This “Finals Rematch” Now Comes with Air Quotes
Greetings, fellow Mavericks fan. Let’s be real—neither of us particularly wants to be here right now. Yet, here I am writing this preview, and here you are reading it. Strange, isn’t it? Well, since we’re here, let’s make the best of it and vent while we break this down.
A Finals Rematch, with a Dagger Dangling in the Back
The fallout from Patrick Dumont approving Nico Harrison’s impulsive decisions has transformed frustration into a cosmic-level anomaly. The Mavericks, reigning Western Conference champions, never got the proper Finals rematch they deserved.
This season has been riddled with injuries, illnesses, and suspensions—roadblocks that prevented this roster from reaching its full potential. Yet, despite these setbacks, there was hope that the Mavericks could push their way out of the play-in and become the team no one wanted to face. The experience from last year’s Finals loss, coupled with the team being underestimated, could have led to something special.
But we’ll never know how that story would have unfolded. Instead, the season’s trajectory was cut short by the most devastating breaking news in Mavericks history. Rather than watching their franchise player return against the Celtics—or at least knowing his return was imminent—fans are left witnessing a constantly shifting lineup as Nico Harrison seemingly plays real-life 2K with the trade restrictions turned off.
While the Celtics dominated the Finals, that didn’t mean another showdown would have played out the same way. Win or lose, this Mavericks team—including Luka Dončić—deserved the opportunity to find out.
The Luka and KP Era Feels Like Ancient History
Kristaps Porziņģis has found his ideal role in Boston, adding an extra layer of dominance to an already elite Celtics squad. They can win without him, but when he’s healthy and firing, they reach another level—something the Mavericks painfully learned in Game 1 of the Finals. With Porziņģis available once again, he has another chance to remind Dallas what they lost.
It’s almost nostalgic to recall the excitement when Porziņģis arrived in 2019, a move that was supposed to form one of the best on-paper duos in the league. Injuries and chemistry issues derailed that vision, but it’s intriguing to imagine a world where the Dončić-Porziņģis pairing thrived without those obstacles.
Given how fluid the NBA landscape is, their paths could cross again in the future. If that sounds far-fetched, just remember how unlikely it seemed that Dorian Finney-Smith and Luka Dončić would reunite—yet here we are.
Championships Are Overrated
Great players who never win a championship often face the unfair perception that their careers are incomplete. Meanwhile, role players who happened to be in the right place at the right time can retire with multiple rings. This cruel irony exists across all sports.
Consider football: Dan Marino was undoubtedly a better quarterback than Trent Dilfer, but by the ring count alone, the narrative tells a different story.
This is why Dirk Nowitzki had to retreat to the Mavericks’ locker room in 2011, overwhelmed with emotion. He knew that was likely his only chance at a title. In an instant, he went from being one of the greatest players to never win a championship to an all-time legend. It’s an unforgiving system, with just one team succeeding each season while the rest are deemed failures.
Franchises with stacked trophy cases, like the Boston Celtics with their 18 championships, can wear their success like a badge of honor. Those banners will loom over tonight’s game as the Mavericks take the floor.
Throughout the game, my mind will drift to Nico Harrison’s disastrous press conference. “The pain will stop when the winning begins,” he claimed, as if a deep playoff run—or even a championship—would be enough to mend the wounds. But Mavericks fans are not like those in Boston or Los Angeles. Many would rather endure losses with Luka Dončić than win without him—a sentiment WFAA’s Jonah Javad captured perfectly.
Harrison remains defiant despite the overwhelming backlash, confident in his vision as he reshapes the roster. But if his gamble succeeds and the Mavericks somehow end up celebrating a championship, some of us will still quietly echo the words of Switch from The Matrix:“Not like this.”
