News Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

Nico Harrison turns further heel against Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks history

Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

There’s a reason the Dallas Mavericks general manager hasn’t spoke to media in two months

The Dallas Mavericks held a closed-door, invite-only press conference roundtable on Tuesday morning, the day before the team plays an NBA Play-In game against the Sacramento Kings. Fresh off the Dallas area getting some form of basketball hope in the form of Paige Bueckers joining the Dallas Wings, the Mavericks once again recentered the basketball hearts and minds on the abysmal trade of Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis.

Since the Dallas Mavericks have yet to release a transcript of the conversation, we have plenty of sources to look to for what he had to say. Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News had a write-up. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon was there and pressed Harrison hard on his logic on the trade. Tim Cato was in the room and went live almost immediately following the presser on DLLS. There were around 15 people in the room, so there’s plenty of reporting on the topic.

It was nearly an hour full of bad quotes, attempts at obfuscation, and justifications that do not match with any of the results we’ve witnessed on the basketball court since the trade or the looming disaster on the horizon for the Mavericks in the coming seasons between salary and lack of draft picks.

But one segment really stood out, at least to me. When asked about Dirk Nowitzki’s disapproval of the firing of long time employees like Casey Smith and other changes in the organization, Harrison had this to say:

“My obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks, it’s what’s the best interest of the Dallas Mavericks, and that’s the most important thing. Some of those decisions are going to be unpopular maybe to Dirk and maybe to the fans, but my obligation is to the Dallas Mavericks.”

Nico Harrison’s only obligation is to his own ego. In the 75-plus days since the debacle began, the only time Dirk Nowitzki’s name is mentioned is to marginalize him. Dirk Nowitzki, the man who defined the Dallas Mavericks for over two decades, the man who has a statue out front of the very arena Harrison walks into to watch Mavericks games from. Dirk Nowitzki is synonymous with the Dallas Mavericks.

There’s so much subtext to this one statement, it’s hard to know where to begin. To Nico Harrison, Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t matter. To Nico Harrison, the Dallas Mavericks fans do not matter. To Nico Harrison, the only thing that matters is that Nico Harrison was right, come hell or high water.

According to MacMahon, this roundtable occurred at the behest of Governor Patrick Dumont, who wanted it to happen sometime earlier in the month. Perhaps after the most recent calamity, Dumont may see just how unprepared Harrison is to lead. It’s one thing to have a conviction, but this is a man seemingly dedicated to being the center of attention, despite hiding from the spotlight.

The problem is no one cares about management when it comes to fandom, nor should we. Basketball is about the players and the moments on the floor, and given that Harrison used to play professionally overseas, you’d think he would know that. Instead, every quote and every action speaks of a man who thinks he’s the hero in Dallas, that he alone, through a brilliant design, will lead Dallas to a NBA Championship.

Nico Harrison, you are not the Dallas Mavericks and you never will be. You are a shoe salesman to the stars, and your name and legacy will be synonymous with Icarus. You flew too close to the sun, but on the wings of others versus those of your own. You think it’s about you, and it never was and never will be.

I just want to be done with these people. I want to root for my laundry and get mad about the trivialities of sport. I am so tired of being lectured by a man who seems beholden to no one. His actions and words speak of a man who cares only about himself. It’s past time to fire Nico Harrison.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...gation-is-to-himself-not-the-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: Futures report card

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

An unprecedented year in the NBA has left us with more money in our pockets than we started with

The 2024-25 NBA regular season has come and gone, and here at Mavs Moneyball we are still in disbelief about how it all went downhill for the Dallas Mavericks this season. Going from the NBA Finals to the play-in tournament is one thing, but there was just no way to predict everything that went catastrophically wrong during this year.

However, before we can officially turn the page, it’s time to look back and do the accounting for our regular season futures.

Season record: 7-5 (58.3%)​

Overall, a solid year on the futures front for me. The Mavericks futures that I took turned into colossal failures (more on that later), but everything else I think I did a really good job on. However, we have to debrief on a few of the things that stuck with us from this season that we can take into next season and beyond. Below, I’ll hit on my best calls, worst calls and anything I regret not taking.

