Shawn Marion

Three Ways the NBA Lockout is Making the Mavs, and the Playoffs, Impossible to Predict

The NBA's regular season is so often discarded as an insignificant enterprise, though for reasons that are largely flimsy at best; there's real value to be gleaned in that initial 82, whether about a team's overall offensive or defensive aptitude, a coach's substitution patterns, the compatibility o ... More >>

Jason Kidd is No Longer Sucking, and That's Good News for the Mavs' Playoff Hopes

It's a common NBA refrain: Following an inactive trade deadline, a team will claim that getting a relevant player back from injury is akin to making a deadline deal. It happened with the Mavericks and Rodrigue Beaubois, and this year's spin involves the eventual integration of Delonte West. There i ... More >>

Managing the Matrix: If the Mavs Aren't Careful, They'll Grind Shawn Marion into Uselessness

The Mavericks currently live in the murky cloud that makes up the bulk of the Western Conference: Their credentials are decidedly less than those of the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, but beyond that their prospects remain a mystery. We know now that Dallas is a good team - as evidenced b ... More >>

The 2012 Dallas Mavericks: 33 Storylines from 33 Games

A (Wait, It's Already Midseason?) Midseason Report

Down and Dirty Data, or: What Do the Short Season's Stats Say About the Mavericks?

The Mavericks -- like virtually every other team during this bizarre, lockout-shortened NBA season -- are nearly impossible to pin down. A combination of odd scheduling, injury adjustments and minimal practice time seemingly puts a different Maverick team on the floor every night out; in one game th ... More >>

The NBA Lockout is (Almost) Over. Here's What the Mavs Need to Do Before Christmas Day.

Editor's note: Rob Mahoney writes about the Mavericks on his ESPN-affiliated blog The Two Man Game and about basketball for The New York Times's Off the Dribble blog. Presumably his New York Times bio will henceforth note that he now writes about the Mavericks for Unfair Park. Hark: The NBA season ... More >>

Whitt's End: 6.17.11

​Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Jason Terry's voice is still hoarse from all the partying and cigars, but yet we're already peeking at 2012. Problem: The Mavs aren't a team built for the future, but rather the here-'n-now ... More >>

2011 Dallas Mavericks' NBA Playoffs: My Top 10 Observer-ational Moments

​10. It was a simple offensive rebound and putback layup off the glass, but when Shawn Marion produced it at the end of the third quarter on April 25 it gave the Mavericks a 14-point lead over the Blazers in crucial Game 5 of the first round, and it restored confidence in the Mavs two days af ... More >>

After a Mavs Title, a Parade to Plan and Arrests to Report. And, Man, How That 'Bout Traffic?

Photo by Alex Scott​Only took an hour to get from Oak Cliff to Northwest Dallas tonight. Never shoulda taken Commerce, which, when it reached downtown, was blocked off by Dallas Police, causing an endless stream of brake lights between Commerce and Continental. No matter: The traffic turned into a ... More >>

2006: Broken Heart. 2011: Torn Tendon. Ugh.

​The frustrating thing about Dirk Nowitzki's injured finger? It happened on a play that wasn't a foul. "I thought I stripped him clean," Dirk said after last night's 92-84 Game 1 loss to the Heat in the NBA Finals. "Then I kind of looked down and I couldn't straighten my finger out anymore." ... More >>

2011 NBA WEST FINALS GAME 5 -- Mavericks 100, Thunder 96: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. Much as I'm giddy over the victory and the Mavs' second berth in the NBA Finals, I'm almost as happy for the way they handled the win. No confetti on the floor. No champagne in the locker room. Not even a drop of celebratory Ginger Ale. Says Dirk Nowitzki, "It's a great moment. But we've ... More >>

Mavericks 4, Thunder 1: A Review of My Preview

​After last night's Game 5 door slammer against the OKC Thunder, your Mavericks are now 12-3 in the playoffs and awaiting an opponent in the NBA Finals. Not bad for a team that about 50 percent of prognosticators picked would lose to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. I picke ... More >>

