Dallas won twice and lost five times over the last two weeks. Their record is 35-38, a half-game back of 10th place in the Western Conference. The wins came at home against Detroit (123-121) and in Brooklyn (120-101), and the losses came in San Antonio (126-116), Houston (133-96), and New York (128-113), and at home against Philadelphia (130-125) and Indiana (135-131). P.J. Washington returned from his ankle injury against the 76ers and Anthony Davis made his return against the Nets. Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford continued to be shelved with no timetable for their return.
Grade: B-
From a fan’s perspective, what the Mavericks are trying to accomplish this season is incredibly confusing. They have a non-trivial increase in lottery odds at stake if they move down in the standings, but they have shown no signs of tanking (other than the entire team getting hurt). From the players’ perspective, winning is the only option. Players will never tank, and if you did not believe that before, the Mavericks have proved that over this weird stretch. They think they have a chance in the playoffs if they get there. True or not, that is a great mindset for a team to have.
Most of the games they had played were just basketball. Meaning, there were no real takeaways because the guys they had available did not resemble the team they would be if they ever got healthy. However, this changed when Anthony Davis came back and started at the four with Kai Jones masquerading as a center. This allowed P.J. Washington to play the three, which is what Dallas wants to do. They want to go uber-big and, although it was against Brooklyn, it looked good. Davis and Jones had a nice two-man game inside, and the vision was clear defensively.
Normally, a 2-5 half-month would warrant a grade lower than a B-. However, the team just plays its butt off every night and we finally got a pseudo-real lineup with Anthony Davis. Watching this team and how the players carry themselves makes it clear how much they care about the fans, so it is hard not to bump them a grade letter for their passion and heart.
Straight A’s: P.J. Washington
Washington has been averaging nearly 25 points and 6 rebounds per game since returning from an injury last week. Throughout the roster turnover, he has been the identity of this team. The Mavericks look different when he plays and right now he is the engine that makes them go. In his four games since returning, he is 8-for-19 on threes, which is a great sign. The shot is the aspect of his game most concerning, but when it falls, he looks like a legitimate offensive threat. This, coupled with his elite size and defensive instincts, makes him an awesome player and one that Dallas would be in its best interest to keep going forward.
Currently Failing: Organizational Hubris
Around a month ago, I wrote about how the Mavericks’ brass simply had to stop talking. With situations as fragile as the one Dallas is in, releasing weekly comments to reconcile the fan base is a move with poor judgment. The comments in March have been kept to a minimum, and although the team has been hurt and bad, rooting for the guys who played hard was a little easier. Then, during the game against the Knicks Tuesday, the Mavericks broadcast interviewed Dallas CEO Rick Welts. He had this to say:
"Time, wins & losses will tell whether it was a good or bad deal. I'm gonna promise to our fans right now whatever trust we've lost…we're gonna earn it back because we're gonna do this the right way and win championships"
–– Mavs CEO Rick Welts on the Mavs-Knicks broadcast pic.twitter.com/TVUxRv5skq
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 26, 2025
What the Mavericks’ authority has displayed for just under two months has proved on a deeper level than basketball that they have no idea what the city of Dallas wants. Nico Harrison was hired in 2021. Patrick Dumont bought the Mavericks in 2023, during the middle of Dallas’ best season since 2011. Dumont hired Rick Welts in 2024, bringing the total organizational experience for Dallas’ decision-makers to a total of just under six years. For reference, Luka Doncic played in a Dallas uniform longer than the time the people who traded him away have spent in Dallas combined.
I could list a million things showing the incompetence and naivety of Dumont, Welts, and Harrison over the last 60 days. However, Rick Welts, a man in a position with little to no influence on basketball operations, dares to speak from an opposing team’s arena on the Mavericks’ broadcast about winning back fans. He cites championships and “getting to know the ownership” as reasons why the fan base will eventually warm up to them. This level of ignorance is almost unprecedented. The unmitigated gall of a brass circle to let their newest member speak publicly while the people who signed off on the deal that broke the city is something I cannot wrap my head around. As an MFFL, we don’t want your explanations, we don’t want your hypothetical championship talk, and we certainly do not want to hear Rick Welts give us whatever it is you want to spew. What we wanted was Luka Doncic, so please just use your right to remain silent.
Extra Credit: Anthony Davis
Davis returned Monday night after he pushed hard to come back this season, even though getting surgery is likely his best option. For reference, Damian Lillard had a similar injury in 2021-22, got surgery in January of 2022, and then jumped from 24 to 32 points per game in 58 games the season after. Davis has maintained throughout his tenure here that he cares deeply about reconnecting the fans with the players and doing what it takes to win. It is an honorable stance, and it matters that it matters to him. The games have been bleak and the thoughts about the future are even bleaker, but at least watching Anthony Davis makes this suck a little less.