While the Mavericks of 2024 fell into an abyss from which nobody has ever escaped, the Mavericks of 2011 got together on Wednesday night to celebrate the 13th anniversary of their championship win at Miami.
It was June 12, 2011, when Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, J.J. Barea and the rest of the gang pulled off the stunner in Game 6 against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Heat.
The most famous of Mavericks’ alumni met in a suite at American Airlines Center and soaked up the atmosphere of Game 3 of the Finals between the new Mavericks and the Boston Celtics.
“It’s crazy man,” Barea said. “This brings all the memories back in one day. You see the fans and hear the crowd, all the good times are back real quick. And then you see your teammates from that year, it’s crazy.
“When you start talking to the guys, walking into this building, it seems like yesterday. The good times, you don’t forget them. Everything comes back.”
Also on hand were Brian Cardinal, Caron Butler, Tyson Chandler and Corey Brewer.
And one thing was apparent while talking to the retired Mavs. They are all major fans of the group that is following in their footsteps.
Even as the Mavericks were falling into a 3-0 hole in the Finals with a 106-99 loss on Wednesday night at AAC, the champions appreciated what this season has been.
“Their grit is something special,” Marion said. “This is a special group that’s playing right now. Anything’s possible. It ain’t over with. It’s a seven-game series.”
Asked about what this Mavs’ team has in common with the 2011 squad, Terry said he can relate to what Kyrie Irving went through, struggling in the first two games and then coming back with a strong Game 3.
“It’s very similar to when I was in the Finals the second time and I didn’t play well in the first two games,” he said. “And then I put it on myself and my teammates were looking at me like, hey, you got to deliver. And he’s doing a very similar thing. He’s showing up (Irving had 35 points in Game 3). Hopefully he comes through. He’s a legend, a hall of fame player and for them to win, he has to play well.”
Terry also believes that the Mavericks might be going through some growing pains.
“It’s tough. I had an opportunity to go through it and lose it (in the 2006 Finals),” Terry said. “Kyrie’s been through it, but nobody else has. So that experience alone that they’re going through now, nerves, jitters, opening up in Boston. Now you come home. The expectations, digging out of an 0-2 hole, that’s tough to do. So they feel the pressure.”
Marion agreed that the Mavericks are learning a lot during this playoff run.
“A lot of sacrifice. That’s what it is,” he said. “And you got to really come together. One of the things you can’t sense is something that goes on in that locker room. It’s a feeling that those players have when you know you’re about to do something special. You couldn’t care less what the outside noise is.
“You’re trying to block that stuff out and focus on what you need to do. You got family, friends, everybody coming in. Everybody wants to be along for the ride, but you got to find a way to balance it. It’s not easy. Ain’t nothing easy. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.”
The championship group in particular could sympathize with Luka Dončić, who fouled out in Game 3.
There already have been comparisons of Dončić to Nowitzki. But that’s an unfair analogy, Marion said.
“Luka’s special. He’s in a lane of his own,” Marion said. “Dirk is Dirk. He got a statue in front of the building. Dirk’s my guy. Luka’s my guy, too. But we got to stop comparing guys and appreciate the lanes they’re moving in right now.
“He’s doing something that not many people have been able to do at his age. (We need) to sit here and enjoy it, be in awe of it. I’m excited to be here. This is great basketball, the biggest stage ever and this is what it’s all about.”
X-factor: Kristaps Porzingis missed the game with a leg injury that he suffered in Game 2.
In his place, the Celtics went with Xavier Tillman, who played his first 3½ seasons with Memphis before being traded to the Celtics before the February deadline this season.
“He played in the Western Conference and so he’s played against the Mavs,” Celtics’ coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Memphis has used a similar game plan, so he was used to that. I thought with that comfort level of playing against those guys for so long, he was going to be able to execute the things that we needed to execute.
“I thought he did a great job in our switching and did a great job in our screening, getting into our spacing.”
The 6-8 Tillman hit his only shot, a three-pointer, and had four rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes. The Celtics were plus-nine when Tillman was on the floor.
He said this type of moment was something he prepared for through the years. He went from playing as a rookie at Memphis to being out of the rotation, then back in as a starter because of injuries last season.
And his third-quarter three-pointer was big as it came during a 24-11 run to close out the period that put the Celtics up 85-70.
“I knew that when I saw Maxi Kleber go to the block, that I was going to shoot, regardless,” Tillman said. “And then their bench was talking. So it was cool to hit it and be able to look at the bench as well. But to hear the bench going crazy on our end – those are my guys.
“Each day-in, day-out, we go to war with each other to try to better each other to be ready for whoever’s name gets called. So for them to celebrate with me is pretty cool.”
Briefly: While he wasn’t on the 2011 championship team, Mavericks’ legend Steve Nash was on hand to watch Game 3 and he spent time catching up with many members of the title team . . . Barea, by the way, flew in from Puerto Rico to take part in the 2011 reunion Wednesday. He said he has no plans – for now – to move back to Dallas. “I moved to Puerto Rico full time,” he said. “I’m coaching in the pro league in Puerto Rico, I’m a head coach. I got three kids so I’m enjoying them. Just golfing, pickleball and boating and the beach.” So no plans to return to Dallas? “Not for now. In the future, yeah. But for now, I want to enjoy my kids, get better at coaching and maybe later on, we’ll see.” . . . Marion said he’s not surprised at all that Jason Kidd is coaching the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. “It was written in stone,” Marion said. “He was a coach before (as a player). He’s a genius. He makes the game easy. (When we were playing), he told me to go ahead and go. He basically gave me the keys to the car and I didn’t even know how to drive yet. But he’s special.”
X: @ESefko
Share and comment