The Dallas Mavericks have been connected to a number of different players around the league in NBA trade rumors and speculation, including Detroit Pistons’ Jerami Grant, Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner, Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins, and more.
And then there’s the NBA Playoffs, and so much more to chronicle. …
Here at DallasBasketball.com, we will keep you up to date on all Mavs-related trade rumors, reports and speculation as the offseason approaches.
MAY 22: MAVS FINED FOR ‘BENCH DECORUM’… AGAIN
On Sunday, the NBA announced that the Dallas Mavericks had been fined $100k for repeated “bench decorum” violations in these playoffs. The announcement also mentioned that Mavs bench players have either stepped on the court or have gotten extremely close to doing so during game action.
Mark Cuban has made it known that these fines won’t stop the Mavs’ bench from having a good time for the remainder of the postseason. Each game, you can find Mavs reserve Sterling Brown wearing just his jersey with no warmup jacket. You’ll also see Tim Hardaway Jr. and Theo Pinson getting the rest of the bench hyped throughout the night.
If the Mavs find a way to get past the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, Cuban’s wallet could start losing up to $1 million per fine… and the Mavs will likely still not care.
MAY 21: FORMER MAVS TAKE DOWN LUKA’S REAL MADRID FOR TITLE
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Getty Images
Getty Images
It has been a rough week for Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic. After coming off an incredible Game 7 blowout of the Phoenix Suns last weekend, he has since experienced a lingering illness that likely led to his worst performance of the playoffs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Then, in Game 2, despite Doncic scoring 42 points on 12-23 shooting, the Mavs choked away a 19-point lead and fell into a 2-0 deficit against the Warriors.
On Saturday, things didn’t get much better for Doncic, as his beloved Real Madrid lost the EuroLeague championship to a couple of former Mavs guards — Shane Larkin and Roddy Beaubois. The duo helped Efes Istanbul pull out a one-point victory.
Although Larkin and Beaubois weren’t able to stick in the NBA, both players have built impressive overseas résumés since joining forces in 2018 — including two EuroLeague championships and becoming members of the EuroLeague 50-40-90 club.
MAY 19: LUKA’S GREATEST SUPPORTER
Prior to Wednesday’s loss to the Warriors, star Luka Doncic was feeling the love from his girlfriend Anamaria Goltes as she took to Instagram.
Following Game 7 against the Suns, Goltes posted a selfie from Arizona rocking a Dallas T-shirt with the jersey number, 77. Doncic responded by placing a heart emoji in the comment section. Hopefully the support can push the young star to even out the series on Friday night.
MAY 16: PAUL’S FALLS
With Dallas’ Game 7 win on Sunday at Phoenix, Chris Paul has now lost five playoff series after his team went up 2-0 after two games — extending his already NBA record for most blown 2-0 leads in playoff history. No player has ever blown 2-0 series leads in their postseason career.
How did it happen this time? Read all about the Mavs’ shocking success here.
How did the flops start? We take you to San Antonio to read all about that here.
What was the first 2-0 lead Paul lost? It occurred 14 years ago in the 2008 Western Conference semifinals. With David West, Tyson Chandler, and Peja Stojakovic as teammates, Paul could not get it done against a Spurs team that featured Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili.
MAY 15: MAVS TO WCF
The Golden State Warriors will meet the Mavs in the 2022 Western Conference Finals, which start Wednesday in the Bay Area.
The Mavericks were able to bust out on the road in Game 7 to send the No. 1 seed Suns to setting – in all-time blowout fashion, 123-90.
“That,” said Luka, who like Dirk before him should not be mocked, “was amazing.”
How do Golden State and Dallas match up?
Head-to-head record: Mavericks 3-1
Regular-season record: Warriors 53-29, Mavericks 52-30
Odds to win series: Warriors -255, Mavericks +235
And what does the schedule look like? See above.
So no, not many are favoring the Mavs. But worth noting: Dallas’ record this year against the others in the final four is 6-2. And after how they just dismantled the top-seeded Suns?
