The Association: Dallas Mavericks

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First-Round Recap

April 19, 2018 | by NBA News

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(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Memphis Grizzlies

In a thrilling sudden-death match that went into OT and right down to the wire, it was the Mavericks who prevailed, coming out with a 99-97 win over the Grizzlies.

Despite shooting 40% from the field, Dallas managed to get to the foul line 23 times and making 22 of those attempts. Harrison Barnes was brilliant, scoring a team-high 32 points while John Wall racked up 26 points and 11 assists. However, it was not all great for Wall, who left briefly during the 4th quarter after landing awkwardly and appeared to have re-aggravated his ankle injury that he dealt prior to the game.

It was then that Memphis made their late comeback, taking the lead with 2 minutes left. Marc Gasol continued to bully Dallas' bigs, as he did during the regular season, posting 29 points and 15 rebounds. Mike Conley was also efficient, chipping in 15 points and dishing out 10 dimes.

Fortunately for Dallas, Wall returned to the game with 1:40 left and made a crucial bucket to tie the game, sending it into overtime. From there, he took control, scoring 5 of the Mavericks' 7 points.

Wall, whom is still bothered by his ankle injury, hopes to recover in time for the next round. "Yeah, it's a bit swollen right now. I'll probably feel the pain tomorrow but I'm going to play through it regardless. It's not something that will hold me back," Wall told reporters during his press conference.

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(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans

The Rockets merely avoided an upset, beating the Pelicans 88-86. James Harden led the team with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

As for the Pelicans, Anthony Davis scored a team-high 22 points and 12 rebounds however his efficient wasn't up to scratch, shooting 10-32, with credit to Clint Capela and the Rockets' bigs for containing Davis. Capela finished with 12 rebounds and 5 blocks for the night.

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(2) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves

The biggest surprise of the round, with Minnesota defeating the #2 seed, Portland, 120-114.

Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn combined for 23 assists while Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points and 12 rebounds. The T'Wolves were simply lights out, shooting 46-83 from the field and will now have a tough battle against the reigning Western Conference champions, Golden State Warriors.

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(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder

OKC fans have been drooling for this match-up ever since KD left and they finally got their shot - unfortunately, it was one to forget as the Warriors easily crushed the Thunder, 132-100.

With no Steph Curry due to injury, Kevin Durant was not playing around, finishing with 39 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists while Klay Thompson fared well with 32 points.

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(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Orlando Magic

With Kevin Love returning from injury that abruptly ended his regular season, the Cavaliers were in full-force, dismantling the Orlando Magic, 99-85.

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 39 points while LeBron, uncharacteristically, struggled with just 14 points (6-15 FG) and 5 turnovers.

Derrick Rose played well in his long awaited return back to the Playoffs, finishing with 23 points and 7 assists.

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(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Washington Wizards

One could argue that the Knicks really overachieved this season, nabbing the #2 seed, as it really showed in this match-up, falling to the Wizards, 74-98.

The Knicks were simply woeful, shooting just 29-82 and committing 23 turnovers.

Ricky Rubio led the way for the Wizards, coming off the bench and finishing with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists and 3 steals.

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(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons

Antetokounmpo's stellar season continues to surge as he carries the Bucks past the Pistons in a 104-88 victory.

The 'Greek-Freak' had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 3 steals while Greg Monroe supplied 21 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

As for the Pistons, they were simply flat tonight with Reggie Jackson the only reliable scorer with 21 points. Andre Drummond was in foul trouble for most of the night, finishing the game with just 9 points and 12 rebounds.

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(4) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Boston Celtics

In a tightly matchup, the Celtics blew past the Bulls in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 39-17, and winning 103-88.

Avery Bradley was incredible with 28 points and a career-high, 18 rebounds!

As for the Bulls starters, they simply didn't have it tonight, partly due to the Celtics' suffocating defense. J.J. Barea led the team in scoring with 18 points.

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Conference Semifinals Preview

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Conference Semifinals Recap

April 22, 2018 | by NBA News

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(1) Houston Rockets vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks

In thrilling fashion, the Houston Rockets have defeated the Dallas Mavericks on a game-winning shot by James Harden.

With 5 seconds left in the game, Harrison Barnes knocked down a huge three to tie it all up. But the celebrations were short lived for the Mavs as Harden buried the game winner over Hardaway Jr., sending them packing home.

Despite losing Clint Capela early in the game due to an eye injury, Harden carried the squad, finishing with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Trevor Ariza also played well, flirting a triple double with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

For Dallas, Barnes and Wall combined for 58 points while Ibaka pulled down a season-high, 17 rebounds. However, it was all not enough as the team struggled to shoot for much of the night, only knocking down 40% from the field.

The Mavericks will now look to the offseason, hoping to build upon a somewhat successful year.

