Through the Looking Glass

It seems fitting that our post-season begins where it ended last year: with the Dallas Mavericks. It's a nice reversal from a year ago, as we've seemingly switched spots, with the Mavs winning the division and being the higher seed, and the Spurs as the lower seed peaking at the right time. Despite the seeds, when these two teams meet, all conventional wisdom goes flying out the door. Season record doesn't matter, homecourt advantage doesn't matter, head-to-head doesn't matter, match-ups don't matter...every game is going to be a battle, it's own unique campaign within the larger war.

That's all the pre-series analysis you get. For one, my computer died on me and I'm doing this all on my phone. But more importantly, it's the Mavs. We seemingly play them every year in the playoffs, and there isn't a team that we know better (or that knows us better). And yet this year is completely different. Both rosters have lots of new faces. Both teams have numbers showing their superiority and their inferiority.

Basically, it's a toss up, and anyone who claims to know better is lying, delusional, or a genius. The truth is, I don't know who will win, and I don't know who has the advantage, if there is any. Nothing will surprise me in this series, except Jason Terry being likeable. It's no longer about analysis or prognostication--it's about playing better than the other team and exerting your will.

The West is wide open this year. Do the Spurs have another run left in them? We've been waiting almost a year to find out. Sunday, the answer begins.

Go Spurs Go.