• First points with the Mavs! This jumper by @NerlensNoel3 is tonight's #MavsMoment of the game! https://t.co/QXvrttBkMt

    First points with the Mavs! This jumper by @NerlensNoel3 is tonight's #MavsMoment of the game! https://t.co/QXvrttBkMt
    First points with the Mavs! This jumper by @NerlensNoel3 is tonight's #MavsMoment of the game! https://t.co/QXvrttBkMt
  • According to Dončić: “Every game we lose, it’s a missed opportunity for us.”

    According to Dončić: “Every game we lose, it’s a missed opportunity for us.”
    BOSTON – Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Dončić didn’t particularly care for a reporter’s desire to divide Sunday’s 105-98 loss to the Boston Celtics into different analytic categories.
    Getting down to the brass tacks of why the Mavs are mired in an 0-2 hole in this best-of-seven series in the NBA Finals against the Celtics, Dončić simply said: “Every game we lose, it’s a missed opportunity for us.”
    And Sunday’s loss was a sub
  • Celtics repel Mavericks, take 2-0 NBA Finals lead, 105-98

    Celtics repel Mavericks, take 2-0 NBA Finals lead, 105-98
    BOSTON – The Mavericks’ history of strong, winning answers in games after suffering a loss in these playoffs did them no good on Sunday night at TD Garden.
    The Boston Celtics took charge in the third quarter and held on for a hard-earned 105-98 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals as the Mavericks lost consecutive games in the playoffs for the first time this year.
    Teams that win the first two games of a playoff series have historically been tough to beat. They go on to win a
  • Former Rockets coach, Rudy Tomjanovich, wins prestigious award

    Former Rockets coach, Rudy Tomjanovich, wins prestigious award
    BOSTON – When Rick Carlisle telephoned Rudy Tomjanovich to inform him that he had won the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, Tomjanovich was as surprised as anyone.
    “The great thing about this award is it came to me out of the blue,” Tomjanovich said Sunday. “I had no idea I was up for this. I happened to be with my son up in Houston when I got the call and Rick started telling me about it.
    “I got emotional. My son kept asking, ‘Are you okay? Are you okay?
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  • Game 2 preview: Mavericks need to relocate two old reliable friends

    Game 2 preview: Mavericks need to relocate two old reliable friends
    BOSTON – If the Mavericks want to extend their recent tradition of bouncing back sensationally from Game 1 disappointments in the playoffs, it will help immensely if they can relocate a couple of important weapons that went AWOL in the NBA Finals opener.
    The Mavericks shot only three corner three-pointers, far below their usual number. And one of those was heaved by Luka Dončić, whose job it usually is to find the shooters in the corner, not be one.
    The Mavericks also had a virtu
  • Irving cool, collected during give-and-take with Finals media

    Irving cool, collected during give-and-take with Finals media
    BOSTON – Kyrie Irving calmly answered questions from the media for 12 minutes on Saturday.
    It wasn’t nearly as tough as any of the four quarters he played on Thursday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
    Try as they might, media members could not rattle Irving. He was calm and thoughtful and defused any attempts to get him into a running commentary that might agitate Boston fans or derail his focus from the Mavericks’ No. 1 task, which is winning Game 2 of the Finals on Sunday to even
  • As Hardaway Jr. plays in NBA Finals, Hardaway Sr. a proud papa

    As Hardaway Jr. plays in NBA Finals, Hardaway Sr. a proud papa
    BOSTON – Tim Hardaway Jr. has gone to places in his basketball career that Tim Hardaway Sr. never went to. And that makes Hardaway Sr. a proud papa.
    “He played on the biggest stage in college and they lost to Louisville,” Hardaway Sr. told Mavs.com. “And he’s in the NBA Finals now.
    “It’s somewhere I was trying to get to as a collegian and as a professional, and he’s doing it. It means a lot.”
    Hardaway Jr. and the Michigan Wolverines lost to L
  • Kristaps Porzingis was the difference-maker in series opener

