These two teams simply just don't like each other; Bruce Bowen seems to irritate Kobe Bryant unlike any other player in the league, but with Bowen's increasing age and decreasing ability, the Spurs have started to defend Kobe with Manu Ginobili or Ime Udoka.
This series would be a defensive, physical battle with the winner coming out bruised and bloodied.
San Antonio Spurs-Dallas Mavericks
This Texas clash has gone on for the past three or four years between two similar teams fighting not only to advance but also for Texas bragging rights. Another Spurs series that will be centered around defense and physicality just like almost all of these two teams' games have been for the past few years. Both Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki seem to rise to the occasion when these two square off against each other; Dirk is averaging 18 points and 8 rebounds against the Spurs this season, and Duncan is averaging 25 points and 11 rebounds against the Mavericks this season.
After the historic series in 2006 when the Mavs won a game seven IN San Antonio, this match-up is a must watch whenever it's scheduled.
Dallas Mavericks-Golden State Warriors
You already thought of this one when you saw the headline.
Probably the first matchup everyone thought of because it was the most historic matchup in playoff history. The eighth seeded Warriors defeat the top seeded Mavericks in the first round of last year's playoffs. It was the second time an eight seed defeated a top seed, but the first time it happened in a seven game series. The most interesting subplot of this series is Don Nelson-Dirk Nowitzki.
Nelson drafted Nowitzki and groomed him into the player he is today, Nelson knows all of Nowitzki's strengths and weaknesses and used those weaknesses against him in last year's series.
Although this season Dallas has enacted some sort of revenge by defeating the Warriors three times this season; no revenge will be sweeter than doing that in the playoffs.
Utah Jazz-New Orleans Hornets
Both of these teams don't really have the recent history to warrant any dream matchups against the other Western teams, but these two teams will battle in the playoffs for many years to come because of their point guards.
Chris Paul-Deron Williams will be a marquee matchup for years to come, and the debate whether which point guard is better will go on for years. Deron Williams has taken three of four games this season against his 2005 draft buddy, but Paul has his team atop the elite Western conference. Head to head Paul has averaged 15 points and 9 assists, while Williams has averaged 19 points and 7 assists with Williams holding an 8-3 record against Paul in their careers.
These two teams will cement their own histories with their elite point guards, and will continue to give us memorable matchups in the future.
Dallas Mavericks-Phoenix Suns
This matchup has given us numerous memorable playoff series in the recent past. Along with the Spurs, these two teams have been the class of the West for the past three years, and their games haven't disappointed. Best friends pitted against each other in Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, three MVPs among those two make the individual component of this series even more intriguing. High-scoring games and last-second heroics have been the staples of this series, but every game has been exciting and a must watch.
This rivalry took shape in 2004-05 when the Suns eliminated the Mavs in the semifinals and then the Mavs returning the favor the following year to advance to the Finals. Since the beginning of the 04-05 season, the regular season record between these two teams is dead even at 7-7, including this season. A tale of two evenly matched teams with MVP winners and two high-powered offenses; can't ask for anything more.
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