2011 NBA WEST FINALS GAME 4 -- Mavericks 112, Thunder 107: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. Battle scars. The Mavericks are fueled by them. As of last night, the Thunder now have one of their own. Who feels worse about their closing confidence this morning: Harold Camping and his May 21 oops or Chokelahoma and its 15-point implosion? 9. Whether it was an epic meltdown or ... More >>

The Greatest Comeback in Dallas Mavericks' Playoff History

Tied in the final minute of overtime after erasing a 15-point deficit in the final 5 minutes of regulation. Jason Kidd's defense on Kevin Durant, leading to a Shawn Marion steal. The Mavericks' veteran patience, systematically setting up of a Dirk Nowitzki elbow isolation they've run a zillion ... More >>

2011 NBA WEST FINALS GAME 3 -- Mavericks 93, Thunder 87: My Top 10 Observer-ations

Dirk: Playoff beard​10. Think of the Ford Center Oklahoma City Arena as a 'roided Reunion. Basketball here is still fresh and, let's face it, there's nothing else to do. I was at Reunion in the '80s and Sacramento's ARCO Arena with the cowbells in the '00s, and this place is louder. Sa ... More >>

2011 NBA WEST FINALS GAME 2 -- Thunder 106, Mavericks 100: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. You knew the Thunder wouldn't be content to lose another game of one-on-one with Dirk Nowitzki. They fronted him in the post. They doubled him. They held him to 29 points. Nick Collison, touche. And, you're right, that's something I thought I'd never type. 9. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle is ... More >>

2011 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW -- Mavericks in 7

​Execution vs. Explosion. Savvy vs. Speed. Aptitude vs. Athleticism. You get the picture. Mavs vs. Thunder. While -- yeah, I know -- I shoulda took my Mavs-over-Blazers first-round pick and quit while I was ahead, I predicted a Lakers' win the West semis and, happily, sheepishly, here we a ... More >>

Mavs-Lakers: Looking Back at a Great Series ... and a Horrible Prediction

​Never been happier to be wrong. And I don't care that I wasn't alone -- I admit I was wrong. I'm stunned by the Mavs sweeping the Lakers, punctuated by Sunday's 122-86 epic shellacking. Matter of fact, I'm more surprised by this outcome than the Navy SEALs sweeping Osama. I gave currency to&n ... More >>

2011 NBA WEST SEMIS GAME 2 -- Mavs 93, Lakers 81: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. For the Mavs, a shocking 2-0 lead. For the Lakers, a Stinko de Mayo. L.A. missed its first 15 3-pointers and was booed off the court in Staples Center. As they head for Dallas and Friday night's Game 3, the Lakers are muttering things like "dispirited" and "trust issues." Surreal. 9 ... More >>

Those Same Old Mav-Wrecks

Another humiliating collapse has even the most loyal Mavs fans bailing before the inevitable crash and burn.

Blazers 97, Mavericks 92: My Top 10 Observer-ations

​10. As we suspected, Portland's team is pretty salty. But their fans suck. Booing Mark Cuban is cool. Throwing shit at him is lame. 9. The Mavs are the NBA's best road team the last two regular seasons, but they're now 2-14 in their last 16 playoffs games away from the American Airlines Cen ... More >>

At the Risk of Waking Laura Miller: Mavs-Blazers Series is Over

​An MVP. Almost 23,000 points. Ten All-Star selections. Three-Point shooting contest title. Eleven consecutive seasons of playoff berths with 50-plus wins. One of only four players to average 25 points, 10 rebounds in the postseason. Certain first-ballot Hall of Famer. And a unique skill set t ... More >>

Mavericks 101, Blazers 89: My Top 10 Observer-ations

The Game 2 Hero: Peja​10. When the Mavs play with emotion and efficiency, they are tough to beat. Last night the intensity was there courtesy of Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler and the spunky J.J. Barea. And so was the execution, to the tune of a franchise-record low six turnovers -- including ... More >>

