"Tanking" is still a dirty business

What Mavericks don't want to see: Team owner Mark Cuban, Luca Doncic and Kyrie 
Irving sitting togeter during another Dallas loss. (Getty Images photos)

      This blog usually focuses on the positive, trying to tell what we think is a good story.

      Not much positive about today's tale because I am writing about the state of the Dallas Mavericks.

    And that state -- pardon me -- is a bunch of crap.

     Love the team, and love the owner. Mark Cuban -- my opinion -- is one of the best team owners in sports. Or he was until a week or so ago.

      The Mavericks "tanked," no question. 

      Here is the definition I had in a blog dated July 14, 2015, on which the title was: "Tanking -- it's a dirty word."

         ("Tanking" -- losing games intentionally or not trying to bring in the best players and have the best roster possible. This, in order to finish near the bottom of the league and get a potential top-three or so draft choice next year to begin rebuilding the franchise.)

      This is the Mavericks, 2023. They purposely didn't field their best lineups to try to win games. Didn't care if they won; they actually didn't mind losing.

      For the April 7 "must-win" game against the Chicago Bulls, the Mavericks sat out five regular players and Luka Doncic, who is one of the NBA's most talented players, was in the game for 13 minutes, then sat out the rest.

      Those Mavs who did play worked hard, let for much of the first 2 1/2 quarters, and then wilted as the Bulls won 115-112.

     That sealed Dallas' non-playoff fate. Wait 'till next season. 

     Need to qualify this: I no longer care for the NBA. Haven't watched a game all season -- several seasons, actually -- and occasionally only had a game on for a few seconds when the TV accidentally went there.

     Still root for the Mavericks, but not much. I know Doncic is a wonderful, amazing offensive player. But he's too big a showoff, too big a whiner, a collector of technical fouls, for me.

      And, as with most of the current Mavericks, defense is a foreign language.

     This season's team went from a 31-26 record and fourth place in the Western Conference to a 7-18 finish after the huge trade for Kyrie Irving. Six games below .500 adds up to 11th place in the West ... and so long.

      When Doncic and Irving were in the lineup together, they were 5-11. Considering that Luka averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8 assists a game, and Irving averaged 27 points and 6 assists in 20 games, that doesn't say much for the rest of the bunch. 

     Still, they were on the edge of the playoffs until ...

     But what Cuban and almost-new general manager Nico Harrison (nice first name, pal) did at the end of this NBA season just sucks.

        But to sit out five regular players -- purportedly for injuries and "rest" -- and then limit Doncic to a mere 15 minutes of play in the regular season's final game, with a glimmer of hope for winning and making the playoffs just isn't what sports should be about.

     The NBA "investigated" -- as if that was necessary -- and just announced a $750,000 fine for the Mavericks. Chump change for Cuban. Yeah, three-quarters of a million dollars.

       And it's not the first time we've had this scenario. Just hinting at it in 2015 prompted my blog then; a Metroplex columnist or two, and the radio sports talk show hosts suggested it then, maybe because Cuban mentioned it "off the record."

     Then in 2018, Cuban again raised the possibility -- on the record -- and the Association hit the Mavericks and him with a $600,000 fine.

    Here is a link to what I wrote in 2015: 

     https://nvanthyn.blogspot.com/2015/07/tanking-thats-dirty-word.html

     Said then that I could not imagine the Mavs' coach, Rick Carlisle, would have anything to do with not trying to win games.

     Carlisle took his NBA championship credentials back to the Indiana Pacers a couple of years ago -- one of my guesses is that he found Doncic hard to handle -- and so it is Jason Kidd who I guess had to follow orders and go along with the "tanking plan." 

    Kidd said "the organization" -- Cuban and Harrison -- decided to sit the half-dozen players.

     "It's not so much waving the white flag," Kidd said, according to a USA Today story. "It's decisions sometimes are hard in this business. We're trying to build a championship team. With this decision, this is maybe a step back. But hopefully it leads to going forward."

      So they are hoping for a higher draft pick, a great draw in the NBA lottery. No guarantee of that, so I question if missing the playoffs is worth it.

     And maybe this is fitting because this Mavericks team was a loser. Let's put Irving in that category (despite an NBA championship in his history when he was teamed with LeBron James in Cleveland).

      But Irving has been a malcontent at every stop. Here is a guy suspended by the NBA or his team for refusing the covid vaccinations and for endorsing an anti-semitic movie and not apologizing for doing so. 

     You'd think Cuban might've been leery of having his GM make the trade for Irving. But talent rules in the NBA, and Cuban -- always brash and innovative and, yes, fun -- is unafraid of taking chances.

      At least he kept an open mind for the trade. Then he closed that mind and had his team give less than its best effort. 

      He is a billionaire who is one of the most-fined people in NBA history. 

      Meanwhile, Irving is a free agent and the Mavericks hope to re-sign him, and hope that he and Doncic -- who might grow up one day -- will team with the No. 1 draft pick they'll add as a reward for missing the playoffs. (What are the chances?)

      Knowing Irving's past, it would be a shock if he plays in a Mavericks uniform again. 

