Sunday, December 27, and I almost did not watch the Dallas Mavericks after their first two performances, when, to say the least, they did not live up to “expectations”—against the Phoenix Suns, losing by 4 points in a winnable game on 12/23/20, and especially when they lost by about six times that many points to the “King Lebron Lakers” about two days later…..and on the same court…..and without seeming to put up much of a “fight.”
However, they were playing a pretty “salty” L. A. Clippers team, Dallas’s opponent last season in the “play-offs” and a team most fans thought had played a “little dirty” in those playoffs! And a Dallas player or three admitted “remembering last season” and what had transpired!
Okay, to WHAT RECORD do the MAVERICKS now lay claim?
ANSWER: Handing out the most savage and stinging FIRST HALF pummeling in the 75 seasons of NBA history—and “taking it to” the Clippers from the first whistle of the opening half to the half-time buzzer: MAVERICKS—77 to CLIP-PERS—27. Yes, you read correctly. Dallas scored 77 points in the first half while holding Los Angeles to only 27 points!
This “new record” moves in front of the previous NBA record of a “47 points first half margin” (88—41), when Sacramento was “schooled” by Golden State in 11/2/91, quite a few years ago!
And during the 2nd half, when Coach Carlisle let all the team play, the final score was 124—73, a 51-points definite victory and the 2nd largest final margin in the 41 seasons of the Dallas Mavericks. 11/13/14 saw Dallas run over Philadelphia by a 53 total points accumulation in the only larger final margin.
Luka Doncic tossed in 24 points while also contributing 9 rebounds and 8 assists and only played 26 minutes! And Josh Richardson (finished with 21 points) and he each scored 13 points in the 1st quarter. Tim Hardaway, Jr., also had a good scoring night with 18 points.
When asked about this game and the season so far, Coach Carlisle had this to say: “We are a family, and we’ve got to keep each other accountable.” He was speaking not only of the players, but also of the coaching staff!
Dallas is now 1 win and 2 losses for the young season, but this game gives me hope that a stronger, more mature team is on the way, and it won’t hurt when a leading player from last year returns from the injured list— Kristaps Porzingis.
If you, like I, lament the changes allowed by the NBA that are so far from the original rule book, I recommend that you do what I am trying to do—forget what has changed for what seems to be worse and just enjoy the athleticism, tenacity, and speed of the “new game.”
And, how can you not like the impish, “excited child” grin of Luka Doncic, who is barely old enough to shave and still holding his own against and surpassing most of the “older men.”
And, if you have not seen a game, please tune in and watch the crowd’s most-loved player—BOBAN MARJANOVIC, a Serbian-born signee with a fair amount of professional experience and tremendous crowd appeal and love from his fellow teammates. At first glance, you will not believe he is a “for real” integral part of the team, but wait until you see what the “big guy” can do!
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