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(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves

In a game that went right down to the wire, it was the Warriors came out victorious, edging past the Timberwolves, 104-100.

Kevin Durant scored 33 points while Shaun Livingston stepped up for the injured, Steph Curry, finishing with 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

As for Minnesota, they put up a valiant effort against the Warriors, led by Zach LaVine with 27 points.

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(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Boston Celtics

In what was supposed to be a tight contest, the Celtics were no match for the Cavaliers, losing 89-101.

Kyrie Irving continued his dominance, dropping 43 points and knocking down 5 three-pointers.

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(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) Washington Wizards

In a battle of two teams whom have not sniffed the ECF for a very long time, it was clear a lot was at stakes. Unfortunately for the Bucks, they couldn't overcome the Wizards, falling 90-103.

Giannis was everywhere, racking up 36 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists. However, he had minimal help as only two other Bucks (Jabari Parker and Greg Monroe) managed to score in double digits.

As for the Wizards, they continue their stellar run, led by Gorgui Dieng who contributed with 16 points and 12 rebounds. They will now look to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, hoping what could possibly be one of the biggest upsets in modern history.

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Conference Finals Preview

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Conference Finals Recap

April 25, 2018 | by NBA News

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(1) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Golden State Warriors

With Steph Curry finally returning after suffering a broken hand, the Warriors blew past the Rockets in the 4th quarter, winning 97-83.

Credit to Klay Thompson who limited James Harden to just 18 points for the game, with the Rockets as a team shooting just 28/75.

Kevin Durant had a monstrous double-double with 27 points and 17 rebounds while Steph Curry dropped 24 points and 10 assists in his return.

The Warriors are now just one step closer to redemption after the heartbreaking loss suffered in last years' finals.

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(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Washington Wizards

Unfortunately there was no fairytale upset as the Cavaliers took care of business and gave the Wizards some serious beat down, winning 128-81.

LeBron James was in beast mode, racking up 39 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks.

James will now head to his 8th consecutive Finals, an incredible feat itself, where he will face the Golden State Warriors for the fourth straight year.

Many fans are calling the Warriors/Cavaliers as the modern day Celtics/Lakers rivalry.

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NBA Finals Preview

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NBA Finals: (1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (3) Golden State Warriors

April 27, 2018 | by NBA News

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Round 4!

The Golden State Warriors have finally done it! Beating a healthy Cleveland Cavaliers squad with Kevin Durant leading the way, scoring 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. He was voted the Finals MVP and seemed very emotional after capturing his first NBA Championship.

Curry and Thompson both combined for 47 points, while Livingston was the x-factor off the bench, finishing with 24 points on 11-12 shooting!

For the Cavs, Kyrie led the team in scoring with 31 points while James triple-doubled with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Kevin Love struggled mightily, only shooting 4-13 and ending up with 17 points.

An interesting note, last year the Warriors had home-court advantage but lost. This year is the reverse, with the Cavaliers gaining home-court but unable to capitalize on it.

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[studbucket]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

Oh man, heartbreaking loss to an in-state rival. Maybe next year is the year for the Mavs? They've gotta win soon with all the draft picks they gave up.

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Vince Carter announces retirement

May 12, 2018 | by NBA News

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Joining Carter will also be Pau Gasol, whom both have officially retired from the NBA.

For Carter, he leaves behind an electrifying career spanning from 1998-2018 with career averages of 18.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG in 1,282 games played. Carter will arguably go down as the greatest dunker of all time, being the trailblazer of today's young basketball players aspiring creative dunks.

Likewise for Gasol, his career spanned from 2001-2018, where he was drafted 3rd overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. Some of his accomplishments in his career include 2 NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, 6x NBA All-Star selections, and a 2x All-NBA Second Team. Gasol also represented Spain on many occasions, including winning the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

Below is the full list of player retirements as announced by the league officials yesterday morning.

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Nuggets win lottery, gets #1 pick

July 5, 2018 | by NBA News

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Despite a forgetful season, the Denver Nuggets finally have some fortune coming their way and will have the first choice in this years' 2018 NBA Draft.

With the second best odds in the lottery, Denver went one up and overtook the top spot. The Hornets made the biggest jump, going from 7th projected to landing the 3rd pick while the Lakers slipped to 4th despite having the worst record last season.

This years' draft class is expected to be a mystery with many different candidates possibly going #1. Leading the pack will be the likes of DeAndre Ayton (Arizona), Collin Sexton (Alabama), Trevon Duval (Maryland), and Slovenian swingman, Luka Doncic.

Below is the full breakdown of the draft order and the lottery odds prior.

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Coaching Changes: Nowitzki returns to Dallas

July 12, 2018 | by NBA News

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Dirk Nowitzki will be joining the sidelines next season as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks. After taking a year off, it seems Nowitzki had sorely missed the game, often making cameo apperances last year during the Mavs' home games. "I'm still a baby to these kind of things but Rick and Mark have been really supportive of me and I think I can definitely mold the young guys and show them a few tricks here and there," Nowitzki told the media.

