As a Mavericks fan, it’s usually the hope that kills you

“It’s the hope that kills you.”

It’s a line from the TV show Ted Lasso, of course. And whether you’re a Dallas Mavericks fan, or an FC Richmond fan, you understand.

The Dallas Mavericks were in the Finals just 838 days ago. That season was full of the kind of playoff moments you tell your grandchildren about.

Advertisement

Will you tell your grandchildren about the time Luka Dončić absolutely cooked Rudy Gobert on an isolation 3 to win a playoff game? I will.

Then the Celtics came along and made the Mavs look a little like Rudy Gobert trying to guard on the perimeter.

As a fan, you were likely devastated by the Luka trade. Then Anthony Davis gave two quarters of perfection, and suddenly hope was putting on a Beyoncé concert at the American Airlines Center.

And then… many fans expanded their sports-injury vocabulary.

Next, just when all hope felt lost, the Mavs, with a 1.8 percent chance, won the NBA lottery with a generational stud at the top of the class. Cooper Flagg arrived on a team that, at least in theory, was supposed to be competing for a playoff spot. Hope is all fans had last year — and all Nico Harrison had in his roster construction. It didn’t take long for the positivity to turn to complete darkness. Anthony Davis couldn’t stay healthy, there was continuous turmoil that led to Nico finally getting fired and there were casualties all around.

Advertisement

Now, a new regime has come into power. The Mavs certainly have some new energy. There’s a generational prospect entering his second season with an extra inch at his disposal. And, despite everything fans have been through, that dangerous little feeling is starting to creep back in.

Hope.

Are you ready to buy in again? Because there’s something else we learned from Ted Lasso: It’s not actually the hope that kills you. It’s the lack of hope. However, maybe Mavs fans should reconsider what they’re hoping for.

This is not the year to hope for the Larry O’Brien Trophy — or the NBA Cup — for that matter. That’s not what this season is about. The Mavs are building. The team’s average age is under 25, and there are plenty of players who are still figuring…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mavericks-fan-usually-hope-kills-010000345.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-10-06 01:00:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.