To get a higher seed in the playoffs, No. 2 and the Mavs are going to have to start beating other playoff teams on the road, starting with a win over the San Antonio Spurs tonight.

The last time these two teams played in December, Jason went off for 24 points and 12 boards, but it wasn’t enough as the Mavs fell to the Spurs in double overtime. Since Jason has joined the Mavs, they are 4-13 on the road against the best in the West. Something he knows has to change, as he told the Star Telegram:

“We’ve got to find a way to win on the road against the good teams. If we can do that, that will catapult us to that next stage.”

This season the Mavs are 3-7 on the road against the 9 teams that are jockeying for a playoff position out West. Still, the Houston game gives the Mavs hope that they have begun to turn that trend around.

Jason talked about how he feels the Mavs are close to figuring out how to win on the road with the Star Telegram based on how close they were to beating Houston:

“Well, look at that game. We put ourselves in position coming down the stretch, but didn’t execute and turned the ball over.”

“It’s there. We’re right there. It’s a matter of staying with it.”

MOUNT RUSHMORE
In honor of ESPN’s Mount Rushmore for states sports heroes, Scoop Jackson decided to do his own Mount Rushmore’s for each individual basketball franchise.

Here’s what he decided on for the Nets:

Vince Carter, Julius Erving, Jason Kidd, Drazen Petrovic:
Erving and Kidd require no explanation. Carter’s inclusion is questionable, but hard to deny. Petro’s importance to the Nets—and international basketball—speaks for itself.

NEXT UP
You can watch the Mavs face the Spurs at 7:30 tonight.

RELATED STORIES
Dallas Mavericks must past road tests in the West (Star Telegram, Feb. 24th, 2009)
http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/1220796.html
Presenting the Mount Rushmore for each NBA Team (ESPN.com, Feb. 24th, 2009)
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/090224&sportCat=nba&campaign=rsssrch&source=jason+kidd
Slumdog Donuts (Dallasbasketball.com, Feb. 24th, 2009)
http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1371