In other coaching news, it has also been a busy day with a series of coaching transactions.

Here is the full breakdown:

• Celtics re-sign Brad Stevens (4 Yr / $18.80M)
• Grizzlies re-sign David Fizdale (4 Yr / $12.40M)
• Lakers hire Luke Walton (4 Yr / $12.81M)
• Mavericks re-sign Rick Carlisle (4 Yr / $20.00M)
• Nets hire Kenny Atkinson (4 Yr / $11.40M)
• Pistons hire Stan Van Gundy (4 Yr / $10.80M)
• Raptors re-sign Dwane Casey (4 Yr / $13.60M)
• Rockets re-sign Kuba Gooding (4 Yr / $7.60M)
• Spurs re-sign Gregg Popovich (4 Yr / $22.80M)
• Thunder re-sign Billy Donovan (4 Yr / $9.60M)
• Warriors re-sign Steve Kerr (4 Yr / $20.00M)
• Bulls acquire Doc Rivers from Clippers (4 Yr / $15.43M)
• Magic acquire Scott Brooks from Wizards (2 Yr / $4.26M)
• Nuggets hire Mike Malone (2 Yr / $4.59M)
• Hornets re-sign Steve Clifford (3 Yr / $9.61M)
• Clippers hire Quin Snyder (3 Yr / $10.71M)
• Wizards hire Sidney Lowe (3 Yr / $7.51M)

[LopaKa]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

What a dramatic postseason for your Mavericks. Tough to lose on a final shot by Harden, but you gotta be proud of your team. It seems like we will only be seeing Cavs-Warriors matchups for the foreseeable future, until players retire or decide to move teams lol.

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What a dramatic postseason for your Mavericks. Tough to lose on a final shot by Harden, but you gotta be proud of your team.

Yeah that shot really hurt. Would've preferred if we lost by 20 instead haha.

Oh well, hopefully we can build upon for next season. With roughly $28 million in cap space, we'll definitely try to go after one of the big fishes in free agency. As a consolation, at least the Wizards get a late 1st-round pick this year.

By the way, I normally hate doing these kind of things but I had to intervene and re-do the coaching changes during the offseason. Clippers hiring Popovich, Celtics letting go of Brad Stevens, Houston letting Kuba Gooding walking despite winning COTY, Kerr signing with the Wizards. Ugh the list goes on. 2K really dropped the ball with this one. Looks like I'm going have to manage this myself year-by-year based on the each team's performance.

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2018 NBA Draft Recap: Nuggets select DeAndre Ayton with #1 overall pick

July 17, 2018 | by NBA News

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#1 DEN | DeAndre Ayton | C #2 PHX | Mohamed Bamba | PF #3 CHA | Luka Doncic | SG #4 LAL | Collin Sexton | PG #5 BOS | Ike Anigbogu | C #6 LAL | Trevon Duval | PG #7 SAS | Hamidou Diallo | SG #8 UTA | Michael Porter Jr. | SF #9 PHX | Brandon McCoy | C #10 CHI | Wendell Carter | PF #11 MIL | Troy Brown Jr. | SG #12 TOR | Kevin Knox | SF #13 PHI | Dzanan Musa | SF #14 IND | Lonnie Walker | SG #15 ORL | Donovan Mitchell | SG #16 NOP | Isaac Bonga | SF #17 ATL | Mikal Bridges | SF #18 WAS | Sacha Killeya-Jones | PF #19 MEM | Bruce Brown | SG #20 UTA | Kerwin Roach | SG #21 DET | Kostja Mushidi | SG #22 BOS | Shake Milton | PG #23 NYK | Antonio Blakeney | SG #24 MIL | Wenyen Gabriel | PF #25 ORL | Rawle Alkins | SG #26 WAS | Isaiah Briscoe | PG #27 POR | Tony Bradley | C #28 POR | B. Horsley | PG #29 HOU | Doug Andersen | C #30 GSW | D. Thornton | PG #31 TOR | L. Ramsey | PG #32 ATL | D. Williams | SG #33 UTA | R. Johnston | SG #34 MEM | G. Cowen | C #35 SAS | C. Metu | PF #36 PHI | D. Hicks | SG #37 PHI | G. Sharp | SF #38 PHX | D.J. Hogg | SF #39 CHI | A. Carlos | C #40 MIA | C. Navarro | C #41 ORL | J. Fordham | PF #42 IND | N. Ryan | PF #43 PHI | K. Bohannon | PG #44 TOR | A. Bilous | PF #45 MIA | J. Fowler | SF #46 POR | U. Kraemer | SG #47 OKC |M. Stockton | SG #48 MEM | D. Larson | SF #49 WAS | A. Dean | PF #50 MIN | M. Gomez | SG #51 OKC | S. Watkins | SF #52 DET | W. Knight | C #53 MIL | E. Welsch | SF #54 CHA | R. Teague | SF #55 MIL | L. Bledsoe | C #56 NYK | D. Patrick | C #57 DEN | R. Harrington | PF #58 CHA | J. Long | PF #59 HOU | S. Strong | SF #60 SAC | S. Tiggs | SG

