Dallas Mavs 'Double Dog S***': Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving Lose Again - And 'Quit' Again?
In one outrageously abysmal weekend doubleheader failure, the Dallas Mavs may have stripped down and exposed themselves in every possible way.
Or, at least in three “sports-suicide” ways. ... including the damning suggestion - not from us, but from them - that they have too much "quit'' in 'em.
To wit …
“Sports Suicide” No. 1 - The Look in the Mirror”: “We probably should have been booed,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said after the Friday 117-109 loss to an innocuous Charlotte team that dumped Dallas downward Western Conference standings, a “nose-pressed-against-the-glass” playoff position.
Kidd is not getting much credit for anything right now, nor should be be. But this - Kidd describing his Mavs' effort as “dog shit” - is at least honest.
A naked, horrible truth.
But then ... it happened again, in a Sunday matinee at Charlotte against a Hornets team that entered the weekend with just 23 wins ... but with a 110-104 success picked up two easy victories in the span of 37 hours while shoving Dallas to 36-29.
So ... "Double Dog Shit''?
“Sports Suicide” No. 2 - The Arrogant Nonchalance: "If the fans want to change places, then hey, be my guest,'' Kyrie Irving said of the Friday night boos at the AAC. "(Our critics) got years of work ahead to be great enough to be on this level. But our focus isn't necessarily on the boos. It should be on our performance and just being there for each other."
Since the Irving trade, Kyrie has hit many right notes in his visits with the media. But this was sour on every level. He knows very well that criticism from paying customers directed at a team that is underperforming isn't about whether the fans can dunk or dribble, and that their unhappiness voiced is fair. ...
And further, that criticism of a team that suddenly doesn't even appear to be trying is criticism richly and sadly earned.
"Not trying'' too harsh for you?
Said Kidd on Friday, "The interest level wasn't high.''
Hey, while the Friday game (in which 16-point favorite Dallas was victimized in the biggest NBA upset of the year) was at the AAC, the Sunday game was at Charlotte.
So at least in this fourth straight Dallas loss, fans didn't boo the Mavs.
“Sports Suicide” No. 3 - 'I Used to Have Fun': "I think you can see it with me on the court," said Luka Doncic, who is supposed to be teaming with Kyrie to form the NBA's most dangerous - and yes most "fun'' - backcourt. "Sometimes I don't feel it's me. I'm just being out there. I used to have really fun, smiling on court ...
"But it's just been so frustrating for a lot of reasons, not just basketball."
Oh-oh.
The "happiness of superstars'' in the NBA is nowadays the central focus of franchises. And the fear that one might demand to leave, contractual obligations be damed, is nowadays the greatest fear of those franchises' fan bases.
We might be a long way from that; Doncic (who on Sunday scored 40 points) suggested that his frustration might be more of a personal issue than a Mavs issue. But as it relates to "just basketball''?
Dallas is now 8-13 since the pairing of the two All-Star guards. We have no indication that there is a specific conflict between Doncic and Irving. But that "8-13'' thing? It can lead to some unhappiness.
And given the power of Luka and the history of Kyrie (a coming free agent), all of this can also lead to much worse.
In the meantime? Temper tantrums are a form of "selfishness'' ... and Luka followed up the Friday "money sign'' with a silly Sunday technical foul that figures to mean he'll be suspended for the Monday meeting with the Pacers.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban is screaming about bad calls and Doncic is getting fined for being so emotional that he's flashing a "money sign'' at the refs (insinuating that they're on the take) and the team's two superstars are now using different words to end up saying the same horrific thing.
Said Luka: We got to show we care.''
Said Kyrie: "We're a very poised group on days where I feel like we put in the best effort, and then on days where kind of the energy falters or we don't start off well or the offense isn't going or people aren't making shots, there could be some emotional pulling in other directions that can dictate the outcome of games ... That's a human element. ...
"There's a very fine line between winning basketball games and everyone being on the same page, and losing basketball games and things splintering and pointing fingers."
The "fine line'' has been crossed. Twice in 37 hours.
Doubleheader.
"Double Dog Shit.''
