End of an era.

Spurs bow out of first round for first time since '00 thanks to Mavs
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO -- Jason Terry galloped down court after one big shot and Josh Howard skipped along the sideline after another. For what the Dallas Mavericks were about to pull off, they might as well have danced.

For the first time since 2006, the Mavericks are moving past the first round.

And for the first time since 2000, the San Antonio Spurs are not.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points in his first breakout game of a lopsided series, and the Mavericks won a playoff series for the first time in three years by eliminating the Spurs in five games with a 106-93 victory on Tuesday night.

The Big Three will be back next year for the Spurs, piloting what is now a championship drought by their standards: San Antonio has been a denied an NBA finals trip the past two seasons, its longest lapse since the gap between their 1999 and 2003 titles.

"The Mavs beat the Spurs," coach Gregg Popovich said. "They're the best team, and that's that."

Gone Spurs Gone! Glad to see the Mavs put the first nail in this coffin. I'm not sure when the Spurs will cease to be a playoff team or if they will, but if their plan for the future is based around Roger Mason and Matt Bonner I wouldn't expect to raise any banners anytime soon.

P.S. - Watch the video below. This guy poses as a 1920's era reporter and punks Popovich!