Best calls​

Detroit Pistons over 25.5 wins, Milwaukee Bucks under 50.5 wins​

Let's start with the Pistons, who managed to outperform their win total by a whopping 18.5 games in finishing 44-38. I’ll be honest, I was not expecting them to be that good, however I will take my victory lap regardless. Cade Cunningham made the leap that we were expecting him to make, and the added spacing that Malik Beasley, old friend Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tobias Harris provided helped J.B. Bickerstaff balance out the offense with the physical style they played.

As far as the Bucks (48-34), I was very skeptical of the supporting cast around Giannis and Damian Lillard. Turns out, I was right about that and also with the health of the two stars. Both Dame and Giannis missed their fair share of games throughout this season, which led to this under cashing with weeks to go in the regular season.

Worst calls​

Mavericks over 49.5 wins, Luka Doncic to win MVP and Luka Doncic to average over 10 assists per game​

First off, I’d like to apologize for the following: NOTHING. I and we at Mavs Moneyball have zero regret for being optimistic about this team preseason. Obviously, the Luka injury was what set this whole thing in motion to get where we are at today. But even with that, trading the guy was never a thought that ran through my head. To Nico Harrison’s credit, he assembled a fantastic team this past summer. When healthy before Christmas, they went out and won 14 of 17 games. With the additions they made, this team was a legitimate threat! And now we’re here. What a shame.

Bet regret​

Utah Jazz under 27.5 wins​

I had this one written down when it was 29.5 wins, but the late steam on the under just spooked me off of it. However, the Jazz won 17 games this year and didn’t even come close to scaring this number. Next year, I’ll learn from this by not being scared of a low number when it seems clear a team is going to be racing to the bottom of the NBA Draft lottery for the likes of Cam Boozer and AJ Dybantsa.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ks-futures-odds-recaping-2024-2025-nba-season

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Recapping Mavericks vs. Kings Play-In

Assigning grades for the Mavericks in their 120-106 win over the Kings

The Dallas Mavericks visited the Sacrament Kings on Wednesday night in a loser goes home Play-In Tournament game, winning 120-106. As the 10 seed, Dallas entered the postseason with the most difficult road to travel, needing to win two-straight road games in order to secure the eight seed. The path almost fittingly started against the Kings, a team that won all three regular season matchups between the two teams and the very team the Mavs were playing when Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending injury on March 3. With the win, the Mavs head to Memphis to face the Grizzlies Friday night, after Memphis lost to the Golden State Warriors Tuesday.

There is certainly a contingent of Mavs fans who would have been satisfied to see the season come to a close tonight. The Mavericks were not willing to oblige them and I for one am thrilled they didn’t. As colossally disappointing as the Regular Season was for the fanbase, the players surely felt the burden too, yet they never relented. Naysayers will point to the Kings playing poorly, but make no mistake this was not a Kings’ loss as much as it was a Mavs’ win. Dallas had a game plan and executed it to perfection, especially in the first half. At points during the game the Mavs had as many assisted field goals as the Kings had total field goals. The Mavs also took great care of the ball and were an excellent 24-for-26 from the free throw line. Eight blocks and nine steals showed the defensive prowess the Mavs want as their identity. Let’s get to the grades!

Naji Marshall: B-​

9 Points / 4 Rebounds / 3 Assists / 2 Steals / 0 Blocks (29 Minutes)​

If there was any doubt remaining, it’s fair to say Naji is a baller. He may have some rough shooting nights here and there, but shows no fear and often comes up with big shots. Tonight he ran the point and connected on four of six shots, with a three and a deep two in the early going to give the Mavs a push. Despite not being a true point guard, four turnovers were glaring, especially as the team only had nine total for the game.

Klay Thompson: A+​

23 Points / 5 Rebounds / 2 Assists / 1 Steal / 1 Block (33 Minutes)​

Thompson had some Play-In demons to exorcise after an 0-for-10 shooting night last year when he was still with the Warriors. His first two shots didn’t fall, but he broke the schneid with a three early in the second quarter (followed almost immediately by another three, then another, then another). That hot shooting was the catalyst for an avalanche which saw the Mavs outscore the Kings 44-19 in the quarter, where at one point he had as many points as the entire Kings team (14). Impressively, Thompson was pursing rebounds hard throughout the night, showing his veteran savvy by creating as many possessions as possible. Looking back on the game, it’s not a stretch to say Thompson all but won the game with his play in the second quarter. We’re hanging a “+” on his game for all the reasons above, and 8-for-11 shooting (5-for-7 on threes).

