For the sixth time since 2001, the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks will square off in the playoffs, starting Sunday afternoon at the AT&T Center. [url=https://www.cheapnbajerseysjustwholesale.com/jack-mccloskey-jersey- signed/]Jack McCloskey Jersey Signed[/url] . Watch the game live on TSN

For the sixth time since 2001, the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks will square off in the playoffs, starting Sunday afternoon at the AT&T Center. Jack McCloskey Jersey Signed . Watch the game live on TSN2 starting at 1pm et/10am pt. For the 17th consecutive season, the Spurs will be in the postseason. For the seventh time since 1997, the Spurs finished with the best record in the Western Conference. The Big Three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili returned intact and key contributors did exactly what Spurs role players do - they played sensationally. Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Patty Mills, Boris Diaw and, especially newcomer Marco Belinelli, played brilliantly for stretches this season. Popovich is a master of resting his players as the season progresses and San Antonio heads to the postseason in good health. "We had an unbelievable regular season, we put ourselves in a great situation to be No. 1 overall," said Ginobili. "Were going for it, like every year." If there was ever a season the Spurs couldve folded, this wouldve been the one. Their longevity is stunning, but this season couldve very easily been a championship defense until Ray Allen stuck a dagger in the Spurs hearts. Miamis Allen made a crazy 3-pointer to tie Game 6 of the NBA Finals, a game the Heat went on to win. Miami took Game 7 to win back-to-back titles, but the inevitability of a San Antonio win in Game 6 was so clear, tape was being put up around the floor in Miami to prepare for San Antonios celebration. "What does impress me about the group is that theyve gotten themselves in this position after a devastating loss in the Finals last year," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said earlier in the week. "I thought they were pretty amazing after Game 6 to play as hard as they did in Game 7, when I think a lot of teams would have just given in. Beyond that, they came back, put it aside and have done what theyve done. I think thats pretty impressive. I dont think a lot of people have picked up on that but I have and Im really impressed with them." The Mavericks are back in the playoffs after a one-year absence, meaning Dallas has been in the postseason 13 of the last 14 years. They earned the eighth seed after a gritty overtime loss on Wednesday to the Grizzlies in Memphis. "Yeah, well be OK," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said immediately after the loss in Memphis. "I feel good about our team. I really do. And (Wednesday night) is a great indication of the fight we have in us. Were going to take that fight to San Antonio." The Spurs have won nine straight against their Texas rivals, including a four- game sweep this season, but that doesnt mean Dallas doesnt know what it takes to beat San Antonio. "What youve got to do against San Antonio is youve got to be a little smarter than we were in the last couple of outings," said Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. "We feel like one little, two little mistakes and boom, its a three. A brutal missed boxout, pass out and three. Against that team youve got to be smart, youve got to execute perfectly and weve got to shoot the ball well." Nowitzki made yet another All-Star team with averages of 21.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg. He shot 90 percent from the foul line, almost 50 percent from the field and just about 40 percent from long range. Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon joined the Mavs in the offseason and formed a very strong backcourt. They combined to average 30.4 ppg and 10.4 apg. After the All-Texas match-up, the Miami Heat begin their title defense in earnest on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the Charlotte Bobcats to American Airlines Arena. Watch the game live on TSN2 starting at 3:30pm et/12:30pm pt. Miami has won the last two NBA titles and lost in the Finals three years ago to the Dallas Mavericks. The Heat have made the playoffs 10 times in the last 11 years and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Miami has won four straight Southeast titles and is trying to become the first three-time champion since the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999-00 to 2001-02. "I dont need extra motivation. Im motivated enough," said LeBron James. "This is the best part of the season, its the best time of the year. Im happy to be here once again." The Heat had a real chance at the No. 1 seed, but head coach Erik Spoelstra elected to sit James and Chris Bosh the last two games. Dwyane Wade missed significant time toward the end, but he played late to get some timing back. "Weve got to carry the load," said James, who said all Heat players participated in practice for the first time since training camp. "Its great. I guess guys are ready for the playoffs." The decision to concede the No. 1 seed could hurt later in the postseason, if the Heat advance. Last season, Miami won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers and Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in South Beach. The Heat come into the postseason in a bit of a rut. They lost the last three games of the regular season, although, they did rest some key pieces. However, Miami did drop six of its last eight and James and Bosh were in the lineup for most of those setbacks. Charlotte is in the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history