      My view on all this: No tanks.    

The "greatest" Dallas athlete ever? Maybe.

Dirk made it official Tuesday night: Telling Dallas
Mavericks fans, and the world, that his playing career
is coming to a glorious end after 21 NBA seasons.

     Loved 41.21.1, love Dirk.
     Dirk Nowitzki Appreciation/Celebration Day (and Night) was everything a Dallas Mavericks fan could have wanted.
     And, yes, we are fans here in this apartment. Have been for years. Not as much of an NBA fan as years past -- honestly, rarely watch anymore -- but my wife fell in love with the Mavericks, and with Dirk, some years ago ... and why not?
     What a way for The Big German to go out -- a 30-point performance that reminded us of what was for so many years.
     But for those fans chanting "one more year" Tuesday night, no thanks. Dirk is done, and he knows it.
     He is planning to play some tonight at San Antonio in the Mavericks' last game this season -- and his last game ever.
And 41.21.1 -- No. 41 for 21 years with one team -- is the perfect tag.
     Best player in Mavericks' franchise history. No question. NBA legend. No doubt. But, excuse me, "greatest athlete in Dallas history," I say that's debatable. 
     I cannot choose 41.21.1 over 12.11.1 -- that's Roger Staubach, No. 12 for 11 years with one team (the Dallas Cowboys).
     You might choose Bob Lilly or Emmitt Smith or Nolan Ryan or Mike Modano or -- oldtimers alert -- Doak Walker. Some of us greatly admired Dandy Don Meredith. 
     Personally, I don't subscribe to any "greatest" selection (wrote a blog about that several years ago). The subject is just too selective; the field too broad.
     Certainly, character -- the person's outreach and influence in the community, the depth of their presence and personality -- plays into it.
     Think we all agree that Dirk is a wonderful human being, a great representative for Dallas (and the Metroplex). Staubach qualifies there, too, and has for almost five decades.
     Safe to rule, though, that if longevity is the determining factor, Dirk is the "greatest." Playing more than two decades at the level he's played, in a sport and a league as physically demanding as the NBA -- with its travel challenges and back-to-back scheduling quirks -- is phenomenal.
     And what great performances Dirk gave us. He is -- again, no question -- the best 7-foot pure outside shooter the NBA has ever had.
     (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's sky hook was a treat, too, unless you never rooted for his teams. Some of us did not.)
     Of course, Dirk's crowning glory was the 2011 NBA championship. Even if you are not an MFFL (Mavericks Fan for Life) -- and I don't qualify -- that was one great ride. Repeat from above, my wife loved it.
     Dirk remained a quality player over the next few years, and the Mavericks remained competitive but never again to a championship level. And when Dirk began to decline, with injuries here and there, it was tougher to watch. Some of us stopped watching.
      But Tuesday night was a must-see. A great evening, from Dirk's arrival at American Airlines Center through the pregame to a romp (32-point lead) to near-disaster (down to four) to Dirk's last fadeaway basket and then the tear-inducing postgame ceremony.
      Admittedly, I am awfully sentimental about sports ceremonies -- Hall of Fame inductions, jersey retirements, statue unveilings, retirement announcements, whatever.
      The Mavericks did it right Tuesday night. 
      So neat to see Dirk's ex-teammates return and to see his role models appear: the always-entertaining Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, Shawn Kemp and Dirk's countrymate, Detlef Schrempf, the Mavericks' first outstanding German player (four seasons, 1985-89).    
      A personal note, and a prejudice based on history: Don't often root for anything German. OK, it's silly, seven decades after you-know-what. But Dirk? Had to root for Dirk. So admired his playing ability and his character.
      Let's just call him a Big Texan.
      My favorite basketball players ever: Jerry West and Robert Parish. And one more: Dirk Nowitzki. 
       It was 41.21.1, and it was a wonderful night, a wonderful sendoff.  

"Tanking" -- that's a dirty word

Mark Cuban: Why did he even bring up the "tanking" subject? (AP photo)