Dallas Mavericks in L.A.: Tonight the Salad; Tomorrow the Steak

If only that guy on the left was still a part of this team ​Over the past decade the Dallas Mavericks have been the NBA's best team at winning games they were supposed to win. In building a legacy of 11 consecutive seasons with 50 wins and playoff appearances, the Mavericks rarely lose aga ... More >>

Roddy's Return: A For Amusing

​As promised, Roddy Beaubois did something amazing last night: He made us watch a mid-February Dallas Mavericks game against the lowly Sacramento Kings. And, unless you're expectations were irrationally optimistic, he did not disappoint. In his first NBA game action since last April, the seco ... More >>

Whitt's End: 2.11.11

​Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Finally some good news for Texas Rangers fans. After whiffing on Cliff Lee and having face-of-the-franchise Michael Young demand a trade, locking up Josh Hamilton for two years relieves some ... More >>

In Latest Dallas Mavericks Promo with Help from the Mecca Restaurant, Dirk Nowitzki Sees You Big Cinnamon Roll.

Far as we know, the storied North Dallas breakfast spot humbly named Mecca doesn't really serve 20-pound cinnamon rolls. Not yet, anyway. But with a little green-screen trick photography, the Mavs-produced video above (tip o' the hat to The Two Man Game) has Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, DeShawn Steve ... More >>

Mavs Win; Jason Kidd Scores; Jason Terry Gets Carried Away

​Landmark win by your Dallas Mavericks last night at American Airlines Center, 109-100, over the Los Angeles Lakers? Maybe. But, eh, probably not. Most important, it broke a six-game losing streak. But it also lets them boast this achievement: Wins this season over the Spurs, Celtics, H ... More >>

No-So-Pedestrian Playlist: What Kind of Music Do Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion Listen To Off The Court?

Welcome to a new recurring feature here on DC9 where we talk to people of interest in the metroplex about their taste in music, including likes, dislikes, and guilty pleasures. We're calling it Pedestrian Playlist -- because, hey, everyone listens to music.Just some random dudes we happen to know ... More >>

Dallas' Other Teams are Playing Too. Who Knew?

For the last month we've all been - gladly, of course - buried up to here in the Texas Rangers. Don't look now, but the other sports in our city didn't shut down. Let's play some catch up, shall we? FC DALLAS - In the Major League Soccer's Western Conference semifinals, they have a 2-1 aggregate le ... More >>

Oh Yeah, About Your Dallas Mavericks

​The Rangers are back in the playoffs. The Cowboys are back in the race. And look now, but the Dallas Mavericks are back in training camp. Yes, already. Just five months after they walked off the court in the wake of another disappointing first-round playoff loss (this one to the San Ant ... More >>

A Dirk-less Dallas: Cringe at the Thought

​Some ignoamus loyal reader on this here blog recently theorized that the Dallas Mavericks sans Dirk Nowitzki could still make the NBA Western Conference playoffs. It's July 1, not April 1. Quit your kidding. Because the Mavs realize that Dirk is priority No. 1 this summer - and perhaps vice- ... More >>

GAME 6: Spurs 97, Mavs 87. My Top 10 Observations.

Another year, another painful playoff loss.​10. The Mavericks are now the only NBA team to lose in the first round of the playoffs as a No. 1 and No. 2 seed. Granted the four-time champion Spurs aren't your pedestrian No. 7 seed, but it's still an ugly epitaph to have etched on your tombsto ... More >>

GAME 4: Spurs 92, Mavs 89. My Top 10 Observations

​10. Spurs' rookie DeJuan Blair is a beast. Sunday he had seven points and seven rebounds in 11 minutes and even placed an elbow in Dirk Nowitzki's ear to bait him into a technical foul. Roddy Beaubois may grow into the Mavs' point guard of the future, but some of us (my hand was raised) were ... More >>

Mavericks 100, Spurs 94: My Top 10 Observations

​10. Asked Mavs owner Mark Cuban on his Stairmaster last night if he was serious about his story of almost imploding the team in late January before finding the Caron Butler trade: "Absolutely the truth. Ask my wife." 9. In crunch time, it was Jason Kidd on Manu Ginobli. He doesn't always sto ... More >>

Dallas Mavericks: We're (Almost) No. 2!

