2020-2021 Season thread

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by NeedlesKane

While on the topic of head coaches, how do you rank the coaches you've seen coach the Dallas Mavericks?

Coaches I remember:

Dick Motta (two stints)
Quinn Buckner
Jim Cleamons
Don Nelson
Avery Johnson
Rick Carlisle

I know there are 3 other head coaches, but I had to look them up...

Here they are:

John MacLeod
Richie Adubato
Gar Heard

So we've had 9 head coaching changes but only 9 head coaches. Wonder how that relates to other organizations. Some rarely change their head coaches, but others do it regularly it seems.

1).Nelson (I think he just got burnt out)

2).Carlisle (Only based on the fact he won a Title)

3).Motta (This guy was very underrated in his 1st stint in Dallas. If only him and Aguirre could have gotten along)

4).Avery (I know he gets blamed for the debacle vs the Warriors changing up the lineup but I also think if the crooked refs hadn't stepped in doing the 2006 finals Avery would have won the Mavs 1st championship. He was a victim of Cuban not being liked by the officials back then)

5).MacLeod (He was really laid back and I felt like he got the most out of those teams back in the late 80's they just couldn't get past the Lakers for that 2 year run they had and D.Harper had that boneheaded turnover that really cost the Mavs in one of those Lakers matchups)

[dirt_dobber]

agree with your rankings A+

Originally Posted by Dallas41

3).Motta (This guy was very underrated in his 1st stint in Dallas. If only him and Aguirre could have gotten along)

recalling the time he let an actual live tiger loose in a Mavs practice -

""Another night, during a road game against Golden State, Motta
was unhappy with Dallas's uninspired effort in the first half;
he persuaded that night's halftime act--a lion-and-tiger tamer--to
let him borrow the tiger just long enough to scare the apathy
out of his team. When Motta strode into the dressing room with
the big cat on a leash, some players were not amused. Guard Jim
Spanarkel nervously tried tiptoeing backward toward the shower
stalls, only to freeze when Motta commanded, "Don't! He'll just
corner you in there."
(story link)
https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/10/2...-youthful-mavs

[R28J]

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

agree with your rankings A+



recalling the time he let an actual live tiger loose in a Mavs practice -

""Another night, during a road game against Golden State, Motta
was unhappy with Dallas's uninspired effort in the first half;
he persuaded that night's halftime act--a lion-and-tiger tamer--to
let him borrow the tiger just long enough to scare the apathy
out of his team. When Motta strode into the dressing room with
the big cat on a leash, some players were not amused. Guard Jim
Spanarkel nervously tried tiptoeing backward toward the shower
stalls, only to freeze when Motta commanded, "Don't! He'll just
corner you in there."
(story link)
https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/10/2...-youthful-mavs

Thanks for posting this, that was a good read - down memory lane.

[washedklean77]

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

agree with your rankings A+



recalling the time he let an actual live tiger loose in a Mavs practice -

""Another night, during a road game against Golden State, Motta
was unhappy with Dallas's uninspired effort in the first half;
he persuaded that night's halftime act--a lion-and-tiger tamer--to
let him borrow the tiger just long enough to scare the apathy
out of his team. When Motta strode into the dressing room with
the big cat on a leash, some players were not amused. Guard Jim
Spanarkel nervously tried tiptoeing backward toward the shower
stalls, only to freeze when Motta commanded, "Don't! He'll just
corner you in there."
(story link)
https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/10/2...-youthful-mavs

This would have resulted in the end of Lebron James in the NBA.

So awesome!

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by washedklean77

This would have resulted in the end of Lebron James in the NBA.

So awesome!

Lebron would have teamed up with the Lion and Tiger to form a Big 3.

[Dallas41]

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

agree with your rankings A+



recalling the time he let an actual live tiger loose in a Mavs practice -

""Another night, during a road game against Golden State, Motta
was unhappy with Dallas's uninspired effort in the first half;
he persuaded that night's halftime act--a lion-and-tiger tamer--to
let him borrow the tiger just long enough to scare the apathy
out of his team. When Motta strode into the dressing room with
the big cat on a leash, some players were not amused. Guard Jim
Spanarkel nervously tried tiptoeing backward toward the shower
stalls, only to freeze when Motta commanded, "Don't! He'll just
corner you in there."
(story link)
https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/10/2...-youthful-mavs

That was a fantastic read

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

agree with your rankings A+



recalling the time he let an actual live tiger loose in a Mavs practice -

""Another night, during a road game against Golden State, Motta
was unhappy with Dallas's uninspired effort in the first half;
he persuaded that night's halftime act--a lion-and-tiger tamer--to
let him borrow the tiger just long enough to scare the apathy
out of his team. When Motta strode into the dressing room with
the big cat on a leash, some players were not amused. Guard Jim
Spanarkel nervously tried tiptoeing backward toward the shower
stalls, only to freeze when Motta commanded, "Don't! He'll just
corner you in there."
(story link)
https://vault.si.com/vault/1995/10/2...-youthful-mavs

Nice. I remember reading that article back in the day.

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by Dallas41

1).Nelson (I think he just got burnt out)

2).Carlisle (Only based on the fact he won a Title)

3).Motta (This guy was very underrated in his 1st stint in Dallas. If only him and Aguirre could have gotten along)

4).Avery (I know he gets blamed for the debacle vs the Warriors changing up the lineup but I also think if the crooked refs hadn't stepped in doing the 2006 finals Avery would have won the Mavs 1st championship. He was a victim of Cuban not being liked by the officials back then)

5).MacLeod (He was really laid back and I felt like he got the most out of those teams back in the late 80's they just couldn't get past the Lakers for that 2 year run they had and D.Harper had that boneheaded turnover that really cost the Mavs in one of those Lakers matchups)

Obviously most people would swap Carlisle and Nelson, and Maybe swap 4 and 5 but this is a good list. Nelson is my personal favorite. I also feel like Casey and Stotts deserve some honorable mentions.