In 2011 the Mavericks were coming off a disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Spurs.
In 2015 the Mavericks are coming off a disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Spurs.
In 2011 they were led by Mark Cuban and Rick Carlisle off the court, and by Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea on it.
In 2015 they are led by Mark Cuban and Rick Carlisle off the court, and by Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea on it.
In 2011 the Mavs were banking on a go-for-broke trade for veteran point guard Jason Kidd to lead them to a championship.
In 2015 the Mavs are banking on a go-for-broke trade for veteran point guard Rajon Rondo to lead them to a championship.
In 2011 they made a late-season acquisition to bolster their playoff run, signing veteran Peja Stojakovic.
In 2015 they made a late-season acquisition to bolster their playoff run, signing veteran Amar’e Stoudemire.
In 2011 a 32-year-old Nowitzki averaged 23 points per game driving to the basket and was on his way to an NBA Finals MVP.
In 2015 a 36-year-old Nowitzki averages 17 points per game as jump-shooting, second-option Robin to Monta Ellis’ Batman.
Sorry, the similarities in seasons won’t run all the way to a parade in June.
Though these Mavs – like those Mavs – will enter next month’s playoffs as severe underdogs to win two series, much less win the title, there are too many major differences for fans to get giddy about potential blueprint summer surprise.
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Four springs ago the Mavs had a fresher Dirk, a player in Jason Terry who could create his own shot at the end of shot-clocks, and two defensive demons in Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson. That team went on a torrid 17-1 stretch early in the season to jump out a 24-5 record, and produced winning streaks of 12, 10 and 8 games en route to a 57-25 record.
This year the Mavs started 19-8, but in December made a drastic, urgent, win-now trade for Rondo. Though Chandler is just as nasty in the middle as he was in 2011, this team doesn’t have a defensive stopper and Rondo still hasn’t messed with free-flowing offensive weapons Ellis and Chandler Parsons. Since the trade the Mavs are only 26-21 and their longest winning streak is six.
In 2011 the Mavs, though seeded third, were the unanimous pick to be upset in the first round by the Blazers. After surviving that series in six games, they shocked the league by sweeping the Lakers without home-court advantage and then rolling past the Thunder and Heat.
In 2015 the Mavs will likely begin the playoffs as the 7th seed. At this point, just seems it’s too much to ask for a team with too many flaws to win three series on the road just to get out of the tough Western Conference.
A run to the title this year would be more shocking than the one out of the blue in 2011. But it’s fun to dream, isn’t it?
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
