I wouldn't dare say that the Spurs aren't still the Mavs' most hated rival these days, especially after the OT classic Sunday night. While division-foes Houston and New Orleans have shown flashes of formidibility over the last decade and Memphis has improved recently, none have had the staying power and the bright future of the non-division opponent that's just 200 miles away. (Should go without being said that you can't have a rival outside your conference, or the Lakers, who you just swept and is everyone's rival.)
Yes, the Spurs smoked the Mavs earlier this year and gave them a tough fight in round two. Yes, they won three of four last year on their way to the #1 seed. Yes, they knocked the Mavs out of the first round the year before. No, you can't ignore their epic history before then. However, Duncan turns 36 in April. Ginobili can't stay healthy. Parker has been rumored to be traded for a while now. Pop is a great coach, and they get significant contributions from role players, but can greatness last without their big three intact? The five Spurs that were playing the fourth quarter and overtime Sunday against the Mavericks were Matt Bonner, Daniel Green, Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, and James Anderson. That do anything for you?
On the Mavs side, Jet and Kidd probably won't be back next year. Soon enough we will have a roster of guys who, other than Dirk, won't have been here more than three years and may not care about the Spurs, but will remember battling OKC in a gutsy Conference Finals, getting punked by Durant at the buzzer and stuffed by Ibaka this year, and growing tired of looking up at the standings to a talented Thunder team for years to come. Soon enough, fans just may turn their vitriol towards an all-new, yet all-too-familiar annoying one-horse-town crowd.
All we can say now is, watch out for Monday, March 5th, when the Mavs go up I-35 for the last regular season matchup against the Thunder, because it may not be the last time they face each other this season, and may very well continue to get the gears in motion for a major rivalry shakeup.
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