Welcome to part three of our Dallas Mavericks (and NBA) 41-question countdown, which will take us to the cusp of the home stretch. Make sure to check out part one and part two if you haven’t already, and stay tuned for the final two parts coming soon. Rules recap – we are asking and answering 41 questions and inviting all of our readers to take part in their own answers via the comments section. Let’s get started with questions 21 through 12!
21. If you could draw one retired player from team history,
restore them to their prime years and put them on the current roster, who would you pick?
I won’t select Dirk Nowitzki, simply to keep it interesting and because the question specifies “current roster” which is frontcourt-heavy already. Instead, I will choose Steve Nash. Slotting in a two-time MVP at a current position of need would catapult this team.
20. If you could ask the owner, GM, or coach of your team just one question, who would you ask and what would the question be?
I would ask Nico Harrison for the true and full details of what led him to trade Luka Doncic.
19. Was the NBA better at the dawn of its “golden age” (late 1990’s to early 2000’s) or is it better now?
The “golden age.” The late 1990’s into the early 2000’s was a great blend of the last 50-plus years of basketball. The 1980’s were a bit under the radar, the game was a bit under-regulated, and there was a relative absence of the long ball. Currently, the game is a bit over-produced, probably lacks a bit in physicality (“let them play”), and relies too much on the three-pointer. The “golden age” was a nice balance between the two and introduced a new wave of stars (see: 1996 Draft) to go with some of the best veteran greats the sport has ever known. There was a bit more edginess, rivalries seemed to carry more genuine animosity and physical defense was still allowed and those things made the game better to me.
18. What movie title or plot best describes the Mavericks’ last season and why?
Apocalypse Now. Going from June 2024, to the franchise altering trade, to the staggering number and magnitude of injuries, it felt like the season neared the basketball equivalent of apocalyptic.
17. If you could look like the smartest sports fan in the universe by knowing the outcome of Maverick games before they were played, would you want to (and no, you can’t use the ability to bet on your team)?
No. It would take away from the drama and excitement of an event where unpredictability is one of the biggest appeals.
16. Name one play that doesn’t make a highlight reel, but that gets you excited as a fan of the game.
The seemingly lost art of taking a charge. Taking away a crowd-engaging dunk from the opponent, putting a foul on an opposing player and getting possession may be the most underrated play in the game. It can be a key factor in changing momentum and it’s too easy for players not to take advantage of.
15. You have a chance to draft an incredibly talented player, but he is a major headache off the court and very bad for your team’s community image. Do you do it?
No. We don’t have to look more than a few states in any direction to see the potential downside of this – player suspension, coaching changes, etc.
14. Would salaries directly based on statistical production (better production in a year equals higher salary) be a good or bad thing for the NBA?
Bad. Basketball is a team sport that is at its best when players are playing their role as a cohesive unit. This sort of salary arrangement would destroy the sport as everyone attempted to “get theirs” rather than play as a team. Plus you’d have worse players trying to do more at the expense of better players seeing the ball less, which would make the overall product worse.
13. Should the NBA season be longer or shorter or is it just right?
Just right. Games are spread out enough, every team has the chance to play every other team, teams generally have enough time to recover from (non-catastrophic) player injuries and each game tends to matter/not get lost in a shuffle of an endless grind.
12. Home court advantage: critical or overblown?
Circumstantial, but I’d generally lean toward critical. I’ll also offer that it cuts both ways. Many players have indicated they enjoy being the road team and find motivation in a hostile environment.
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