SPURS vs MAVERICKS Watch FREE Live Stream Online & Listen: 2014 Game 1 Round 1 NBA PLAYOFFS Live Coverage SAN ANTONIO

Today's NBA Playoffs action tips off at 1:00 p.m. ET on TNT, when the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs face off against the No. 8 Dallas Mavericks at the AT&T Center. Live stream the game free by clicking this link; Spurs fans can find the radio broadcast on 1200 WOAI, while Mavs fans may do the same on 103.3 ESPN.

Gregg Popovich is widely regarded as the best coach in the league these days, but Coach Pop offered up the quality of his building blocks when asked if he had a "magic formula" to consistently win year after year.

"Yes there is," said Popovich. "Get the No. 1 pick in the draft every 10 years and make sure that it's a franchise player. That's the formula. That's how lucky you have to be. You've got David (Robinson) for a decade and then Timmy (Duncan) comes. Well, I think most anybody could build around that."

Duncan will go to war with one of his fiercest rivals throughout his career in Dirk Nowitzki, who has had a fine career and excellent season at 35 years old. He has put up 21.7 points and 6.2 rebounds a night this year while helping carry a club many picked to miss the postseason to the eighth seed in a stacked West.

"This is a treat for people that appreciate NBA basketball and the history of the game," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "And you've got two guys whose love and respect for the game is so high and their work ethic and standards are so high. They've kept it going in their mid-30s as well as anybody I've ever seen."

Dallas will also need a big effort from shooting guard Monta Ellis, who has the type of speed to confound some of San Antonio's older players. This season Ellis has averaged 19 points a night with 5.7 assists.

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