I expect Dirk to play 10-15 min.
Nash attended a game last week and said on the air that he couldn't make it to last night's game due to other work/family stuff.TheMasterplan said:
Epic sendoff. Damn Mark Cuban did a great job.
Thought Steve Nash would be there as well.
Hoping Pop and Duncan saw a few words tonight too.
Jake asked last night on the post-game show whether it's tougher for someone who was a long-time Mavs fan who has clear memories of the pre-Dirk era, or for someone who only remembers the Mavs with Dirk. As someone who has strong memories of going to games in the late 80's with the original scrappy team that took the Showtime Lakers to 7, it's a no-brainer, and you proved that. Losing something that's all you've ever known is tough.M.C. Swag said:
Last night was amazing. I'm still sorting through the emotions and part of me is desperately wishing for this all to be a bad dream and that I'll wake up any second and Dirk is nowhere close to RETIREMENT. The man has been in my life since I was 9 years old. I don't have a single basketball memory without him. Basketball is my favorite sport. Dirk is my favorite athlete. Those two have been married together for my entire cognitive life. How did 21 years feel this fleeting?
21 years! We will never see anything like that again. EVER. In ANY sport.
No one was ever more deserving of a night like last night than Dirk. Mavs basketball will never be the same.
mavsfan4ever said:
Huge coin flip for grizzlies.
M.C. Swag said:
Last night was amazing. I'm still sorting through the emotions and part of me is desperately wishing for this all to be a bad dream and that I'll wake up any second and Dirk is nowhere close to RETIREMENT. The man has been in my life since I was 9 years old. I don't have a single basketball memory without him. Basketball is my favorite sport. Dirk is my favorite athlete. Those two have been married together for my entire cognitive life. How did 21 years feel this fleeting?
21 years! We will never see anything like that again. EVER. In ANY sport.
No one was ever more deserving of a night like last night than Dirk. Mavs basketball will never be the same.
Where's the Manu And-1 highlight? LOLSports-Ag said:
Spurs with a tribute video.
The west needs some change.jeffdjohnson said:
The nostalgia makes me feel a bit sad that Dirk is leaving, but I would feel much worse if he wasn't passing the torch to Luka/Porzingis. He could have been passing the torch to DSJ/Wendell Carter. So instead of being sad that Dirk is heading out I am optimistic. It makes it easy to think about both when Dirk was at his greatest and the greatness that the Mavs can get back to in the next few years. In the DSJ/Carter scenario I would probably just be thinking about how Dirk was the worst player in the NBA this year and that there isn't much to be excited about next year. Dark thoughts.
It was a pretty fun start to the year. The Mavs played very well at home to start. I think next year the Mavs will be in the playoff mix and play great at the AAC. I don't think people appreciate how much change there is about to be in the Western Conference in the next three or so seasons. Consider this, only 3 of the WC all star selections will be under the age of 29 when next season starts. The teams and players that have run the West will be aging out over the next few years. I don't think the Mavs will be able to sign a superstar (KD, Kawahi, etc...) but should be able to find 2-3 starters (read shooters) that fit around Luka. Hopefully they don't hand out any dumb contracts.
Final thought is that the Mavs have a 6% chance at the number 1 pick. That is always a valuable pick but this year it has particular importance for the Mavs. It is hard to win a championship, there are 30 teams vying for this thing after all. But the Mavs have a 1 in 16 chance to pair Luka/Zion/Porzingis together for the next 10 years. That isn't just worth one championship. That is a dynasty. I'm not suggesting to hold your breath on that one, but it is in play.
Yeah...it was a nice ending.flashplayer said:
Dirk is an all time great. Glad I got to watch his entire career. Hope he has a wonderful life in retirement. Much respect from this old glory days Spurs fan.
I was yelling for him after that last shot. Very poetic way to end it knocking one down with a guy all over him.