The Denver Nuggets have selected a talented and bright prospect in Arizona standout, DeAndre Ayton

Ayton will join a very promising Nuggets squad consisting of Nikola Jokic, Emmanuel Mudiay, Danilo Gallinari and Kenneth Faried. It is largely speculated that Ayton will pair with Jokic in the front-court, while Faried comes off the bench. Nuggets coach Mike Malone said "We're going to throw the kid right into the fire and see how he responds. He's lived up to the pressure his whole life and we believe he'll thrive immediately." Many scouts have compared Ayton's talent to Spurs great, David Robinson, with his exceptional athleticism, footwork and ability to finish around the rim.

Duke big man, Mohamed Bamba was selected second by the Phoenix Suns and it is expected he'll challenge Alex Len for the starting center spot. Bamba adds to an already loaded Suns young core featuring Devin Booker, Lonzo Ball and Marquese Chriss.

During the draft, there were a flurry of trades with the main one involving Eric Bledsoe - the Atlanta Hawks acquired Eric Bledsoe from the Suns in exchange for Kent Bazemore and the 9th overall pick. Despite having a down year averaging just 12.4 PPG, the Hawks have the utmost confidence that Bledsoe will be able to bounce back to form. As for Phoenix, they alleviate their burden of guard depth that already consisted of Jeff Teague, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Knight, and Devin Booker.

Below is the full breakdown of deals that went down during the draft along with the draft selections from each team.

Lakers trade: Draft rights to Collin Sexton, 2020 second-round pick
Clippers trade: 6th overall pick

Suns trade: Eric Bledsoe, 2020 first-round pick
Hawks trade: 9th overall pick, Kent Bazemore

Bulls trade: 25th overall pick
Magic trade: Mirza Teletovic

Raptors trade: Zach Randolph
Lakers trade: 31st overall pick

Full draft selections:

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Bobby Karalla-USA TODAY Sports

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After 6 miserable offseasons missing out on the top free agents, the Mavericks have finally landed a superstar, and boy, it was a big one. DeMarcus Cousins will be joining Dallas this upcoming season - yep you heard that right!

Cousins, who was voted into the All-Star game as well as selected in the 1st Team All-NBA last season, averaged 23.6 PPG, 12.4 RPG and a career high 4.2 APG. Unfortunately, his Sacramento Kings did not make the Playoffs which was something he wanted to be a part of so badly. In his 8 years in the NBA, Cousins has never played in the postseason before. In fact, it was ultimately one of the reasons he took his talents over to a Playoff-established Mavericks team, led by close friend, John Wall. "He's the reason why I'm here. Me and John are like brothers man. I honestly never thought I'd end up in Dallas but it's funny how things work out. I'm happy as I'll ever be right now and all I want to do is win", Cousins addressed reporters during the annual ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

The signing of Cousins easily puts the Mavs in contention for title talks and he'll now join John Wall and Harrison Barnes to form their own 'Big 3' as part of the Dallas roster.

Furthermore, the Mavericks also signed veterans, Tony Allen and Darrell Arthur, both to one-year deals.

With new players coming in, unfortunately Dallas had to let go of its' own free agents in order to accommodate for room. As a result, the Mavericks decided to part ways with Salah Mejri, Justin Jackson, and Marco Belinelli.

You can see the full player movements in free agency below.
* Mavericks signings highlighted in blue.

