NBA Playoffs 2011: San Antonio Spurs Next Texas Team to Make Infamous History

Four years ago, the Dallas Mavericks made infamous NBA history by becoming the first team to lose in the first round as a No. 1 seed in a best of seven series.  The Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

This year the San Antonio Spurs are facing the same dilemma.  Believe it or not, there are plenty of similarities between these two series. 

In 2007, the Dallas Mavericks were also down 1-3 to the Golden State Warriors.  Dallas was able to win Game 5 in dramatic fashion but eventually lost in a blowout in Game 6.

The main problem for the Dallas Mavericks was that, even though they were the best team in the league, they did not have favorable matchups against the Warriors.

The young and athletic Warriors team led by Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson was able to exploit the few weaknesses the Mavericks had at the time. 

Now the young and athletic Grizzlies are doing the same against the Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs had the best record in the league up until the last regular-season game, when they lost the best record to the Chicago Bulls.  Coming into the playoffs, they were considered the team to beat by many, even after finishing the season with sub-par performances.

On paper, the Spurs are the better team. The problem is that their weakness is a lack of inside defenders and capable big men overall.  Unfortunately, that's the Memphis Grizzlies’ biggest strength.

San Antonio’s best players are struggling mightily against the Memphis Grizzlies’ stingy defense.

After tonight’s loss, the Spurs are down 1-3 and are on their way back to San Antonio.  Not only are they down in a deep hole, but their last loss was a blowout.

It is not looking good for San Antonio.  The Memphis Grizzlies are as confident as they can be and they look like a team that will run away with this series in Game 5.

Every NBA fan knows what happened to Dallas after their meltdown in 2007 (and 2006).  What will happen if San Antonio eventually loses to the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies? 

Will the Spurs era finally end? 

Only time will tell.  For now, it looks like only a miracle would suggest otherwise.