Fans continue to show their disdain towards Nico Harrison, especially after the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Washington Wizards in a 117-107 upset on Friday night.
Harrison surrounded himself in controversy after trading franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and one first-round pick in February. The move sent shockwaves throughout the league, creating excitement for Lakers fans while having Mavericks fans be upset and have shock towards the trade.
Dallas did get talent in the trade with Davis and Christie, but injuries worsened the team's trajectory last season. They reached the play-in tournament but didn't do enough to qualify for a playoff spot, ending that campaign with a lot of controversy. They made a splash in the summer by winning the first pick of the NBA draft, getting the rights to college star Cooper Flagg.
However, Dallas is off to a poor start once again, even with Davis and Flagg on the court together. They lost in a blowout at home to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. That may have been easier for fans to handle considering their rival's talent, but losing to a Wizards squad that was one of the worst in the NBA last season certainly created frustration from the fanbase. It got so bad that the “Fire Nico” chants arose once again, per ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon.
““Fire Nico!” chants are going strong with Mavs down double digits at home in the final minute against the Wizards,” MacMahon wrote.
How Mavericks played against Wizards
There will be some self-reflecting for Nico Harrison, Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks after embarrassing themselves at home against the Wizards.
Dallas was off to a good start, leading 35-28 after the first quarter. However, they significantly regressed as the Wizards outscored them 30-17 in the second period. The hosts were unable to recover from that as their attempted rally was too late for them to pull off a comeback win.
Three players scored in double-digits for Dallas, including Davis and Flagg. The former finished with a stat line of 27 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks. He shot 9-of-19 from the field and 9-of-12 from the free-throw line. Flagg came next with 18 points and six assists, PJ Washington had 18 points and nine rebounds, while Max Christie and Jaden Hardy scored nine points each.
The Mavericks continue the search for their first win of the season. They will remain at home for their next matchup, hosting the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