• Celtics re-sign Isaiah Thomas to 4yr/$127.46M deal
• Warriors re-sign Marreese Speights to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Mavericks sign DeMarcus Cousins to 3yr/$93.58M deal
• Rockets sign Julius Randle to 3yr/$77.98M deal
• Bulls sign Festus Ezeli to 2yr/$3.64M deal
• Celtics sign Brandon Jennings to 2yr/$6.51M deal
• Celtics re-sign Avery Bradley to 4yr/$127.46M deal
• Hawks re-sign Gary Neal to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Jazz re-sign Rodney Hood to 3yr/$77.98M deal
• Timberwolves re-sign Zach LaVine to 3yr/$77.98M deal
• Bulls sign Marcus Smart to 2yr/$20.67M deal
• Suns sign Terrence Ross to 1yr/$10.50M deal
• Pacers re-sign Paul George to 5yr/$162.68M deal
• Trail Blazers re-sign Mason Plumlee to 3yr/$29.71M deal
• Spurs sign Brandan Wright to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Grizzlies sign Jon Leuer to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Trail Blazers sign Kevin Seraphin to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pacers sign Andrea Bargnani to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Rockets sign Aaron Brooks to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Bucks sign Joe Johnson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Hawks re-sign Jordan McRae to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• 76ers re-sign Joel Embiid to 4yr/$106.21M deal
• Kings sign Kyle Anderson to 2yr/$12.72M deal
• Bucks sign Elfrid Payton to 3yr/$12.36M deal
• Hawks sign Louis Williams to 1yr/$1.14M deal
• Timberwolves re-sign Jarnell Stokes to 2yr/$3.97M deal
• Jazz re-sign Devin Robinson to 4yr/$8.50M deal
• Spurs sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo to 1yr/$1.15M deal
• Knicks re-sign Carmelo Anthony to 4yr/$148.70M deal
• Spurs re-sign LaMarcus Aldridge to 3yr/$95.06M deal
• Timberwolves re-sign Andrew Wiggins to 5yr/$135.56M deal
• Clippers re-sign DeAndre Jordan to 4yr/$141.96M deal
• Jazz re-sign Derrick Favors to 5yr/$162.68M deal
• Nets re-sign Brook Lopez to 5yr/$81.46M deal
• Thunder re-sign Enes Kanter to 5yr/$110.30M deal
• Bucks re-sign Greg Monroe to 5yr/$85.18M deal
• Magic re-sign Aaron Gordon to 4yr/$106.21M deal
• Rockets re-sign Clint Capela to 5yr/$65.27M deal
• Trail Blazers re-sign Ed Davis to 4yr/$20.10M deal
• Nets re-sign Sean Kilpatrick to 5yr/$44.84M deal
• Rockets re-sign Patrick Beverley to 4yr/$6.83M deal
• Jazz re-sign Dante Exum to 5yr/$110.49M deal
• Celtics re-sign Jordan Mickey to 2yr/$3.32M deal
• Trail Blazers re-sign Noah Vonleh to 4yr/$57.70M deal
• Bulls re-sign Jerian Grant to 4yr/$9.22M deal
• Celtics re-sign James Young to 5yr/$48.67M deal
• Rockets re-sign Sam Dekker to 3yr/$9.53M deal
• Grizzlies sign Jerryd Bayless to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Warriors sign Jeff Withey to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Knicks sign Lance Stephenson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Kings sign JaKarr Sampson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Grizzlies sign Nikola Pekovic to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Heat sign Jamal Crawford to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Mavericks sign Tony Allen to 1yr/$3.00M deal
• Nets sign Spencer Hawes to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Nets sign Mirza Teletovic to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Clippers sign Meyers Leonard to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Heat sign Marcus Thornton to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pacers sign Al Jefferson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Clippers sign Ian Clark to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Nets re-sign Justin Hamilton to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Grizzlies sign Georges Niang to 1yr/$937k deal
• Hornets sign J.J. Hickson to 3yr/$11.04M deal
• Wizards sign Justin Jackson to 3yr/$8.10M deal
• Knicks sign Carlton Bragg Jr. to 4yr/$4.20M deal
• Clippers sign Jeremy Lamb to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Spurs sign Tyson Chandler to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Knicks sign Sergio Rodriguez to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Warriors sign Tyler Zeller to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pacers re-sign Charlie Villanueva to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Warriors sign K.J. McDaniels to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Mavericks sign Darrell Arthur to 1yr/$2.00M deal
• Hawks sign Robert Covington to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pacers sign Ersan Ilyasova to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Hawks sign Kris Jenkins to 1yr/$582k deal
• Lakers sign Dewayne Dedmon to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Heat sign Dion Waiters to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Clippers sign Andrew Nicholson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Lakers sign Alex Abrines to 1yr/$937k deal
• Heat re-sign James Johnson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Lakers sign Nerlens Noel to 3yr/$60.34M deal
• Hawks sign Omer Yurtseven to 2yr/$8.34M deal
• Heat sign Simon Watkins to 1yr/$582k deal
• Heat sign Ryan Hollins to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Warriors re-sign Patrick McCaw to 1yr/$1.33M deal
• Suns re-sign T.J. Warren to 1yr/$4.39M deal
• Raptors re-sign Bruno Caboclo to 1yr/$3.51M deal
• Raptors re-sign Lucas Nogueira to 1yr/$4.14M deal
• Raptors re-sign Norman Powell to 1yr/$1.47M deal
• Nuggets re-sign Jarrett Allen to 1yr/$5.86M deal
• Nuggets re-sign Jusuf Nurkic to 1yr/$4.14M deal
• Nuggets re-sign Gary Harris to 1yr/$3.64M deal
• Kings sign Trevor Booker to 3yr/$35.60M deal
• Kings sign Thaddeus Young to 3yr/$50.49M deal
• 76ers sign Jordan Hill to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Bucks sign Michael Beasley to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Bulls sign Yi Jianlian to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Cavaliers sign Shelvin Mack to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Cavaliers sign Jerami Grant to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Cavaliers sign Donatas Motiejunas to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Cavaliers sign JaMychal Green to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Cavaliers sign Tim Frazier to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Clippers sign Shabazz Muhammad to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Grizzlies sign T.J. McConnell to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Grizzlies sign Raul Neto to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Heat sign Trey Burke to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Hornets sign Cole Aldrich to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Hornets sign Davis Bertans to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Hornets sign Iman Shumpert to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Jazz sign Ramon Session to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Knicks sign E'Twaun Moore to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Magic sign Lavoy Allen to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Magic sign Aron Baynes to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Nets sign Gerald Henderson to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pacers sign JaVale McGee to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pelicans sign Nemanja Bjelica to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pelicans sign Mindaugas Kuzminskas to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pelicans sign Kevon Looney to 1yr/$2.00M deal
• Pelicans sign Omri Casspi to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pistons sign Corey Brewer to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pistons sign Joseph Young to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Pistons sign Tony Wroten to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Spurs sign James Ennis to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Thunder sign Malcolm Brogdon to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Thunder sign Marvin Williams to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Thunder sign Ben McLemore to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Thunder sign Mike Scott to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Thunder sign Richard Holmes to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Timberwolves sign Montrezl Harrell to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Timberwolves sign Norris Cole to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Warriors sign Mario Chalmers to 1yr/$1.05M deal
• Wizards sign Seth Curry to 1yr/$1.05M deal

