The Dallas Mavericks have encountered quite the disappointing 2018-19 season, so it's no wonder why small victories against playoff teams were a big deal for the Mavs.
Head coach Rick Carlisle dropped quite the interesting comment after his team defeated the slumping Oklahoma City Thunder over the weekend. With Dallas defeating the Thunder 106-103 on Sunday, Carlisle noted that his team was overjoyed while even taking things a step further — a big step further, too.
“There was a level of excitement and joy that I don’t think I’ve seen in any team since the 2011 championship,” Carlisle says of yesterday’s win at OKC.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 1, 2019
Of course, the 30-46 Mavericks are currently in the midst of celebrating the illustrious NBA playing career of legendary big man Dirk Nowitzki, who remains primed to retire at the conclusion of the 2018-19 regular season. However, the German-born big man won't be returning to the postseason for one last ride at the highest level, as the Mavs have struggled for the majority of the year.
On the other hand, fans of the once heralded Western Conference franchise do have some high hopes for the future, thanks to the presence of rookie point guard Luka Doncic. While Doncic remains near the top of the list in the NBA Rookie of the Year race, the up-and-coming star continues to impress on a nightly basis for Carlisle's team.
While Rick Carlisle may have gone a bit too far when referring to the Mavericks' championship team, the veteran head coach may have some happy times in front of him once again, thanks to Dallas' young core.
Follow Us
Subscribe