and was swept in four games by the Orlando Magic back in 2009-10. The Bobcats surprised the NBA world with just the second record of .500 or better in team lore at 43-39, one season after going 21-61 and compiling only 28 wins in the previous two years. What was the difference this season? That would be the offseason addition of Al Jefferson. Jefferson, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Month for April, averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds for the Bobcats, who were 20-9 after the All-Star break and ended with 14 wins in the last 19 games of the regular season. Jefferson was the only player in the Eastern Conference and one of only five players in the NBA averaging at least 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds on the season. New head coach Steve Clifford infused the team with a defensive mindset. The Bobcats finished fourth in opponents scoring and sixth in opponents field- goal percentage. Charlotte did have some trouble scoring this season. The Bobcats finished 23rd in points, while Miami was 12th. The Heat ranked fifth in opponents scoring. The Bobcats won their last three regular-season games and eight of their last nine. The Heat swept all four games against the Bobcats in the regular season and are undefeated in the past 16 games between the teams. Charlotte has lost nine straight and 12 of its last 13 trips to South Beach. NBA Jerseys 2020 . THE THUNDER & PACERS BENCHES: In a nutshell, not impressive at all. Roy Hinson Jersey Signed . Head of clinic Josef Obrist tells the Austria Press Agency on Thursday that Morgenstern "is doing surprisingly well. ... He still has a memory gap but thats nothing unusual." Morgenstern has moved to a rehabilitation clinic in Klagenfurt for further recovery. https://www.cheapnbajerseysjustwholesale.com/forest-able-jersey-signed/ . This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nicklas Backstrom situation, John Tortorellas many apologies, and Canadas strong showing in curling.The Columbus Blue Jackets will take another shot at the earning the first playoff win in team history on Saturday when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The Blue Jackets are in the postseason for just the second time in 13 seasons since entering the league as an expansion club in 2000-01. Columbus also qualified for the 2009 playoffs, but was swept by Detroit in four games during the opening round. Columbus actually held a 3-1 lead over Pittsburgh in Game 1 of this best-of- seven series on Wednesday, but the Penguins scored the games final three goals to claim a 4-3 decision and drop the Blue Jackets to 0-5 all-time in postseason contests. Brandon Sutter scored the game-winner for Pittsburgh 8:18 into the third period after his team struggled in the early going. The Blue Jackets built a 3-1 advantage under a minute into the second period, but Pittsburgh, which finished tied for the NHLs top power-play unit in the regular season, netted a pair of power-play goals 45 seconds apart to tie the game less than 2 1/2 minutes into the middle stanza. The Penguins finished 2-for-3 on the power play, while Columbus converted just one of four opportunities with the man advantage. Sutter supplied the winner with a wrister from the right circle, while Marc- Andre Fleury made nine of his 31 saves over the final 20 minutes to help the Pens draw first blood in the series. "The more shots came, the more comfortable I felt," said Fleury, who was making his first postseason start since being pulled in the opening round of Pittsburghs run to the Eastern Conference Finals last spring. "It just feels great to win that one." Beau Bennett and Matt Niskanen each notched a goal and an assist, while Jussi Jokinen also lit the lamp for the Metropolitan Division champion Penguins, who went 5-0-0 against Columbus during the regular season. Cedric Ball Jersey Signed. Evgeni Malkin, who sat out Pittsburghs final 11 games with a sprained foot, added a pair of assists, while captain Sidney Crosby picked up a helper in the triumph. Jack Johnson collected a goal and an assist for Columbus, while Derek MacKenzie and Mark Letestu tallied a goal apiece. Sergei Bobrovsky, last seasons Vezina Trophy winner, stopped 28 shots in the setback. "Theres going to be ups and downs throughout a playoff series and theyve only won one game, theyve gotta win four," Johnson said of his team coming back for Game 2 after blowing a two-goal lead. "Its a war of attrition and you cant get down about this." Columbus played Game 1 without forwards Nick Foligno, Nathan Horton and R.J. Umberger, but at least one of those guys will be in the lineup on Saturday as Umberger expects to play for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on April 6. Foligno will miss Game 2. The team is hopeful that he will be ready for Game 3. A native of the Pittsburgh area, Umberger is eager to skate in another postseason tilt in the Steel City. The 31-year-old did face the Penguins in the 2008 playoffs at the Igloo while still a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. "I grew up going to these playoff games, this was my childhood and earlier in my career I got a chance to play in Mellon Arena," Umberger said. "The atmosphere was great (in Game 1) and Im anxious and really excited to get in there." Foligno originally had been ruled out for Game 2, but he was able to practice on Thursday and is now considered questionable for Saturdays tilt. Horton, meanwhile, will be sidelined until at least the middle of May following abdominal surgery. The series will shift to Columbus following tonights battle. Game 3 is scheduled for Monday at Nationwide Arena and the Blue Jackets also will host Game 4 on Wednesday. ' ' '