𝘿𝙊𝙉𝘾𝙄𝘾-𝙇𝙀𝘿 𝙈𝘼𝙑𝙎 𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙁𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝙄𝙉 𝙉𝘽𝘼 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔 𝙎𝙊 𝙁𝘼𝙍

 

Derek Lively, Luka Doncic

My seven years in the DFW Metroplex, cruising into Fort Worth each morning while listening to the squeaky-voiced Norm Hitztges talk sports, turned me into a MFFL(Mavs Fan for Life).

In those days, Norm kept talking about Don Nelson, Senior's trek to Germany to drink beer with the father of a young lad named Dirk Nowitzki and then convince Dirk to actually come to the U.S.

Certainly, I'm not the only one who watched every single game of Dirk's 21 year career.

But life, as they say, moves on.  

Dirk has retired. Both Don and Donnie Nelson have moved on and Dallas has a young team coached by NBA champion Jason Kidd.

The Mavs are led by another superstar, Slovenia's Luka Doncic, a professional basketballer from the age of 13, a Euro League champion at 16 and now the face of the Dallas Mavericks.

Joining Doncic in the back court is crafty and loquacious Kyrie Irving whose readily toned down his considerable game to complement Doncic.

There's also been considerable excitement around the play of 7'1" rookie center Derek Lively, a young man combining athleticism with a 7'7" wingspan and 9'4" reach.

Currently, the Mavs are one of only two undefeated teams in the NBA, but, more importantly, the Doncic-led team is closing out games convincingly, something last year's team failed to do.