Said coach Jason Kidd: “A lot of people said this would be a blowout. Well, they were right …”
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Yeah, in reverse.
MAY 15: KIDD’S POKE AT RICK
“I trust my guys,” coach Jason Kidd said before Sunday’s Game 7 in Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs, moments before tipoff in Phoenix. “”There’s nothing to get tight about. … The previous coach would take timeouts right away on a 2-0 run or a 4-0 run. I want my guys to work through it, and this (game) is no different.”
Yes, that is a gentle poke at the management style of Rick Carlisle.
Mavs fans hope Kidd’s style works today (see our playoff coverage here) as well as Carlisle’s did just over a decade ago.
By the way: That’s no sign of animosity; Carlisle recommended Kidd be his replacement. It’s actually fairly factual in the way Rick kept his hands on the steering wheel, even when Kidd was his championship point guard.
MAY 9 MONTY WILLIAMS WINS COTY
Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images
Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks are currently in a tightly-contested battle with the league-best Phoenix Suns, as their Western Conference semifinals series is tied at 2-2 with a pivotal Game 5 set to take place on Tuesday night.
When the two teams meet up again at Footprint Center, Suns coach Monty Williams will have a brand new trophy presented to him. On Monday, according to multiple sources, Williams won the NBA Coach of the Year award after his Suns won a league-high 64 wins.
After leading the Suns to a 51-31 record and the second seed in the West last season, many thought Williams would win COTY. Surprisingly, though, New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau won the award despite his team winning 10 less games and being two seeds lower in the East standings.
Although Mavs coach Jason Kidd was always a long shot to win COTY, his adjustments in Games 3 and 4 against Williams’ Suns shows why he at least deserved some consideration.
MAY 6 NBA IS ‘WRONG’ The Dallas Mavericks have been fined $25,000 by the NBA, the announcement coming on Friday, for bench players and coaches straying too far onto the court in a Game 2 loss to Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals.
Coach Jason Kidd criticized the decision before Game 3 in Dallas.
“That’s cool,” he said sarcastically, in no mood to goof off with Phoenix up 2-0 in the series. “The league is looking at the wrong things.”
MAY 5 COOL HAND LUKA, HOT DRAYMOND The NBA announced Thursday it has fined the Warriors’ Draymond Green $25,000 for flipping off fans in Memphis during Tuesday’s Western Conference playoff matchup.
As the Golden State forward entered the locker room in the first quarter Tuesday night in order to get stitches for a right eye laceration, he held up two middle fingers in response to being booed by fans. And after the game …
“You gonna boo someone who was elbowed in the eye and face is running with blood, you should get flipped off,” Green said. “I’ll take the fine. I’ll do an appearance and make up the money. It felt really good to flip them off. … If they are going to be that nasty, I will be nasty, too. I’m assuming the cheers were because they know I’ll be fined. Great, I make $25 million a year. I should be just fine.”
Fine. And fined.
The NBA Playoffs are physical. Ask the Dallas Mavs’ Luka Doncic, who is averaging 40 points per game against the Suns, who are up 2-0 while trying to beat up Doncic, who has a responsibility – despite his rep of getting cross-ways with the refs – of being Cool Hand Luka when it comes to T’s.
APRIL 28: Rudy’s Bees
Rudy Gobert arrived at the Thursday shootaround with yet another Jazz problem as they face elimination in Game 6 at the hands of Luka Doncic and the Mavs.
Bees.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
“I love honey, so I always wanted to have my own,” said Gobert, explaining why he has his own beehive at his house. “It’s great.”
Sure. Unless you get stung. By the bees. In the face.
Gobert said this week, he and his beekeeper poked around in the hive, irritating the queen bee, and that his bees have as a result been “a little upset” since then.
Next, Rudy tangles with Luka Doncic and the Mavs. Get all the good stuff on the series and on Game 6 here.
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