[LopaKa]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

Huge signing for your Mavs bro, definitely have a shot to make a title run now. Hopefully Boogie doesn't choke in his first post season lol.

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Will Barnes and co. be ready for a title run?   |   Bobby Karalla-USA TODAY Sports

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With the Mavs 2018-19 schedule released on Saturday morning, Dallas will be entering their 39th season in the NBA with a road trip to Oklahoma City to face Russell Westbrook and the Thunder.

Then on November 17, the Mavericks will get their chance at revenge against the Houston Rockets in a rematch of last season's Conference Semi-finals where James Harden broke the hearts of Dallas with the game winning shot.

A couple weeks later, the Mavericks then head up to San Francisco to face the NBA Champions, Golden State Warriors. This match will truly test whether the Mavs are ready to be in title talks.

On January 12, Dallas will head to San Antonio to face the Spurs in what will be a feisty division rivalry.

April 11 will mark the first time DeMarcus Cousins heads back to face his former team, the Sacramento Kings. There will no doubt be a lot of "boos" in what is anticipated to be a very hostile crowd.

Dallas will conclude their regular season facing the Phoenix Suns at home on April 15.

You can see the full schedule below.

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2018-19 Season Preview

After a successful 2017-18 season where the Mavericks overachieved everyone’s expectations, they’ll now look to make an even deeper push in the Playoffs, with title aspirations in their sight.

The trade for John Wall has been a hit despite what they had to give up, Harrison Barnes continues to improve at creating his own shot (averaging over 30 PPG after the All-Star break), and now with DeMarcus Cousins on board, Dallas will have plenty of scoring options at their helm.

Whether or not Cousins will be able to mesh with the existing Dallas squad is still up for debate, but given the chemistry between he and Wall, it should presumably be a smooth transition. Furthermore, Cousins should have a much better chance finding open shots with guys like Barnes, Hardaway Jr, and Ibaka spacing the floor for him, while the defense also collapses on Wall. Despite just shooting 45.8% from the field last season, Boogie will look to improve upon that. One concern that many questioned was whether if Cousins could handle the pressure in the postseason. Having never before been in the Playoffs, will Boogie be able to keep his cool or will it be a train wreck waiting to happen?

The Mavericks were also able to bring back the majority of their roster, including guys like Thomas Robinson, Deron Williams, and Andrew Bogut. With the retirement of Devin Harris, Dallas strangely decided not to sign another point guard during the offseason. One would imagine that we may see more of Denzel Valentine handling the rock and possibly playing point guard during stretches of the season. Dallas also signed veteran, Tony Allen, who will undoubtedly help their perimter defense despite at the age of 36. During periods of last season, Tim Hardaway Jr. was seen as a defensive liability where opponents were constantly attacking him and scoring at will.

Overall, the Mavericks look ready for a big push this season. However their title aspirations hinges greatly on the chemistry between Boogie and the team as well as whether or not they can generate enough points off the bench – they don’t really have a guy that can consistently create his own shot.

