This season, the N.B.A., including the San Antonio Spurs, will have throwback nights to celebrate the American Basketball Association’s (ABA) 45th anniversary during the NBA Hardwood Classics series.

Today, the Spurs unveiled their throwback jerseys which will honor their origins -- the Dallas Chaparrals.

The Chaparrals played six seasons in Dallas from 1967 to 1973. During the summer of 1973 a group of San Antonio businessmen led by Red McCombs, Angelo Drossos, John Schaefer and Art Burdick negotiated a three-year deal to leasethe Chaparrals and move the team to San Antonio. The ownership group consisting of 35 stockholders changed the name of the team to the Spurs. Later that year, as support grew for the team, the stockholders arranged to purchase the team from the Dallas group and make San Antonio a permanent home. The Spurs played three seasons in the ABA before joining the NBA in 1976, along with the Nuggets, Pacers and Nets.

The Spurs will wear the these uniforms this Feb. 11 at New Jersey (a former ABA team), Feb. 18 at L.A. Clippers and March 31 against another former ABA team, the Indiana Pacers.

Though I would have liked to see San Antonio use the old black and white, George Gervin-esque jerseys, what do you think of the throwback jerseys Spurs fans?

Forbes’ list of top-earning NBA players came out this week. There weren’t too many surprises. With his max contract and long list of endorsement deals, Kobe Bryant was at the top of the list. LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade followed right after.

But did you know that the San Antonio Spurs very own Tim Duncan is the 9th biggest earner in the NBA? I wouldn’t have guessed that. Duncan makes a whopping $23.3 million a year.

The 3-time NBA Finals MVP is considered one of the greatest basketball players ever. The 35-year-old’s best days are behind him, but he was still chosen as an All-Star in 2011 for the 13th straight year. Duncan is in the final year of a 2-year, $40 million contract extension he signed with the Spurs in 2007. He makes about $2 million from endorsements.

I guess those H-E-B commercials must pay pretty well too if he’s making $2 million in endorsements every year. Also, he must have earned a good sized check from the upcoming Super Bowl commercials for Bridgestone Tires.

Timmy D is getting up there in age but when he signed that contract extension he was still a huge part of the Spurs team. Though TD has been playing quite well for San Antonio, I feel it’s about time for him to ride off into the sunset so I’m pretty sure this is the last time he’ll be on this list.

Duncan never struck me as the kind of guy that played the game for money, but I’m sure he’s going to have a very relaxing retirement.

Former San Antonio Spurs guard Andrew Gaze (member of the 1999 team) is now announcing games back in his home country of Australia for the NBL and during a recent match between the Perth Wildcats and Sydney Kings, Gaze couldn't get through running down some stats.

Why you may ask? Simple, the absolutely, striking Australian cheerleaders dancing and gyrating right in front of him (h/t lostlettermen.com).

You know, after watching the video and seeing those cheerleaders, I can't say I blame him one bit. I mean what man can keep a straight face with nothing but cheerleaders in mini-skirts dancing up a storm.

However, you got to love his partner call him out on his "professionalism." I might have just gotten up, walk on over, start to dance with them, and buy them a drink.

Turns out people do like watching the San Antonio Spurs afterall. Or they really like watching the Miami Heat.

Either way, according to TV By The Numbers the Heat-Spurs match up from last week registered as NBA TV's most watched Fan Night yet.

"NBA TV’s Tuesday Fan Night matchup (Jan. 17), featuring the San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat, delivered 496,000 households, 675,000 total viewers and 138,000 men 18-34. The matchup was the most-watched Fan Night game of the 2011-12 regular season-to-date in delivery of households and total viewers."

You might remember that game as the day the Spurs surrendered a 17 point lead in the third quarter and ended up losing by 22 points. Good times!

So basically a ton of basketball fans got to see the very worst and very best of each team. On the whole NBA TV's ratings have risen 68 percent this season compared to last at the same time. Man, that lockout really kept fans away.

"We played better than they played tonight, but it's just one night in the NBA," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said just minutes after his reeling San Antonio Spurs team dominated the Hawks in a 105-83 win.

While it may be one night in the NBA and everything can change next game, it wasn't as simple as saying one team was better.

Richard Jefferson gave the Spurs a much needed boost to start the game with two-three pointers. In the second quarter, Matt Bonner got started on what would be a big night with a pair of threes and a deep jumper that was announced as a three but only counted for two points.

"I had the first couple go down.It always makes things easier,"Bonner said. "My teammates did a good job of finding me when I was open, moved the ball and got good shots."

While the Spurs lead early and managed to distance themselves from the Hawks with a 14-point lead early in the second quarter, the Hawks bounced back with a 12-2 run that left them just four points down entering halftime.

After Jeff Teague knocked down a floater to open the third quarter and narrow the margin to two points, the Spurs turned up their defensive intensity after a tongue lashing from Popovich at halftime. no comments

Earlier today our own Jeff Garcia pulled a few statistics out in a mini warm-up piece for tonight’s San Antonio Spurs-Atlanta Hawks matchup.

One interesting statistic Garcia highlighted was that the Atlanta Hawks are 9-1 when Joe Johnson scores more than 20 points in a game.

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is aware of Johnson’s scoring ability, "You do your best,” said Popovich, “but he's going to score."