    Kristaps Porzingis was the difference-maker in series opener
    BOSTON – Obviously, the Dallas Mavericks went into Game 1 of the NBA Finals heavily concerned about the Boston Celtics’ All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
    But of all people, it was former Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis who swung the momentum and the temperature of Game 1 in favor of the Celtics. As soon as Porzingis entered the game with 7:17 remaining in the first quarter, everything changed for the worst for the Mavs.
    It was as if Porzingis had the key to success for th
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  • Looking forward: Four areas where Mavericks need improvement

    Looking forward: Four areas where Mavericks need improvement
    BOSTON – What have we heard consistently from Jason Kidd for the past month?
    It’s just basketball.
    Yes, it’s 20,000 Boston crazies yelling in your ear. Yes, it’s Kristaps Porzingis rolling onto the court like the new-age combination of Bill Walton and Bill Russell to dismantle the Mavericks. And, yes, it’s a new atmosphere for most of the Mavs in a wicked NBA Finals environment.
    But it’s still just basketball.
    The Mavericks need to remind themselves of that go
  • Looking ahead: Four areas where Mavericks need improvement

    Looking ahead: Four areas where Mavericks need improvement
    BOSTON – What have we heard consistently from Jason Kidd for the past month?
    It’s just basketball.
    Yes, it’s 20,000 Boston crazies yelling in your ear. Yes, it’s Kristaps Porzingis rolling onto the court like the new-age combination of Bill Walton and Bill Russell to dismantle the Mavericks. And, yes, it’s a new atmosphere for most of the Mavs in a wicked NBA Finals environment.
    But it’s still just basketball.
    The Mavericks need to remind themselves of that go
  • Off the bench, Porzingis gouges Mavericks

    Off the bench, Porzingis gouges Mavericks
    BOSTON – The return of Kristaps Porzingis was an unqualified success for the Boston Celtics and a giant dose of misery for the Mavericks.
    After missing two playoff series with a calf injury, the 7-3 Porzingis came back with a vengeance, completely swinging Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Boston’s favor with his work in the first half.
    The former Maverick had started all but one of his 473 previous NBA regular-season and playoff games. On Thursday, he came off the bench and was the cataly
  • Celtics win series opener against Mavs, 107-89

    Celtics win series opener against Mavs, 107-89
    BOSTON – Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 42 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night at TD Garden in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
    Brown scored 22 points and Porzingis – who used to play for the Mavs — added 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks off the bench after playing for the first time since straining his right calf on April 29 in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat. Also
  • Celtics win NBA Finals opener over Mavs, 107-89

    Celtics win NBA Finals opener over Mavs, 107-89
    BOSTON – Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 42 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night at TD Garden in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
    Brown scored 22 points and Porzingis – who used to play for the Mavs — added 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks off the bench after playing for the first time since straining his right calf on April 29 in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat. Also
  • Finals notebook: Kidd on LA coaching vacancy; Bill Walton remembered

    Finals notebook: Kidd on LA coaching vacancy; Bill Walton remembered
    BOSTON – On the opposite coast from where the NBA Finals are taking place, the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching job is capturing a lot of attention.
    Mavericks’ coach Jason Kidd weighed in on the latest speculation that the Lakers are potentially interested in adding University of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley as their head coach.
    Kidd has known Hurley since they were competitors in high school.
    The idea of Hurley jumping from a wildly successful college coaching career to the NBA re
  • Finals notebook: Kidd on coaching carousel; Bill Walton remembered

    Finals notebook: Kidd on coaching carousel; Bill Walton remembered
    BOSTON – On the opposite coast from where the NBA Finals are taking place, the Los Angeles Lakers’ coaching job is capturing a lot of attention.
    Mavericks’ coach Jason Kidd weighed in on the latest speculation that the Lakers are potentially interested in adding University of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley as their head coach.
    Kidd has known Hurley since they were competitors in high school.
    The idea of Hurley jumping from a wildly successful college coaching career to the NBA re
  • With the Celtics, Daniel Gafford has come full circle

