Dallas Mavericks face off with a team holding an 0-156 record.
Over the years, the Dallas Mavericks struggled to recapture their former glory after the Dirk Nowitzki era. However, they seem to be on the right track with Luka Doncic, who is aiming to place the team among the NBA's elite long-term.
Things don't look good for the Mavs in the NBA Finals, as they're currently trailing the Boston Celtics 3:0. The odds of coming back from this deficit are slim, with a record of 156 losses in this situation. Despite the possibility of not achieving their ultimate goal of a championship title this season, the season will still be considered a success in the team's history. It's a valuable step considering where the club was just a short while ago.
Flash back to the 1980s, when the Dallas Mavericks were a consistent playoff team with the help of All-Stars Mark Aguirre and Rolando Blackman, as well as Head Coach Dick Motta. In the early 1990s, however, the team hit a rough patch, missing the playoffs for ten consecutive years. This all changed in 1998 when, on the advice of his son, President and Head Coach Don Nelson signed a lanky young player from Würzburg in a draft trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Dirk Nowitzki's rise to franchise player, superstar, and MVP helped the Mavericks become one of the most successful teams in the NBA. From the 2000/01 season to the 2014/15 season, no team won more games than the Mavericks (796) apart from the San Antonio Spurs (859). Nowitzki & Co. had an impressive run, with eleven consecutive seasons scoring at least 60% of their games and fifteen consecutive seasons scoring at least 50%.
Changing the Game in the NBA
Nowitzki's incredible shooting range from a distance revolutionized the game for Power Forwards and Centers in the offense. The majority of Big Men used to operate in the low post, making the game physical, rugged, and brutal, focusing on power and dominance. But Nowitzki's ability to strike from afar shifted the emphasis towards the perimeter. Stretch Bigs, who pose a threat from the three-point line, became essential in the game. Teams that didn't keep up with this evolution have almost vanished from the league.
Nowitzki's remarkable career included scoring over 30,000 points (ranked sixth in all-time), over 10,000 defensive rebounds (ranked sixth), over 1500 games (ranked fourth), and over 50,000 minutes of playing time (ranked fourth). He trails only LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan in terms of scoring in NBA history. He earned 14 All-Star recognitions, appeared in the All-NBA Team twelve times, won the 2007 MVP Award, and was named the MVP of the NBA Finals in 2011. He is the only player in history to have played 21 seasons for the same franchise.
"The people were great to me," he shared in an episode of "The Big Podcast," a podcast by his former teammate Shaquille O'Neal, "They were loyal, always treated me well. When Mark bought the team in my second year, we developed a connection. I felt a certain responsibility towards the franchise and this city, to make it great again."
A Dark Episode
Following the sensational title win in 2011, the Mavericks' fortunes took a turn for the worse. On the court and off. Some well-known players were signed unsuccessfully: Vince Carter, Amar'e Stoudemire, Deron Williams, Lamar Odom, David Lee, Andrew Bogut, Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, Derek Fisher, O.J. Mayo, Monta Ellis, José Calderón, Devin Harris, Chandler Parsons, and Richard Jefferson all came and went without much impact.
In 2018, reports of sexual harassment and misconduct within the Mavericks' organization spanned over two decades. "Sports Illustrated" published an article revealing a "toxic work culture" riddled with "misogyny and predatory sexual behavior." There were allegations made against numerous employees, including the former CEO, Terdema Ussery.
The Mavericks named Cynthia Marshall as their CEO in 2018 to overhaul the workplace culture. She was the first black CEO in NBA history. "No organization is perfect," Cuban commented, "I made mistakes. The organization made mistakes. That's all over now. We took the necessary steps. Those involved have all been dismissed." The Mavericks let go of several employees, while Cuban donated 10 million USD to charities and women's organizations.
Back in June 2021, it was announced that the Mavs and Donnie Nelson had "split up" amicably. Nelson had served the franchise for 23 years, acted as its president since 2002, and held the general manager position since 2005. Rick Carlisle, the long-time team coach who had been with the Mavs for over a thousand games in Dallas, resigned the following day in solidarity with Nelson - despite his contract being valid for another two years.
In March 2022, Nelson took legal action against Cuban, accusing him of "wrongful termination" the previous year. Cuban purportedly dismissed Nelson in retaliation. According to Nelson, Cuban's close associate and right-hand man, Jason Lutin, also harassed his nephew during the All-Star Weekend 2020. Furthermore, Nelson reported that Cuban had offered him a hefty sum of 50 million dollars for "keeping silent." Cuban and the Mavericks firmly denied the accusations, stating Nelson's "poor job performance" as the reason for his dismissal. The litigation between Nelson and Cuban is set to commence this year.
Nelson is regarded as the premier international basketball scout of all time, having recruited Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Luka Doncic at the same time. On the downside, the Mavericks failed to advance further than the first round of the playoffs for over ten years following their title win. Furthermore, Cuban's constant involvement in personnel decisions and the endless stream of internal issues only added to the chaos.