P.J. Washington: B+​

17 Points / 9 Rebounds / 4 Assists / 2 Steals / 0 Blocks (37 Minutes)​

P.J. played a very nice overall game, but some of it may get lost in the fact he started red-hot shooting, then went ice cold (5-for-15 overall). Aside from the shooting inefficiency, he contributed everywhere and did many of the intangibles it took to disrupt the Kings’ flow throughout the game.

Anthony Davis: B+​

27 Points / 9 Rebounds / 1 Assist / 1 Steal / 3 Blocks (35 Minutes)​

AD struggled in the early going. It was no secret to either team that he was the Mavs’ focal point, but the Kings bodied up to throw him off his game. He took nine shots in the first quarter alone (more than double the next closest Mav to that point) but only hit two. He had two dunks blocked in the fourth quarter in video game-like fashion (as in, you could hardly believe it was real), but made up for it by sticking two jumpers to break a three-minute plus scoring drought, then had a very nice reverse layup later in the quarter. This game may not help change the opinions of folks who suggest he doesn’t show up in big games, but he led the team in scoring, rebounding (tied with P.J. Washington) and blocks.

Dereck Lively: C+​

5 Points / 1 Rebound / 4 Assists / 2 Steals / 1 Block (18 Minutes)​

Lively had a somewhat atypical game, with few rebounds and blocks, but an impressive assist and steal total for 18 minutes at the center position. He caused some static that won’t appear in any box score, but positively impacted the game, but even with limited minutes, it’s not a stretch to expect a bit more, especially as he only connected on two of his five shots.

Daniel Gafford: B-​

9 Points / 4 Rebounds / 1 Assist / 0 Steals / 2 Blocks (21 Minutes)​

Gafford didn’t have a mind-blowing stat line in his nine first half minutes, but he was locked in and made a big impact. At one point he effectively guarded DeMar DeRozan out by the three-point line to force a turnover. He also had a ferocious block in the waning seconds of the first half that nearly reversed earth’s magnetic poles.

Dante Exum: A​

11 Points / 3 Rebounds / 6 Assists / 1 Steal / 0 Blocks (19 Minutes)​

Exum’s first few minutes off the bench were impressive, if not for the production (although two points, a board and two assists in five minutes isn’t bad), at least for how poised he was. He made smart passes, grabbed a slick rebound and generally put himself in the right spot. After a rough Playoff run last year, he must have channeled his time with Partizan Belgrade where the Roman Coliseum atmosphere surely forged him. His grade may seem a touch high if you didn’t watch the game, but I found his overall play to be very impressive with intelligent play and great shooting (4-for-4).

Caleb Martin: N/A​

0 Points / 3 Rebounds / 2 Assists / 0 Steals / 1 Block (11 Minutes)​

I damn near gave Martin an A+ purely on the fact he took a charge in the fourth quarter. Despite my unrequited longing for someone (anyone!) on the Mavs to take a charge, I didn’t want to completely blow the credibility of our grading after 83 legitimate efforts to this point. The charge gets him slotted in, even though he is an “N/A” in 11 minutes with limited stats. If the Mavs are going to live up to being a defense-first team, these types of efforts will need to continue, as they can absolutely be difference makers in playoff games.