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Team Roster

	#8 Deron Williams | PG University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
	Height: 6'3"	DOB: Jun 26, 1984 (34 years old)
	Weight: 200 lbs	Drafted: 2005 (1st Rnd, 3rd by UTA)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 13 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 17.4 30.3 70.0 1.1 4.9 0.9 0.4 4.1 Career 797 34.5 44.4 82.1 3.1 8.2 1.1 0.3 16.5
2018-19 Overview One season removed since rupturing his Achilles, it’s clear D-Will is no longer the player he once was. Despite shooting a woeful 30.3%, Williams is still a solid playmaker, averaging 4.9 APG last season. He’ll continue to back up John Wall at the point.

	#1 Justin Anderson | SF/SG University of Virginia
	Height: 6'6"	DOB: Nov 19, 1993 (24 years old)
	Weight: 228 lbs	Drafted: 2015 (1st Rnd, 21st by DAL)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 3 year
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 22.6 38.1 83.3 3.0 0.7 0.5 0.4 6.1 Career 83 15.5 40.4 81.3 2.6 0.7 0.4 0.5 4.4
2018-19 Overview Andersen made strides last year, particularly on his outside shooting, improving to 32.4%. At times, Rick Carlisle even used Andersen over Hardaway Jr. in the 4th quarter purely for his defensive capabilities.

	#6 Andrew Bogut | C University of Utah
	Height: 7'0"	DOB: Nov 28, 1984 (33 years old)
	Weight: 260 lbs	Drafted: 2005 (1st Rnd, 1st by MIL)
	Nationality: Australian	Experience: 13 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 23.2 56.5 33.3 6.6 1.3 1.0 1.6 2.1 Career 672 29.2 53.7 55.4 8.8 2.2 0.7 1.6 10.1
2018-19 Overview Bogut’s offense completely diminished last season, posting averages of just 2.1 PPG. However, his rim protection is still vital to the Mavs and it’ll be interesting whether he’ll still be a part of the regular rotation now that Boogie is in town.

	#40 Harrison Barnes | SF University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
	Height: 6'9"	DOB: May 30, 1992 (26 years old)
	Weight: 225 lbs	Drafted: 2012 (1st Rnd, 7th by GSW)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 6 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 36.0 46.8 85.9 5.5 2.6 1.4 0.3 24.4 Career 335 28.7 44.9 75.7 4.7 1.5 0.7 0.2 11.1
2018-19 Overview Just when you thought Barnes couldn’t get any better, he made a huge leap, particularly in the second half of last season. Posting career highs of 24.4 PPG and 1.4 SPG, Barnes continues to elevate his game on both the offensive and defensive end. It remains to be seen whether Barnes can keep this up now that they’ll be less touches with Cousins in the offense.

	#20 A.J. Hammons | C Purdue University
	Height: 7'0"	DOB: Aug 27, 1992 (26 years old)
	Weight: 260 lbs	Drafted: 2016 (2nd Rnd, 46th by DAL)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 2 year
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 20.4 73.7 71.4 7.3 0.4 1.3 1.6 7.4 Career 22 18.1 75.0 66.7 7.1 0.8 1.0 1.6 7.5
2018-19 Overview Despite not starting last season, Hammons was still very effective posting career-highs of 7.3 RPG and 1.6 BPG. In a contract year with position battles at the center position, Hammons will be looking to impress early on.

	#11 John Wall | PG University of Kentucky
	Height: 6'4"	DOB: Sep 6, 1990 (28 years old)
	Weight: 210 lbs	Drafted: 2010 (1st Rnd, 1st by WAS)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 8 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 31.0 47.1 76.1 3.2 10.8 2.4 0.5 21.8 Career 450 35.7 43.3 78.9 4.4 9.1 1.8 0.6 18.2
2018-19 Overview After a strong first half performance last season, where he was voted in as a starter for the West All-Stars, Wall somewhat cooled off after the break and took a backseat to Harrison Barnes, who was on a tear. Now with Cousins as his center, Wall will have a plethora of options to dish to. Look for his assist total to continue trending up.

	#7 Serge Ibaka | PF CB L'Hospitalet (Spain)
	Height: 6'10"	DOB: Sep 18, 1989 (29 years old)
	Weight: 235 lbs	Drafted: 2008 (1st Rnd, 24th by SEA)
	Nationality: Congolese/Spanish	Experience: 9 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 31.5 50.4 94.3 7.7 1.8 0.9 1.4 13.9 Career 552 28.9 51.7 75.2 7.4 0.6 0.4 2.4 11.6
2018-19 Overview It’s funny what a star point guard can do to you. As was the case for Ibaka, who drastically improved his shooting in one season from 35.9% to 50.4%. The Mavs primarily used Ibaka as a stretch four and it worked to perfection. They’ll be looking more of the same this season while Cousins bangs down low.