     I'll get right to the point: When I hear or read about a team "tanking" a game or a season -- and especially if that team is one I'm rooting for -- I find the thought repulsive.
     It stinks. It's wrong. It is against everything I've loved about athletics, and maybe about life: You should always give it the best you've got.
     What is astounding in this "tanking" talk about the Dallas Mavericks the past 10 days or so is this: Mark Cuban, the team owner, seemingly brought up the subject first.
     When he did, some of the Fort Worth-Dallas media -- bless their hearts -- jumped all over it. I know they have a job to do, and analyzing/projecting the team's fortunes is part of that, but to suggest that the Mavericks try to finish among the worst teams in the NBA next season, that's just poor-ass journalism, in my opinion.
     And I've read it, and heard it, more times than I ever care to recently. Heck, once is more than enough.
      Shame on Mark Cuban and shame on those dip-spit journalists. Here is what one wrote (I'm not going to give you his name): " Losing must be the Mavs' top priority for at least the next year."
      Crap.
      OK, so DeAndre Jordan stiffed us big-time. The 7-foot center they needed so badly, who told them he was going to sign with them for a cool $81 million over four seasons, changed his mind and decided he wanted to take his basketball and go "home" to Los Angeles.
       After Jordan gave his verbal commitment to Dallas, Cuban -- who I think is one of the NBA's best team owners, and I still think that -- popped off and said there had been discussions with his front-office people that if they didn't get Jordan, they might try to "tank" the season.
         ("Tanking" -- losing games intentionally or not trying to bring in the best players and have the best roster possible. This, in order to finish near the bottom of the league and get a potential top-three or so draft choice next year to begin rebuilding the franchise.)
         What a disservice to your players, your coach and his assistants, to the league, but most to your fans -- the ones who buy the tickets for games at American Airlines Center.
         The Mavericks' promotion slogan: "We're Going to Get Our Butts Kicked ... Every Game. Come Out and See Us."
         Go ahead and tell Dirk Nowitzki: Look, Dirk, don't make those 3-pointers. Tell Chandler Parsons: We know you're the new face of the franchise, but it's OK if you miss another 25-30 games with injuries. Deron Williams: You don't have to be an All-Star point guard any more. Etc., etc.
          Rick Carlisle is one of the best coaches in the NBA, maybe the best, not named Gregg Popovich. You think someone as competitive and as accomplished as Carlisle would stand for that?
          Seriously? With one year remaining on his contract? He'd walk out of there tomorrow -- and he'd be out of a job for about 5 minutes before another NBA team called him.
           And if the NBA commissioner heard -- or even maybe thought -- a team was losing games intentionally, think he might be concerned about the integrity of the league? Darned right he would be.
          If I were the commissioner, and I thought a team owner was suggesting that his team "tank" games, I would fine that team and that owner into the millions, and what's more, I'd take away the team's next first-round pick, with this message: Tank that!
          Last I checked, I am not the commissioner. Good thing.
---
         As for DeAndre Jordan, I am not going to pile on and be all that critical of the young man. He had to do what's right for himself and his family. Yes, it was wishy-washy, awkward, immature, rude, but he followed his heart and his confused head -- and he had every right to do that.
         The trouble was the NBA's nine-day moratorium between the start of free-agent "recruiting" and when deals actually could be signed. That span of time is a loophole the NBA needs to fix.
         I read repeatedly that Jordan "owed" Cuban and the Mavericks an explanation, a chance to talk to him (instead of hiding out with his Clippers friends at his home in Houston) and then -- after signing with LA again -- an apology.
        My view: He didn't owe them squat. Sorry. He didn't break any rules.
        Sure, it wasn't kosher. But life -- and the NBA life -- isn't always fair.
        He, or someone, posted an apology on Twitter, and Cuban didn't accept it. My reaction: Who cares? It changes nothing.
        Besides, he stays with a team that is my least favorite to watch of all the NBA teams. Blake Griffin is a roughhouse player; Chris Paul is always gesturing and barking at teammates; and both those guys, plus Jordan, are constantly complaining about officials' calls.
       And we've seen more than enough of Griffin and Paul (Chris and Cliff) on TV commercials.
        Last season they also had Matt Barnes -- who I consider the league's dirtiest player -- and Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who is just as much a brute as he was at LSU. They traded Barnes and picked up Paul Pierce (a darn good tradeoff) and Big Baby is trying to find another team.
         Doc Rivers, the coach, is likeable enough, even as he put the Clippers' spin on the Jordan fiasco, and the owner, Steve Ballmer, might challenge Cuban as the NBA's most visible (and loudest) owner.
         Anyway, there won't be many Clippers fans in Fort Worth-Dallas, certainly not in this apartment.
---
          I'm only a marginal NBA fan these days, if that. In the 1960s, '70s and '80s, I was quite a fan. But today's players -- so much bigger, stronger, faster and as talented than the guys those earlier decades -- turn me off with their posturing and self-celebrating.
          I don't like how rough many of the games are (the Clippers aren't the only offenders), but I do like when teams play well together, like good passing and great shooters (which is why I watched the Spurs some two years ago and the Warriors this past year).
          Yes, LeBron can play a little, but he's not a player I much enjoy watching.
          I like the Mavericks because they're here, because Dirk has been a pleasure to follow, and because my roommate likes them. As I was watching the free-agency rumors and moves, she reminded me -- repeatedly -- that she didn't care, that "my life is not wrapped up in a basketball team."
          I think she's a good fan; she likes the game, the teamwork. Her fandom dates to Ringgold (La.) High School, which won two state titles while she was there, and to Wilt Chamberlain.
         She's willing to wait until late October to see who takes the court for the Mavs, and she'll learn the new guys and she'll root for them ... and if she doesn't like what she sees, she can turn if off and come back for another day.
         Actually, I went about 10 years without watching a full NBA game. I would catch portions of late-game Mavericks' action on the TV in our office because I did have to edit stories about the team.
         I began watching again -- some -- the past few years because Beatrice does. But she has her own opinions and analysis, and we don't always match. So -- laugh here -- I know when to shut up.
         I don't think I'll accuse of her of "tanking" her fan status.