Brandon Williams: A-​

17 Points / 0 Rebounds / 5 Assists / 0 Steals / 0 Blocks (18 Minutes)​

For a player who was on a two-way contract until moments before the Regular Season ended, you wouldn’t necessarily know it. In a must-win game, Williams came off the bench to shoot 5-for-8 from the floor (3-for-4 from three) and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He wasn’t only thinking of scoring, as he also dropped in an assist total second only to Exum

Max Christie/Jaden Hardy/Dwight Powell/Spencer Dinwiddie: N/A​

All three of Hardy, Powell and Dinwiddie played nothing more than garbage time, combining to contribute two rebounds and a foul. Powell somehow missed three layups in his minute of play (two were of the tip-in variety), while Christie played 12 minutes but had little impact. The only other noteworthy aspect for these three players was perhaps that Dinwiddie (who played more games than any other Maverick during the Regular Season) was a complete non-factor in this one. Whether because of a lingering injury or simply a coach’s decision, his absence from the rotation was noticeable.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...dition-mavericks-kings-recap-120-106-mavs-win

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

SB Reacts: Who will advance in the NBA Play-In and beyond?

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The NBA Play-In is half over, time to get your bets in

As of this writing, the NBA Play-In Tournament is halfway over. The Miami Heat play the Atlanta Hawks Friday night in the Eastern Conference matchup to determine the eight seed. The Dallas Mavericks play later that night in the Western Conference matchup which also determines the eight seed. FanDuel has Miami as a slight favorite and Dallas as a 6.5 point favorite.

Let’s see how the weekly SB React polls from fans earlier in the week compared to the results that we have. so far.

In the Eastern Conference, fans wisely bet that the Magic would emerge from the East Play-In, with the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks essentially tied for second. The Magic are in as the seventh seed and in the game tomorrow, FanDuel has Miami as a one-point favorite.

The Western Confernence Play-In race is much more interesting and the polling reflects that. While the Golden State Warriors did wrap up the seventh seed against Memphis, Dallas surprised fans Wednesday night by blowing out the Kings. Just 17% of respondents think Dallas can make it out of the Play-In and yet they are the favorites heading into the game Friday night, per FanDuel.

This Indiana Pacers-Milwaukee Bucks series is dead even, per fan polling, but FanDuel has the Pacers as -240 favorites. Giannis might score a billion, but I see why the Pacers are favored over a series.

The New York Knicks appear to be prohibative favorites against the Detroit Pistons in both the eyes of fans voting on these polls and the betting markets, with New York currently a -420 favorite. That’s wild to me. The Knicks are good, but that good? The Pistons deserve respect.

Now this is going to be a SERIES. Kawhi Leonard looks like the Terminator. Jokic is a machine, so a nearly split fan poll tracks. The Clippers are currently just -118 favorites. That line should be fun to watch game by game this series.

The fan vote here speaks to the star power of the Lakers but bettors also agree with LA as a -194 favorite. Game 1 will determine a lot insofar as how I feel about this series. I want both teams to lose.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...ho-will-advance-in-the-nba-play-in-and-beyond

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Three action items for the Mavericks with a playoff berth on the line against the Memphis Grizzlies

Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the first half at FedExForum on April 13, 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee. | Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Own the paint, don’t get owned by Ja Morant and Desmond Bane and Dallas can make it out of the Play-In Tournament.

The Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies met four times in the regular season, but none of those games can really be used as a template for the Mavs’ best path to victory Friday at the Fedex Forum, when the two meet a fifth time, this time to decide who gets out of the Play-In Tournament and subsequently fed to the Oklahoma City Thunder as the 8-seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.

Dallas and Memphis split the two games that still featured Luka Dončić in a Mavericks uniform before the New Year, then Anthony Davis was injured for the third meeting and the most recent meeting was on Sunday, the last day of the regular season. Both squads were shorthanded in that one due to injuries and/or rest, and the Grizzlies beat the Mavs down, 132-97 at home.

So what are we looking at here? What is the Mavericks’ path to becoming the first-ever team to escape the Play-In Tournament as the 10-seed?

True to form​

The Mavericks are what they are at this point — a very large team still working its way toward becoming the paint-dominating defensive juggernaut the general manager swears up and down he’s created. In the Grizzlies’ 122-111 win over the Mavericks in March and without Davis’ services, Memphis lit Dallas up in the paint to the tune of 74-38. In the most recent matchup, the Grizzlies killed the Mavs in just about every statistical category except paint points, where Memphis held a more modest 68-62 advantage.