    With the Celtics, Daniel Gafford has come full circle
    BOSTON – Daniel Gafford has a full-circle moment that directly involves the Boston Celtics.
    When Gafford woke up on the morning of Feb. 8, he was still a member of the Washington Wizards. And the Wizards were slated to play the Celtics in Boston on Feb. 9.
    That meant the Wizards were planning on leaving Washington, DC, on Feb. 8 to fly to Boston. However, Gafford received an important phone call from Wizards general manager Will Dawkins informing him that he may have to re-arrange his trav
  • February trip to Boston was aborted for Gafford, much to the Mavs’ delight

    February trip to Boston was aborted for Gafford, much to the Mavs’ delight
    BOSTON – Daniel Gafford has a full-circle moment that directly involves the Boston Celtics.
    When Gafford woke up on the morning of Feb. 8, he was still a member of the Washington Wizards. And the Wizards were slated to play the Celtics in Boston on Feb. 9.
    That meant the Wizards were planning on leaving Washington on Feb. 8 to fly to Boston. However, Gafford received an important phone call from Wizards general manager Will Dawkins informing him that he may have to re-arrange his traveling
  • Irving thought “about those times” when he and James played together

    Irving thought “about those times” when he and James played together
    BOSTON – Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving hadn’t settled into his seat at Media Day for only  a few seconds on Wednesday when a question came flying his way regarding former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James.
    Apparently, James said on his podcast — which he shares with ex-Mavs guard JJ Redick – earlier this week that he’s proud of the growth Irving has made, but is “mad at the same time that I’m not his running mate anymore.” Asked
  • Irving remembers the good times when he and James played together

    Irving remembers the good times when he and James played together
    BOSTON – Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving had settled into his seat at Media Day for only a few seconds on Wednesday when a question came flying his way regarding former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James.
    Apparently, James said this week on his podcast — which he shares with ex-Mavs guard JJ Redick – that he’s proud of the growth Irving has made, but is “mad at the same time that I’m not his running mate anymore.” Asked about that, Irving, whi
  • NBA Finals matchup: And the edge goes to . . .

    NBA Finals matchup: And the edge goes to . . .
    BOSTON – The Mavericks and Celtics are the last teams standing in the 2023-24 NBA season.
    They have been clearly the best team from their respective conferences. Now, we get to see them go against each other with the world watching.
    “It’s going to be a dogfight,” Mavericks’ forward P.J. Washington said. “We’re playing for all the marbles. This is everybody’s goal. Everybody’s going to play hard every possession. I just can’t wait.&rdquo
  • Luka’s journey continues with unparalleled athleticism — from the neck up

    Luka’s journey continues with unparalleled athleticism — from the neck up
    BOSTON – Luka Dončić has been framed in the same picture as Denver MVP Nikola Jokic.
    His liftoffs are not explosive. He won’t blow by defenders. He’s not particularly athletic on the surface.
    To which he says: “I’m athletic in different ways. Not everything is jumping and running fast.”
    He’s right.
    From the neck up, he’s more nimble than anybody else in the NBA. When it comes to strength and smarts about putting his defender in a weakened
  • Mavs award multi-year extension to Nico Harrison

    Mavs award multi-year extension to Nico Harrison
    BOSTON – For using his expertise to build a team in rapid-like fashion that reached the NBA Finals this season, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has been rewarded with a multi-year contract extension which he signed on Tuesday.
    “Nico Harrison has demonstrated his leadership and capabilities in the Dallas Mavericks organization,” Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont said. “His vision, along with his efforts on behalf of our players and staff have propelle
  • NBA Finals notebook: Porzingis’ return adds spice for fans