After only playing 7:11 minutes in the Spurs’ win over the New Orleans Hornets on Monday, I asked Popovich if rookie Kawhi Leonard would see more time tonight defending Johnson. Popovich responded, “He'll start out on him."

In the locker room, I asked Leonard about the task of defending another elite scorer in the NBA like Johnson, Leonard responded, "I've just got to go out there and play my toughest defense."

Popovich, however, would call it another day of learning for the rookie, "Every game will be an education for him.”

I also spoke with Spurs guard James Anderson who finally played in important situations on Monday as he scored four points and posted a +13 in player efficiency in 10 minutes.

Anderson was glad to finally see some minutes, "It felt good being out there on the floor,” said Anderson, “just being able to contribute to the team."

"I thought those were some productive minutes for me," continued Anderson.

Thus far, Anderson has only made 6-of-28 three pointers (21%), though he told me his shooting will eventually come. "I felt good,” said Anderson, “missed shots here and there. I feel I can shoot the ball better than I am. I'm not too worried about it."

The Spurs will need Anderson and his teammates to make their shots tonight as the Hawks have yet to allow an opponent to shoot over 50% this season.

San Antonio Spurs Spanish play-by-play announcer Paul Castro usually goes through the same routine on game nights. He starts with an early dinner followed by some prep work and research with engineer Bruno Gonzalez before his game broadcast goes live on San Antonio's KCOR 1350 AM.

Tonight it all changes as Castro will now go from behind the mic to in front of the camera, as the Spurs start their first of 12 Spurs games that will now be broadcast on Time Warner Cable in San Antonio.

Castro's signature "uno dos tres" or his translation of goodbye in several languages for a player ejection on his radio broadcast will now be heard on television. For Castro, it's definitely a transition, especially after 17-plus years of calling Spurs games, which came after three years with the Portland Trail Blazers.

"I've spent almost 21 years in radio and along the way I did some TV," Castro said.

Castro studied television while at Oregon State University, and during his time with the Spurs, he's observed a good chunk of television broadcasts to pick up a few tips here and there.

"I watch TV to understand how to do it," Castro said. "I always watched Joel Myers and several of the other broadcasters."

A little over 21 years ago Castro was starting fresh, and sent in a cassette tape of him discussing a game that was on TV, which eventually landed him his job with the Blazers.

Tonight he starts fresh again, but in doing so, he breaks a streak going back to the mid-90s. no comments

Tonight the San Antonio Spurs will face the Atlanta Hawks in San Antonio in their only meeting of this shortened season but history is not on Atlanta's side.

The Hawks, however, have not beaten the Spurs in San Antonio since February, 1997 and lost the season series last year to San Antonio (0-2). So suffice it to say, the Hawks have an a tall task ahead of them but is a welcomed note for the Spurs.

But as tonight's contest inches closer to tip-off, here are five things to keep an eye on during tonight's matchup.

• The Hawks bring the "D." Atlanta has yet to allow an opponent to hit 50%-or-better from the floor in a game this season.
• Watch out for Joe Johnson. Since Al Horford has been out due to injury, Johnson is averaging 22.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.
• No seriously, really keep an eye on Johnson tonight! Atlanta is 9-1 when Johnson scores 20-or-more points, and 6-0 when he has five assists or more.
• Might want to keep an eye on Josh Smith tonight as well. Atlanta is 5-0 when Josh Smith scores 20-or-more points.
• Better bring the "D" Spurs! The Hawks are 9-0 when shooting 45%-or-better from the field.

The San Antonio Spurs (11-7) will host the Atlanta Hawks (13-5) at the AT&T Center tonight as the Spurs will be looking to start a new home winning streak after dropping a game to the lowly Sacramento Kings.

This will be the Hawks and Spurs only meeting this season but history is not on Atlanta's side. The Hawks have not beaten the Spurs in San Antonio since February, 1997 and lost the season series last year to San Antonio (0-2).

To talk about tonight's matchup, I turned to Deborah Horton of Bloguin's own Hawks Highlights. In this Q&A, Deborah speaks about the possible return of Kirk Hinrich to the Hawks, what Atlanta has to do to get a win in San Antonio and much more.

Jeff: Atlanta is having a successful yet quiet season. Do you take the Hawks' winning ways with a grain of salt or is there more to this team than teams in the past?

Deborah: Atlanta is the same team it has been with the exception of a few veterans added before the start of season.  Overall though, they are the same team.  They have gotten a good break in the schedule where they play several inferior teams over the span of a week and the fact that the Heat has been struggling quite a bit.  It has allowed them to get into first place.  With the short season they might have a shot at staying at the top or near the top with their schedule, but the team has changed little from last season.

Should Kirk Hinrich make his way back to the court tonight, what will he bring to Atlanta? no comments

The 2012 Olympic games are inching closer and San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker and the French national team will be fighting for their shot at Olympic gold.

France earned an Olympic birth by taking home the silver medal at EuroBasket 2011 this past summer and their journey to London has been chronicled in the documentary "Euro Stars."

In this documentary (h/t Bloguin's own Beyond The Beat), Spurs fans can hear what TP, and Portland Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum, had to say about France making it to the Olympics after a long 11-year drought. Parker also reveals he was moved to tears, and more as you will see in this sneak preview.