	#10 Tim Hardaway Jr. | SG University of Michigan
	Height: 6'6"	DOB: Mar 16, 1992 (26 years old)
	Weight: 205 lbs	Drafted: 2013 (1st Rnd, 24th by NYK)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 5 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 24.8 41.3 72.7 2.2 1.0 0.8 0.1 9.6 Career 230 22.4 41.5 82.1 1.9 1.1 0.4 0.1 9.9
2018-19 Overview Originally slated to come off the bench, Hardaway Jr. took the starting job once Dallas shipped off Seth Curry. A streaky shooter at times, Hardaway Jr. will continue to provide the Mavs with outside shooting in which they were ranked the top 10 as a team last year.

	#9 Thomas Robinson | PF University of Kansas
	Height: 6'10"	DOB: Mar 17, 1991 (27 years old)
	Weight: 237 lbs	Drafted: 2012 (1st Rnd, 5th by SAC)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 6 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 15.9 58.9 41.2 5.8 1.0 0.5 1.4 5.2 Career 293 13.8 46.1 49.7 4.9 0.6 0.5 0.4 4.8
2018-19 Overview T-Rob was a pleasant surprise last year, posting career highs in blocks with 1.4 BPG. It might be tougher for him to see minutes this time round as the Mavs have added extra depth in the front court.

	#45 Denzel Valentine | SG Michigan State University
	Height: 6'6"	DOB: Nov 16, 1993 (27 years old)
	Weight: 210 lbs	Drafted: 2016 (1st Rnd, 14th by CHI)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 2 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 11 17.6 42.3 87.5 1.8 1.0 0.3 0.2 7.6 Career 11 17.6 42.3 87.5 1.8 1.0 0.3 0.2 7.6
2018-19 Overview Entrenched in the Bulls roster, Valentine was given a lifeline by Rick Carlisle and although he wasn’t spectacular, he got the job done. Now with a full years' of playing experience under his belt, Valentine will be looking for a more substantial role, with Carlisle hinting at playing him as at the point.

	#12 DeMarcus Cousins | C University of Kentucky
	Height: 6'11"	DOB: Aug 13, 1990 (28 years old)
	Weight: 270 lbs	Drafted: 2010 (1st Rnd, 5th by SAC)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 8 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 14 31.9 45.8 74.1 12.4 4.2 1.0 1.4 23.6 Career 443 31.6 46.0 72.8 10.8 2.8 1.4 1.2 20.2
2018-19 Overview For 8 seasons, DeMarcus Cousins has had to do it all himself. This time, he’ll finally have a more than capable supporting cast where he’ll presumably be operating a lot more in the paint while getting easier looks from Wall’s drive-and-kick ability.

	#9 Tony Allen | SG Oklahoma State University
	Height: 6'4"	DOB: Jan 11, 1982 (36 years old)
	Weight: 213 lbs	Drafted: 2004 (1st Rnd, 25th by BOS)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 14 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 15 21.8 37.5 55.0 4.5 1.1 1.8 0.9 3.9 Career 756 21.9 47.5 71.6 3.4 1.3 1.4 0.4 8.0
2018-19 Overview With only one thing on his mind, Allen felt the Mavs would be title contenders this season and he’ll be looking to do his utmost to ensure that happens. Allen’s defensive presence will earn him a spot in the regular rotation and he may even challenge Hardaway Jr. for the starting spot.

	#0 Darrell Arthur | PF University of Kansas
	Height: 6'9"	DOB: Mar 25, 1988 (30 years old)
	Weight: 235 lbs	Drafted: 2008 (1st Rnd, 27th by NOP)
	Nationality: American	Experience: 14 years
STATS GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 2017-18 Season 3 11.0 54.5 0.0 3.3 0.3 1.0 0.0 4.3 Career 460 18.2 44.4 76.1 3.7 0.8 0.6 0.6 6.6
2018-19 Overview Arthur will be looking to provide some veteran presence in the locker room and backing up Serge Ibaka at the power forward spot.

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Player Contracts

Key: Team Option, Player Option, Non-Guaranteed

PLAYER	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23
DeMarcus Cousins	$29,850,000	$31,190,000	$32,540,000	$33,880,000
Harrison Barnes	$24,110,000	25,110,000
John Wall	$19,170,000
Serge Ibaka	$15,500,000	$16,160,000	$16,830,000
Tony Allen	$3,000,000
Justin Andersen	$2,520,000
Denzel Valentine	$2,280,000	$3,380,000
Darrell Arthur	$2,000,000
Andrew Bogut	$1,720,000
Deron Williams	$1,690,000
Thomas Robinson	$1,670,000
Tim Hardaway Jr.	$1,570,000
A.J. Hammons	$1,050,000

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Future Draft Pick Status

IN	OUT
2019 second round draft pick from Golden State Dallas has the right to defer this pick conveyance to 2020	2019 first round draft pick to Washington Unprotected. 2019 second round draft pick to Golden State Protected for selections 31-55; if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Dallas' obligation to Golden State will be extinguished. 2020 first round draft pick to Washington Unprotected.