game.
• 3 flagrant fouls(DeJuan Blair, Richard Jefferson, Eduardo Najera) were called and one player(Eduardo Najera) got ejected from the game.
• After being down 3 games to 1, only 8 out of 190(4.2%) teams have come back to win the series, the last team to do it was Phoenix against the Lakers in 2006.

DeJuan Blair only played a total four minutes and 19 seconds in the Spurs Friday night victory over the Mavericks, but in that short amount of time, Blair displayed exactly why he was the steal of the 2009 draft. He might have finished the game with only two points and five rebounds, but that stat line doesn't really tell the story of how Blair effected this game.

Of the the five rebounds Blair collected, three were offensive. The Spurs were able to convert his offensive rebounds into second chance points, scoring on two of the three offensive rebounds. Blair was extremely active in the paint, diving for loose balls, and bringing down rebounds with a great deal of intensity. Blair did however miss two easy lay-ups.

Blair has played on big stages before. He helped the Pittsburgh Panthers win the Big-Eat conference tournament in 2008. And in 2009, he had a double-double in the Panthers loss to Villanova in the Elite Eight, which was voted one of the best March Madness games of the decade. (http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/12813697/march-madness-games-of-the-decade-villanovapitt-at-no-8) Playing in such huge moments has helped Blair become the confident player we see on the court.

For the second time this series, Tim Duncan played over forty minutes. And don't expect him to start playing any less. Eventually Duncan could slow down at the end of the series, giving Blair an opportunity to play more. But no matter how tired Timmy might become, when the game is on the line, he will be in the game. So let's continue to see how many minutes Pop continues to play Duncan. With this match-up being tremendously physical, Blair might have the chance to play more in the next couple games.

Tim Duncan continues to be a steady presence for the Spurs as led the team in scoring for the 3rd straight time in this series with 25 points, Manu Ginobili played with a bandage across his nose and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and Tony Parker made clutch baskets down the stretch on his way to a 23 point outing in an off-the-bench role.

And just like that and the San Antonio Spurs now hold a 2-1 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks in their 1st round playoff matchup. But how did the Spurs gutted this one out? Here are some numbers to crunch on.

Field Goal Shooting

San Antonio Spurs: 48.7% (37-76) vs. Dallas Mavericks: 44.7% (34-76)

For the third straight game, the Spurs shot better from the field against the Mavericks a trend that should continue if Dallas can't find an antidote on how to stop Tim Duncan from dominating inside the paint.

Free throw Attempts

San Antonio Spurs: 26 vs. Dallas Mavericks: 15

The Mavs capitalized on their foul shots making 14-15 (93.3%). The Spurs on the other hand made just 20-26 shots (76.9%) but it was a marked improvement from Game 2 where they only made 63.6% of their free throws.

3-Point Field Goal Percentage

San Antonio Spurs: 0.0% (0-7) vs. Dallas Mavericks: 40.0% (8-20)

The Spurs became just the fourth team since 2000 to win a playoff game without making a 3 pointer. The Mavs perimeter shooting kept them in this game, Jason Terry made 4-8 from behind the arc.

Rebounding

San Antonio Spurs: 36 vs. Dallas Mavericks: 36

The Spurs and the Mavs looked to have a draw on the rebounding department, but the Spurs had the edge in offensive rebounding 12-8. DeJuan grabbed 5 rebounds, 3 of them coming from the offensive end in just 4 minutes of action.

What's next?

The Spurs did the a good job in taking the series lead, but their work is not done yet. They still need two wins to advance into the next round. The main thing for the Spurs right now is focus, they should realize that the Mavs will not give up that easily. Game 4 is on Sunday in San Antonio, where they have a great chance of taking a commanding 3-1 series lead.