Dallas needs to play to its strength at Memphis this time around and dominate the interior to escape Play-In purgatory. That means the three-headed monster of Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have to, not neutralize, but grind Jaren Jackson Jr. into a smooth paste. They need to abuse him like they did Domantas Sabonis in Wednesday’s 120-106 win at the Sacramento Kings.

Jackson Jr. comes into the matchup averaging 19.1 points and six rebounds per game in 15 games against the Mavericks in his young career, just slightly better than his career average in those departments, but in his last five, he’s caught fire against Dallas. He comes into the playoff clincher averaging 25.2 points and seven rebounds per game in his last five against Dallas.

It’s time for the allegedly incredible defense that Nico Harrison has assembled to put up in what is technically a big game despite the air of indifference toward the team currently coursing through large swaths of the Mavs’ fanbase. Put up, that is, or shut up and pack it in for the summer.

Exodus — movement of Ja’s ankle​

Here’s hoping that Bob Marley reference lands, and here’s also hoping the Mavs can contain the Grizzlies’ best player, Ja Morant. He scored 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting but turned the ball over five times in Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. He had to leave the game after turning an ankle late in the third quarter, but came back in early in the fourth and finished the game on the floor. He did look limited when he came back in, though.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Thursday that Morant did not practice with the team and would be considered a game-time decision against the Mavericks. But his fourth-quarter return, combined with two full days’ rest before meeting the Mavs, leads us to believe he’ll ultimately be available.

Ja Morant did not practice today. Gametime decision, per Tuomas Iisalo

— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) April 17, 2025​

“I’m playing,” Morant told reporters in the televised postgame press conference following Tuesday’s loss to Golden State. Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo sounded hopeful, according to reports, but not quite as confident as Morant himself.

“If he feels he’s good to go, we have full trust in him,” Iisalo told the Commercial Appeal. “He’s also a very good judge of how and if he’s ready to go or not. I’m leaning on the experts in this situation, which clearly I’m not in the medical department.”

The Bane of Dallas’ Play-In existence​

Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images
Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on December 3, 2024 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

If Morant is somehow unable to go or limited in any way on Friday, the playmaking burden will shift significantly onto the plate of another budding Mavs Killer, Desmond Bane. The sharpshooting playmaker out of TCU scored 30 in Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors on 5-of-8 from 3-point range.

His career numbers have always been elevated against Dallas, his 17.8 points per game average inflating to 21.1 in 16 games against the Mavs. He also grabs 5.6 boards against Dallas, a full rebound higher than his 4.6 career mark. In his last 10 against the Mavericks, Bane has averaged 24.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists per game. It’s safe to say that he gets up for these games.

With the injuries in the Dallas backcourt (primarily, yes, the season-ending one to Kyrie Irving’s knee), Memphis appears to have the clear advantage in guard play in this matchup. Can the Mavericks make up for it with defense and domination in the paint? Can they at least make it more competitive than the 35-point margin the last time around?

Or is this all just a waste of time?

How to watch​

The Mavericks and the Grizzlies are scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CDT on Friday at the Fedex Forum. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...rth-on-the-line-against-the-memphis-grizzlies

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Player Grades: Looking back at the Mavericks’ season-ending 120-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Dallas flopped in the second game of its 8-day road trip, ending a long and frustrating season and leaving the organisation with more questions than answers going forward.

It’s over. It’s done. The Dallas Mavericks’ season is done after their 120-106 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the final game of the Play-In tournament. Memphis will now progress as the #8 seed to face the league-best Oklahoma City Thunder.

77 days after trading No. 77, the Dallas Mavericks were eliminated in the play-in tournament, losing 120-106 to the Memphis Grizzlies. pic.twitter.com/F0I4oHsPoH

— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) April 19, 2025​

The Mavericks had almost everyone available except for Kyrie Irving (ACL Tear) & Olivier Maxence-Prosper (Wrist Surgery), which was about as healthy as the Mavericks have been in months. The pregame chatter for Dallas surrounded speculation about Brandon Williams’ availability (Oblique Strain), but he was cleared to play after a pre-game workout.

