The Dallas Mavericks will always have an incentive to face off against the team with the best record in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors. This Thursday, they will be playing with a little extra motivation.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki will have his jersey retired after this highly anticipated showdown at the American Airlines Arena. You can catch the festivities on NBA League Pass at 8:30 AM.
Nowitzki, who retired from the NBA as the sixth-leading scorer in history, is more than worthy of this moment. He played all 21 seasons in the NBA with the Mavericks, and helped deliver the franchise’s only championship back in 2011 against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat.
Along the way, Dirk became an icon, revolutionizing what it meant to be a big man in the NBA. His 3-point stroke and one-legged fadeaway were unheard of when he was drafted in 1998 but have become the blueprint for so many players who have entered the league since then.
Count current Mavericks star Luka Doncic as a fan who watched Dirk blossom into an NBA superstar. “"Everybody has the highest respect for him, the highest everything,” Doncic said. “They just enjoyed watching him play. In Europe, too. Especially the kids. They grow up in Europe, they know Dirk. Everybody from Europe follows Dirk, so he got respect from everybody."
The anticipation will definitely be for the post-game ceremonies, but the Mavericks have a lot of work to do before that.
Looking to play the role of spoiler are the Warriors, who are entering the game atop the NBA leaderboard with a 29-7 record. They are fresh from a victory over the Miami Heat led by third-year guard Jordan Poole’s 32 points. He made up for a rare offnight from superstar Steph Curry, who only accounted for nine points.
The Warriors have shown the ability to win with players in and out of their lineups, and with news that Klay Thompson and James Wiseman are set to rejoin soon, Golden State could be primed to go on another winning binge.
Can the Mavericks hold off the Dubs on Dirk Day, or will Steph and company spoil the celebration?