    NBA Finals notebook: Porzingis’ return adds spice for fans
    Before they boarded their flight to Boston on Tuesday, the Mavericks got hit with a few questions about the 7-3 elephant in the room.
    Kristaps Porzingis, the former Maverick who never quite worked out the way everybody hoped, is expected to return in the NBA Finals from a leg injury that kept him out of the previous two rounds of the playoffs.
    When coach Jason Kidd was asked about Porzingis, he had a logical response.
    “They were good without him,” he said. “They’re going
  • GM Harrison signs multiyear extension

    GM Harrison signs multiyear extension
    Mavericks’ general manager Nico Harrison, hot on the heels of a strong run of roster maneuverings that have helped fuel the team’s journey into the 2024 NBA Finals, has signed a multiyear contract extension, it was announced Tuesday.
    Harrison’s extension comes less than a month after coach Jason Kidd received a multiyear contract extension.
    Below is the news release announcing the move:
     
    MAVERICKS SIGN NICO HARRISON TO CONTRACT EXTENSION
     
    DALLAS – The Dallas M
  • Irving to be laser focused during return to Boston to play Celtics

    Irving to be laser focused during return to Boston to play Celtics
    Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is ready for his much-anticipated return to Boston to play the Celtics on the NBA’s biggest stage.
    Irving already knows the Celtics’ fans will likely heckle him, will probably boo him every time he touches the ball, and will do everything they can to try to get him off his game. But he is prepared for the onslaught.
    “I think I’m better at consolidating kind of the emotions now or being aware of what it’s going to be like,” I
  • Washington living the (childhood) dream

    Washington living the (childhood) dream
    It wasn’t hard to see where P.J. Washington’s heart was when he was growing up.
    On Monday, as he and the Mavericks were in full-bore preparations for the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, he recounted a story from his youth about his hopes and dreams as a youngster.
    A reporter produced a list. On it was the following:
    Become a McDonald’s All-American.
    Sign with Kentucky.
    Play for USA Basketball.
    Become an NBA lottery pick.
    Play for the Dallas Mavericks.
    “That’s the
  • Derrick Jones Jr. took a chance and it’s likely to pay off big time

    Derrick Jones Jr. took a chance and it’s likely to pay off big time
    Derrick Jones Jr. bet on himself this past summer, and that bet looks like it’s going to pay off.
    Last summer Jones declined the player option on his contract with the Chicago Bulls which would have paid him $3.36 million this season. In its place, Jones instead signed a one-year $2.7 million veteran’s minimum contract with the Dallas Mavericks – the contract the NBA reserves for seven-year veterans like Jones.
    However, when Jones hits the free agent market again this summer he
  • Lively’s major impact? It’s something even he didn’t see coming

    Lively’s major impact? It’s something even he didn’t see coming
    There’s been a debate building on social media platforms about who the most important player will be in the NBA Finals if you take away the four superstars.
    That would be Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
    If you watched closely, Dončić may have already cast his vote.
    During the celebration after winning the Western Conference finals, the Mavericks’ point guard took his MVP trophy, said it was for his teammates, and then Jason Kidd noticed s
  • Lively’s major impact? Even he didn’t see it coming

    Lively’s major impact? Even he didn’t see it coming
    There’s been a debate building on social media platforms about who the most important player will be in the NBA Finals if you take away the four superstars.
    That would be Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
    If you watched closely, Dončić may have already cast his vote.
    During the celebration after winning the Western Conference finals, the Mavericks’ point guard took his MVP trophy, said it was for his teammates, and then Jason Kidd noticed s
  • Mavericks building a rare road-warrior legacy

    Mavericks building a rare road-warrior legacy
    Funny the things you remember about memorable moments in history.
    For instance, when the 1995 Houston Rockets became the lowest-seeded team to win an NBA title, their rings had nine diamonds encrusted into the body of the two Larry O’Brien trophies for their back-to-back championships.
    The significance? The sixth-seeded Rockets won nine road games on their way to the promised land – more than half of the 15 wins (at that time) that were required to win it all.
    They remain the lowest-

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