The Mavericks came out with zero energy in the first frame, with Memphis getting out in transition and seemingly getting every shot they wanted on offense. Nico Harrison’s mantra of ‘Defense wins Championships’ seemingly didn’t get conveyed to the players, as everyone on the Dallas side looked listless and uninterested, leading to them ending the first quarter in a 15-point hole.

From then on, it was cruise control for the Grizzlies as they toyed with the Mavericks all game long. Dallas came out of the half with a run to cut the lead down to 7 points and seemingly take control of the game, before Memphis stepped up and put the game to bed. The fourth quarter largely played out like garbage time, with the Mavericks unable to mount any semblance of a comeback to save their season.

Let’s look at how Dallas graded out in a season-ending spanking at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies:

Naji Marshall: B-​

13 Points/4 Rebounds/5 Assists/2 Steals/3 Blocks​

Naji’s evolution into the team’s starting Point Guard in Kyrie Irving’s absence has been a joy to watch. For large parts of the first half, though, he looked invisible as the Mavericks ran their offense through Anthony Davis. He picked it up in the second half, though, and ended up stuffing the stat sheet. Regardless of the way the season ended, Naji Marshall has been a bright spot for the Mavericks, all things considered.

Klay Thompson: C​

18 Points/3 Rebounds/3 Assists​

While Klay’s overall stat line looks positive, his on-court play didn’t look great. The Mavericks desperately ran actions all night to get him free, but Memphis remained disciplined and didn’t give him the airspace to get going. Klay didn’t help matters by settling for wild off-balance three-pointers, which might have been the norm for 26-year-old Klay Thompson, not the 36-year-old version that we’re watching. He ended the game 7/15 from the floor and 4/11 from the three-point line, good for a minus-11 rating.

P.J. Washington: D​

0 Points/6 Rebounds/3 Assists/2 Steals​

PJ didn’t show up. For a Mavericks team bereft of scoring punch, for PJ to be this invisible is shocking. He got in early foul trouble against Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., which led to him being out of sorts. It also didn’t help Washington that the Mavericks ran their offense through AD, leaving few options for guys like PJ, Naji & Lively to get going. PJ has been one of the biggest losers of the post-Luka trade fiasco, with the Mavericks needing him to create more of his offense, something which Washington isn’t really efficient at.

Anthony Davis: B-​

40 Points/9 Rebounds/2 Assists/1 Steal/1 Block​

How does a 40-point game result in a ‘B-’ grade? Well, it does when a player noted for being a two-way monster shows up only on one end. Davis, for all his scoring, did not look interested in defending for large parts of the first half, leading to the Grizzlies’ explosion on that end. At times, it looked like Dallas was forcing the offense through Davis, making him look like a supersized Spencer Dinwiddie. AD needs to be given flowers for his will to play through some obvious injuries - he’s a class act, but this version of AD isn’t really helping anyone, and at nearly 33 years old, it remains to be seen whether it’ll ever get better.

Continued: "Obviously, it's a lot of emotion. I know it's not directed towards me. The city loved the guy. Get rid of a guy. New guy comes in, yet they want to embrace you & they're thankful for you, it still stings. I'm just thankful & appreciative for the city of Dallas & the… https://t.co/V4GRSYB0G5

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) April 19, 2025​

Dereck Lively: C-​

0 Points/5 Rebounds/3 Assists/2 Steals/2 Blocks​

Dereck Lively has been the biggest loser from the Luka Doncic trade. Sure, the fact that he’s still recovering from a foot injury plays a part in it as well. The fact of the matter is, though, Lively needs someone to help him generate his offense, and the Mavericks have no real point guard. The Mavericks can’t have Lively be a one-dimensional defense-first player. For this version of the Mavericks to succeed, Dereck Lively needs to do more than what he’s doing right now. He’s been on a minutes restriction as part of his injury management and played only 20 minutes in the game.

Dante Exum: C​

3 Points/2 Rebound/1 Steal​

A one-handed Dante Exum was the Mavericks’ lead guard off the bench. What an indictment of the state of Dallas’ roster. Exum played with his characteristic energy and kept the ball moving, but he was limited in his ability to affect the game. This game was emblematic of how Exum’s season has gone, and it remains to be seen whether he’s in the Mavericks’ future plans going forward.

