- [Narrator] Nobody expected the Dallas Mavericks
to be here in 2011.
They'd been doubted since
they blew a 2-0 finals lead in 2006
and then developed a pattern
of good regular seasons followed by early playoff exits.
But the 2011 squad broke the mold.
There's Dirk Nowitzki the guy they said was soft,
couldn't create his own shots
and wasn't a strong leader standing as the finals MVP.
They said, Jason Terry wasn't clutch in the playoffs
and I mean, we all ridiculed him
for getting a Larry O'Brien trophy tattoo
before the trophy itself,
but he came up huge,
including what can only be described
as a very clutch shot over LeBron in the final minute
of game five, with the series tied 2-2.
At age 38, Jason Kidd was a steady leader
throughout the finals who dared scientists
to kidnap him and study
how he defied the ravages of age.
In the front office there was GM Donnie Nelson trying
to shake off his father's shadow
and Mark Cuban regarded as a distraction at best,
but the suits proved savvy, compiling a team
of versatile, selfless veterans.
Deshawn Stevenson shot 57%
from three point land in the finals,
defensive specialist Shawn Marion kept LeBron
from taking over
and speedy JJ Barea started
the last three games providing a necessary offensive spark.
Coach Rick Carlisle strove to have the best zone D
in the league
and it was new addition, Tyson Chandler,
who made it possible.
With him protecting the rim everything clicked.
Offensively Chandler was enough of a threat
to free Dirk in the double team
plus his attitude
and leadership qualities made him the spirit of the team.
This underestimated group of veterans won the NBA finals
and what's the only thing better than winning,
winning when everyone doubted you,
take that world Dallas is your new champion, opponents quiver
in your basketball shoes for Dallas does not plan
to relinquish power anytime soon.
Oh, oh wait,
just check my notes
actually it seems some of them did plan
to relinquish power right away.
(soft music)
The Maverick's front office decided not
to try for the two-peat.
They looked beyond the 2011-2012 season
to the big name free agents
who would be available in the summer
and even the summer after that.
They decided to make as much cap space as possible,
which meant losing JJ Barea and Deshawn Stevenson
to free agency and Tyson Chandler
in a sign and trade move.
As Donnie Nelson insultingly put it,
"if you want to re-sign those guys,
then you aren't gonna have a chance
at the big boys this summer".
A few factors dictated their strategy.
First, the 2011 lockout resulted
in a new collective bargaining agreement.
Second, considering their all-stars were getting older
a new face of the franchise would be necessary
sooner rather than later.
To avoid the appearance
of completely throwing away
their reigning championship season
Dallas signed Vince Carter
and acquired Lamar Odom through a trade exception.
Carlisle seemed happy to think this
wasn't a throw away season,
but he might've been ignoring some red flags.
Lamar Odom was plagued by personal problems
that almost caused him to take a break from basketball
but instead he joined the Mavs.
He played poorly, and in his autobiography,
he admitted he didn't put forth his best effort.
The outspoken Cuban wasn't shy
about his feelings toward Odom
and after a locker room argument
between the two, the Mavs deactivated Lamar Odom.
Dallas finished the regular season barely above .500.
They managed to land the 7th seed in the playoffs,
not what you'd expect to be as reigning champs,
but don't feel too bad right now
'cause then you'll have nowhere to go
when I tell you what happened next.
They got swept by OKC.
The Mavericks defense sorely missed Tyson Chandler
with nobody to protect the rim,
the Thunder, James harden in particular,
had just a wonderful time in the paint.
Meanwhile, Chandler won defensive player
of the year over with the Knicks, just saying.
Blame fell to Cuban. Seems Donnie Nelson
was also at fault as co-architect of the cap-space strategy,
but it's easier to focus hatred toward one guy,
especially when that guy says stuff like
"when I die,
I wanna come back as myself".
The 2012 offseason provided a chance for Cuban
to redeem himself by landing one of those shiny free agents
he sacrificed Chandler for.
The Mavs wanted Texas native Daron Williams,
but they were overconfiden.t Neither Cuban nor Nowitzki went
to the pitch meeting with Williams.
Feeling slighted, Williams turned Dallas down.
Cuban saved face by starting a mini feud with him
in the press.
Meanwhile, they lost Jason Terry to free agency.
Terry got a solid offer from the Celtics
and Dallas wouldn't match it.
They had to keep cap space
for next summer's free agents after all.
They also lost Jason Kidd to free agency
but this one you can't really blame Dallas for.