​Get ready for Mavs-Spurs. And I don't mean just in Wednesday night's regular-season finale at American Airlines Center. I mean in the playoffs. Yes, again. With a walk-in-the-park, 23-point win over the ridiculous Clippers Monday night in Los Angeles, the Mavericks clinched at least the ... More >>

Mavericks 109, Nuggets 93: My Top 10 Observations

​10. Is this really progress? Looked around American Airlines Center in the first quarter last night and seemed like everyone was not watching the game on the court, but rather looking down at the phone in their hands. Texting. In general, we've evolved to the point of going to games and then ... More >>

Drowned Out By Grandiose Doings in Arlington, the Dallas Mavericks Begin What Should Be a Loud, Proud Season

Spurs? What Spurs?

Mavs Sweep L.A. Raise Your Hand If You Saw This One Coming.

Maybe the sweet new baby blues are lucky?​After attending last Tuesday's sluggish opener at American Airlines Center, I didn't exactly think the Dallas Mavericks were a hideous outfit that would miss the playoffs. But I certainly didn't see them beating the Los Angeles Lakers. Maybe: 1) The ... More >>

Wizards 102, Mavwrecks 91: My Top 10 Observations

​10. There was some good news out of the Dallas Mavericks' hideous 102-91 loss to the Washington Wizards last night at American Airlines Center. Bruce Hornsby - a long-time buddy of head coach Rick Carlisle - played a stirring National Anthem on the piano. (But, dude, he has the limpest/wimpi ... More >>

Happy Basketball! Do You Believe in These Dallas Mavericks?

Dirk looks excited about the season. You?​Last time we saw our Dallas Mavericks it wasn't pretty was ugly. Jason Terry was flopping (only 15 points per game), the defense was floundering (surrendering 115 per game) and owner Mark Cuban was flapping (his gums at Kenyon Martin's mom) in ... More >>

Whitt's End: 10.23.09

​Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Last night I got a foot massage. By a guy. And thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, now. Settle down. It's not what you think. Friend of mine tells me of a place where at 11 p.m. you can get an hour-l ... More >>

Mark Cuban: Super Bowl or Bust?

​It wasn't exactly as declarative as when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones injected his all-or-nothing expectations into the season a month ago, but Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes his team is as good - actually, better - than the one that went to the NBA Finals in 2006. "The ... More >>

And Now ... Introducing ... Your Dallas Mavericks! At the AAC's Open-Mike Night.

If this picture were at all legible, you'd see Donnie Nelson sitting at the table where wanna-be Humble Billys took their best shots yesterday.​So, yeah, I was only kidding, far as you know, when I mentioned that, oh, maybe I'd try out for The Voice of The American Airlines Center. As you're no do ... More >>

Gooden-Uff

Done Deals? Your 2009-10 Dallas Mavericks

The missing link? Or merely the last move?​Well, after yesterday's signing of 3-point shooting specialist Tim Thomas I think the Dallas Mavericks are finished with their significant off-season moves. Of course, at points during the summer I also thought Marcin Gortat was coming, Brandon Bas ... More >>

Your 2009-10 Dallas Mavericks?!

I's aren't dotted. T's aren't crossed. Some negotiations aren't finished. Others haven't even started. But let's assume smooth sailing and peer into the crystal basketball. With the Dallas Mavericks eyeing Shawn Marion, this could be their opening-night roster: Point Guard: Jason Kidd/ J.J. Bar ... More >>

Can the Mavs Draft Their Way Back Into Contention?

Danny Bollinger After him, Dallas' draft history this decade gets really bad really quick.As we prepare to watch the Lakers turn the Thuggets (L.A. in 7) into mere mortals in the Western Conference Finals, let's ponder what the Mavs can do to get back into the NBA's final four. *Re-sign Jaso ... More >>

The Son and the Suns