Numerous analysts, desperate to control the lineups, caused feuds between team stars and coaches. There were also open disputes between players and coaches, not to mention the unsettling working environment where a Black employee discovered a noose at his workstation. All these instances dominated the headlines - but never for positive reasons or ahead-of-the-curve basketball.
Dirk alongside Luka - The Journey Back
In 2018, Dallas finished with a negative record, securing fifth place in the NBA Draft. With the help of a trade with Atlanta, the Mavericks acquired Euro sensation Luka Doncic. Much like their rebuild in 1998 around Nowitzki, the team rebuilt around this future European Hall of Famer.
Dirk Nowitzki commented on Doncic's abilities: "He has the full offensive package. He's so big and strong; no guard can stop him. He can go either way. He's got that deadly stepback. And he's got those quick feints, even though he's slow. As soon as he throws you off balance, you've got no hope."
Doncic had played against adults since childhood and made his professional debut for Real Madrid at just 16 years old. Under his belt, Doncic won numerous European awards like the Euroleague title in 2018, Euroleague MVP and Final Four MVP, three ACB titles, and the ACB MVP award, along with a gold medal with Slovenia at EuroBasket 2017.
Nowitzki shared his first season with Doncic when he was a rookie in 2019. Nowitzki, the legendary German basketball player, recognized that Doncic was exceptional from the start. He told reporters, "I realized then that this young guy from Slovenia was different from other rookies. His self-confidence, his toughness, his skills - they knocked the socks off all the veterans on the team, and by that, I mean even the man with the number 41..."
Doncic received numerous awards, including five appearances on the All-NBA Team and scoring an average of 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. He was the top scorer that season and was named Western Conference Finals MVP as the Mavericks advanced to the NBA Finals. Doncic's growth continues to astonish Nowitzki, a German Hall of Famer, as well as basketball fans worldwide. "What a talent, what a player. I never thought he would be this extraordinarily good. Triple-doubles on average, league leader-top scorer, MVP contender. He keeps improving every year. You think you've seen it all, and then he does something in every match that leaves you puzzled: How? How does he do that? His creativity, his game knowledge, there's nothing like it."
Making it to the top again
The Mavericks reentered the playoffs in 2020 after a three-year hiatus. They made it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since they won the 2022 championship and played in their third NBA Finals since 2006 and 2011. Cuban sold his beloved Mavs to the Adelson and Dumont families, who own the "Las Vegas Sands Corporation," in December 2023. Cuban decided to sell a significant portion of his shares in the team, which was now valued at 3.9 billion US dollars. He retained 27% and held decision-making power in basketball matters, while Patrick Dumont replaced him as "Governor."
"Mavericks' rejuvenation after such a period of struggle is a testament to the dedication, adaptability, and quality of its players, managers, and ownership," Mavs Vice President of Media Relations, Terry Mather, said in a statement. "We look forward to the future with a balanced roster and strong leadership. We are confident the team will continue to stand out in the league."
In Cuban's 23-year run as team owner, the Mavericks emerged victorious in 1324 out of 2868 games and made playoff appearances 18 times, ultimately clinching the NBA championship in 2011.
Mavericks' recent moves, including Nico Harrison's appointment as General Manager and Jason Kidd taking the head coaching position, signaled a promising leap towards a more prosperous future in 2021. Harrison and Kidd played a pivotal role in organizing the team around Doncic and even brought in Kyrie Irving, who produced one of his finest seasons to date. Irving's contributions emerged as crucial to Dallas' ongoing success, following the Championship in '11.
Nowitzki is exhilarated by the present Mavericks roster, asserting, "We have a team. I'm amazed by this team. It's a blast to witness their progress. The chemistry is splendid. The executive decisions during the trade deadline were awe-inspiring, and nabbing PJ Washington was a match made in heaven, as we needed an additional big man to join Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II." He also highlighted the strong connection between Doncic and Irving, emphasizing that they "understand each other better and work together more efficiently than they did last season. They comprehend when to be forceful and when to show restraint."
The Celtics are a formidable contender, with enhanced depth, more seasoned players, and a harmonious balance. They are unlikely to claim the title this round. Nevertheless, the Mavericks face challenges regarding their roster, tactical approach, and overall development, in the face of this rigorous test. This scenario echoes their 2006 season, where the team was deemed well-suited to win the title, just to be struck by reality courtesy of the Miami Heat. This experience established the foundation for their return to the Finals and a potential subsequent championship moment.
There is a genuine hope that the Mavericks' journey to the NBA Finals and the recent success under Kidd are only the prelude to a string of dominant performances that Dallas enjoyed during Nowitzki's leadership. This would exemplify a seamless transfer of responsibility from a franchise player to the next generation and represent a significant accomplishment. "The onset was laborious, while the end was complicated. But our milestone stretch, where we secured an exceptional win rate for over a decade, was unforgettable. You don't always enjoy smooth sailing, and we certainly had our fair share of rough seas towards the closure of my career. I aspired to traverse past this stage with an improved future for our organization. And then we scouted Luka in my final year, and he completely revitalized the Mavericks' journey," reminisced Nowitzki.