Kidd and the Mavs verbally agreed to a three year, nine
and a half million dollar deal
but later that day Kidd decided to go
to the Knicks for the same amount of money.
He felt the Knicks had more potential.
Dallas didn't have time to nurse their hurt feelings
they still had to put a roster together.
Nelson and Cuban signed a bunch of guys
to one year contracts.
That way they could maintain
that precious cap room come summer
while giving Dirk some decent co-stars,
including a few former all-stars.
O.J. Mayo actually had a two year contract with an opt-out,
but everyone expected him
to take the opt-out.
Problems emerged in the regular season.
Dirk had surgery over the summer and missed a bunch
of games recovering.
The young backcourt duo of Mayo
and Collison wasn't effective.
So at the end of November, the Mavs picked up Derek Fisher
to be the new Jason Kidd.
But after just nine games Fisher asked to be released
he was a little hurt
and was having a hard time being away
from his family back in LA.
Cuban released him, a bummer
but what are you going to do?
Probably get super mad
when two months later Fisher signs with the Thunder.
OKC is about as far from LA as Dallas, but whatever.
Dallas didn't even make the playoffs this season.
Okay, summer 2013, AKA the summer we've been waiting for
the one year contract guys and Mayo got out
of the way and it was time to sign some big boys.
First up Chris Paul, oh, never mind.
Now it's all about Dwight Howard.
This time they took recruiting seriously,
Cuban and Dirk attended the pitch meeting, for example.
But problem is, a team that didn't make the playoffs
isn't that much of a hook.
And Dallas isn't that glamorous a city compared to LA
or New York, or I guess Houston
where Dwight ended up.
But unlike last summer,
the Mavs had a plan B.
They secured Jose Calderon at point,
Sam Dalembert at center
and Monta Ellis in the two position.
Plus they still had Shawn Marion, and of course Dirk.
With a more than decent looking roster
Cuban said he was actually glad he didn't get Dwight Howard.
They're better off, who even cares
about Dwight Howard anyway.
The improved summer yielded an improved season.
Jose Calderon provided a deep threat,
which opened things up for Dirk, who played well.
And Monta Ellis proved to be a valuable acquisition.
With a record of 49 and 33
the Mavs slipped into the playoffs as the 8th seed.
Against the defending Western conference champions Spurs,
everyone predicted the Mavs demise
and even saw a potential for a sweep.
But Rick Carlisle had other plans.
Utilizing a fluid lineup,
a run and gun offense, and a swarming defense
that saw Shawn Marion all over the court,
the Mavs took the Spurs to seven games.
They absolutely crushed them in game two
and in game three, 37 year old Vince Carter
told the world not
to count out old guys, bench players
or the Dallas Mavericks
by hitting a last second three-pointer
to win the game by one.
(crowd cheers)
- [Commentator] Yes, yes do you believe it?
Vince Carter gets it done for the Mavericks.
- [Narrator] While they eventually lost game seven
and were eliminated in the first round yet again,
this time it wasn't so shameful.
They gave the Spurs their hardest series on the way
to the title. And Pop had nothing
but praise for the team
that almost upset him.
For the 2015 season Dirk took a pay cut
to free up some cash
and Cuban said he planned to swing for the fences
in free agency.
The Mavs went for Melo.
To help entice him
and perhaps to beg forgiveness from fans, 219 t0:08:16,590 --> 00:08:18,900 They got Tyson Chandler back in a six player deal
with the Knicks.
It soon became more and more clear that Melo
was not coming
so Dallas made moves.
It was announced via nightclub photo
that Chandler Parsons signed an offer sheet with Dallas.
Not only was Parsons a very cool dude
he had potential to both contribute now
and perhaps be a successor to Dirk as the face
of the franchise.
Cuban certainly liked him and made it seem like Parsons
was more of a plan A.
Adding Chandler demoted Shawn Marion to the bench,
a free agent himself, he left for Cleveland.
Despite losing Marion
the Mavs actually ended up with more
of the 2011 squad than last year with Dirk, Tyson, Chandler
and they got fan favorite JJ Barea back.
Early in the season,
the Mavs had one of the best offenses in the league.
36 year old Dirk was playing less minutes,
but Monta Ellis was stepping up
as the team's leading score.
It was the first time Dallas had a leading score other
than Dirk since 2000.
They looked capable of making a playoff run,
but there was some question as to how deep they could go.
So Cuban traded for Rondo.