Cormac Christie: B-​

11 Points/1 Rebound/1 Block​

Cormac has ended the season looking like an undrafted player being asked to play a bigger role than he’s capable of. The Mavericks’ runs in the game came when Cormac & Brandon Williams were on the floor as the only players who could actually hit a shot. Let’s hope that Cormac continues his development trend and becomes a consistent contributor off the bench. The Mavericks desperately need him to.

Caleb Martin: D​

0 Points/0 Rebounds/1 Assists​

LOL. The only reason why people aren’t laughing at the Quentin Grimes-Caleb Martin trade is that it came on the back of the Luka-AD trade. One could argue that the Grimes-Martin trade was worse. Martin played 10 minutes and didn’t contribute anything of note. The fact of the matter is that he has a tradeable contract that fits in as a salary filler, if needed, in a larger move.

Daniel Gafford: B​

5 Points/3 Rebounds/1 Assist/1 Block​

Gafford’s energy off the bench has been great to watch, and it’s obvious, right now, that he looks a better fit with AD on the floor. Like Lively though, he looks a little slow coming off his injury. He ended up playing 18 minutes and was a Mavericks-best plus-6, which was a team-high.

Brandon Williams: B+​

16 Points/3 Rebounds/7 Assists/1 Steal​

This season has been Brandon Williams’ coming-out party, particularly in the wake of the deluge of injuries. He looked like the Mavericks’ second-best player on the floor tonight, even if shots weren’t falling. He’s still probably Dallas’ best point guard on the roster, even with Kyrie back. His play has been a breath of fresh air in a season of doo-doo, and the Mavericks need to ensure that he remains on the roster for at least next season.

BONUS​

Nico Harrison: F​

For the last time this season, Fire Nico Harrison.

This game was the perfect showcase for the flawed nature of the roster that Nico assembled and has defended with some truly baffling logic.

Dallas now heads into a tumultuous offseason full of more questions than answers. Ironically, a situation that Nico was seemingly trying to avoid by trading Luka Doncic away in the first place. Funny how Karma works sometimes, doesn’t it?

pic.twitter.com/8QBCFDibsj

— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) April 19, 2025​

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...4-18-mavericks-grizzlies-recap-120-106-grades

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Kyrie Injury Update - Good news for people who love bad news

Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images

Kyrie Irving may return to action much sooner than originally expected

The 2024-25 season is officially over for the Dallas Mavericks after losing in the Play-In Tournament to the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night. For some Mavs’ fans (perhaps even the majority), this comes as a mercy. This season has been laden with an unprecedented level of bad basketball news to the point it requires actual effort to remember what good basketball news feels like. Depending on how committed you are to Kyrie Irving’s tenure in Dallas, the string of bad luck the franchise has endured of late may yet be breaking.

Buried in the excitement of the Play-In Tournament and the rage felt toward Nico Harrison’s cloak-and-dagger media session (don’t miss Brent Brooks’ fantastic piece on that, coming to Mavs Moneyball on Sunday morning) was an update on Irving’s injury status. During the episode of NBA Countdown prior to the Mavs/Kings game Wednesday, Shams Charania dropped the extremely optimistic update on Irving. “There’s optimism that he [Irving] will be back by January,” stated Shams.

Reporting for NBA Countdown on the target return for Dallas Mavericks All-Star Kyrie Irving after his March ACL tear: pic.twitter.com/nIXqxiKNzR

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 17, 2025​

ACL injuries such as the one Irving suffered on March 3 are typically expected to carry a six-to-12 month recovery time, often trending toward the long side of that range. If in fact Irving returns nearer to the start of January 2026, that will put his recovery time at nine months. Should the Mavs’ fortunes prove to turn around in this manner, that will mean Irving only misses two months of next season and will have plenty of time to load up for a potential run to the Playoffs.

We are a long way away from the start of next season, with the NBA Draft and an Offseason of potential transactions yet to come, but for a fanbase starved for something positive and a relatively narrow championship window, news of Irving’s return being sooner than expected will hopefully provide Mavs Nation with some hope.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2025/...update-good-news-for-people-who-love-bad-news