Mavs love a veteran PG, what can they say?
Hopes were high,
with Rondo betting markets went from 16 to one
Mavs winning the finals to eight to one.
But Rondo's kind of,
let's just say he didn't fit
into the Mavs system.
He and Carlisle butted heads.
Carlisle sometimes benched him in the fourth quarter.
And once in a rather visible sideline argument,
Rondo asked Carlisle,
"why the (beep) did you bring me here"?
In the playoffs against Houston
things only got worse.
Parsons had been battling an injury and only played
in game one, which was a 10 point loss.
And in game two's 12 point loss, Rondo really didn't fit
in with the Mavs system.
He got a back court violation,
perhaps on purpose to make some sort of point.
And he was super aggressive with James Harden,
picking up a bunch of fouls and a tech.
Carlisle was through, he benched Rondo
for all but 10 minutes of the game.
Then the Mavs claimed he had a back injury
and didn't play him for the rest of the series.
Dallas avoided a sweep with a game four win,
but that's not much to hang your hat on.
Plus they don't give out celebratory hats
that say "not swept 2015".
The off season saw more of the same.
Literally. The Mavs again,
let Tyson Chandler go with the goal
of a big name free agent.
This time they wanted Deandre Jordan.
It seems the Mavs learned nothing from the past,
while Chandler learned to be a less optimistic person.
Oh, and Dallas last Monta Ellis too.
In fact, they didn't even contact
their leading score during free agency.
But maybe it was worth it
because Deandre Jordan,
the league's leading rebounder, verbally agreed
to a four year deal with the Mavericks.
The plan Cuban attempted
to put in place in 2011 finally worked.
Sure, Jordan hadn't changed his Twitter profile
to say he was a Maverick
But maybe he forgot his password or something.
Now is the time to celebrate,
not worry about the little things. An elated
and relieved Cuban told the press Dallas would have tanked
if they hadn't signed Jordan.
But now? What's the opposite of tanking>
Blasting off to new heights?
The Mavs were poised to blast off
to new heights-- oh crap.
A few days later Jordan backed out of the deal.
With some ...influence... from the Clippers,
Deandre changed his mind and decided to stay in LA.
The gold in Mark Cuban's hands turned to dust.
And then he breathed in that dust by accident
and coughed until he threw up.
And who could have guessed
the 2015-2016 season was a bummer.
Chandler Parsons solidified his total-bust status
for the Mavs
when a torn meniscus ended his season.
Dallas faced OKC in the playoffs,
but injuries dictated the Mavs lineup instead
of Carlisle's decisions.
They narrowly won game two
after a review canceled Steven Adams' put-back.
which is lucky because that saved them from being swept.
They were eliminated four games to one.
That summer Dallas picked up Harrison Barnes
and Andrew Bogut from Golden State.
But why were those guys available?
Because the Warriors had landed Kevin Durant and needed
to make cap space.
In other words, the Warriors demonstrated how
to first secure an elite free agent,
and then make cap room.
I wonder if the Mavs could have ever done things
in that order..?
Anyway, the 2016-17 season started off rough.
Nowitzki's achilles had been bothering him
since training camp.
He played in five of Dallas's first 19 games
before officially hitting the injured list.
By December, Dallas had the second worst record in the NBA.
Andrew Bogut said "we probably have a month left
to salvage the season".
And Carlisle was like,
"whoa, Andrew Bogut thinks
this season is salvageable?! Nice".
Dirk eventually came off the injured list,
but it was too late.
Dallas finished with a record of 33 and 49
and missed the playoffs completely.
It was the worst season since Mark Cuban took over the team.
Nowitzki remained loyal to the Mavs
for his last two seasons in the NBA.
And while both seasons saw losing records
and no playoffs,
Nowitzki's legacy still stands as tall as he does.
The 2011 Dallas Mavericks scratched and clawed their way
to the top of the mountain
but they did not pitch a tent and stay a while.
Instead they immediately peered over the edge and said,
"wow, look how high up we are, let's jump
and assume an elite free agent will catch us".
And whether it was poor recruiting,
performing so badly
nobody wanted to join, or some light kidnapping leading
to a reneged deal,
an elite free agent never saved them.
But that just shines a light on what was
so special about the 2011 Mavericks.
They didn't rely on one star
to save them.
Yes, there's Dirk Nowitzki a definite star,
but he didn't win the title alone.
It was a team effort.
They won together. And Dallas collapsed alone.