Dallas Basketball

Mavs Donuts: It's GAMEDAY - But The NBA Won't Play

GAMEDAY: In the wake of Wednesday's social-injustice protest, the Dallas Mavs and the NBA - with a playoff game scheduled - have to wonder if they should play on Thursday ... And now we know the answer

Matthew Postins

DONUT 1: GAMES POSTPONED

Donuts is typically a place where we either get you caught up on the world of the Dallas Mavericks or preview an upcoming game. And there’s plenty of that below. But as I wrote Donuts on Wednesday night, the NBA was changing in real time in the wake of the events surrounding the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. So I wrote these Donuts with the understanding that there may not be a Game 6 on Thursday. ... and then with an update.

There will not be a Game 6 on Thursday.

The Milwaukee Bucks protested and postponed their Game 5 matchup with the Orlando Magic and that rippled throughout the rest of the teams scheduled to play, to the point where all three NBA playoff games were postponed. Both the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics were discussing as a group postponing their Game 1 matchup in the second round.

The WNBA did the same on Wednesday, as its players decided not to play. At least two Major League Baseball games were postponed, including the Milwaukee Brewers. Major League Soccer players did the same.

Late Wednesday, both of the Los Angeles teams — the Lakers and the Clippers — voted to shut down the season. 

It does appear that the NBA will resume this weekend. But so key: The Bubble can keep COVID-19 out. But it can’t keep out systemic racism, nor can it solve it. The NBA, more than any other professional league, has succeeded it giving its players a platform to amplify their message about systemic racism and racial injustice this summer. But amplification can only accomplish so much in the eyes of these players, who were able to participate in protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis because, at the time, the NBA was on pause.

Now the NBA must navigate perhaps the most complicated moment in its history. The NBA, naturally, wants to continue to play. The NBA, naturally, wants to support its players — who are primarily black — in demanding justice for Blake, Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many other black men and women who have died unjustly. 

WATCH: Doc Rivers On 'Fear,' Racial Injustice & Jacob Blake

The players want to play, but they are also beyond impatient with the lack of change in this country. The real possibility exists that the players may push to press the pause button, or even end the postseason, in response. 

The Bubble may burst.

The issue of systemic racism is too large for a group of NBA players to solve, whether they’re inside or outside of a Bubble. It’s too large for any single group of people to solve. And if it all seems overwhelming, to continue to see the same video play on an endless loop the past several years, well you’re not alone. But that overwhelming feeling isn’t the same for everyone.

While the NBA’s Wednesday evolved from a typical day in the Bubble to one of the most consequential days in sports history, I spent my Wednesday at my day job, but it was an atypical day. It started with an 8 a.m. call to discuss Black Lives Matter. 

Our workplace has started conversations about BLM and what we can do as a group to support each other. We call them listening sessions. For an hour people from all walks of life talked about their experiences outside of work. One of my co-workers, an African-American woman who has three children, talked about how her kids chose to devote themselves to service, whether it be in the military or supporting developmentally challenged young people. 

A few hours later, I saw the (above) video of Clippers coach Doc Rivers saying, “It’s amazing to me why we keep loving this country and this country does not love us back.” 

It connected me to that conversation that morning in a way I couldn’t have expected.

Another co-worker, a white woman from San Diego, one that I’ve worked with for years and that I know to be an activist in her area, talked about being a part of a ‘line of moms’ during protests in her city. You know what I’m talking about. She and others stand between BLM protesters and police, or counter-protesters. Their job is to just stand there. 

During one protest, one of her friends was injured and she moved her out of the line and went to get help. While running back to her car wearing a BLM T-shirt, she was confronted by several anti-BLM protestors. When she returned to her car, she thought to herself, “Well, I’ll just take the shirt off and they won’t bother me while I get my friend help.” 

In that moment, she said, she realized the privilege she had in being able to simply change her shirt to blend in and avoid confrontation. It’s a luxury no black person has or ever will.

Later in the day, I listened to a black co-worker in my department recount how his family got its last name. His great-grandfather escaped slavery and, in an effort to avoid being captured (which in those days was basically a death sentence), he changed his last name. That is my co-worker’s last name. It’s not an uncommon story among black families who have traced their family history. His frustration, his anger, his emotion, was impossible to ignore.

The roots of this boycott aren't just the injustice perpetrated against Blake, Floyd and Taylor. It’s about the personal experiences of every player of color in the NBA, ones who likely mirror some of the ones shared by my African-American co-workers on Wednesday. They’re the experiences that led those players to take to Twitter after the Bucks set the tone for the day and demand change (again).

As I write this, we only think we know where the NBA Playoffs will go from here. I don’t where our country goes from here. But I plan to start with something I scribbled down earlier on Wednesday after our listening sessions:

‘Be open-minded. Be open-hearted. Don’t be defensive. Don’t be the same.’

And things will never be the same in the NBA after Wednesday.

DONUT 2: WAS IT ON PURPOSE? After Tuesday’s loss video of Clippers guard Marcus Morris Sr. circulated online of Morris apparently going after Luka Dončić’s injured ankle during Game 5. 

After the game, Carlisle would only go so far as to say that he hoped it wasn’t on purpose. Dončić was asked about it as well, saying that Morris offered no explanation after the game and didn’t want to talk with him about it. 

Dončić didn’t use the words ‘on purpose,’ but, like Carlisle, he hoped it wasn’t. But Dončić also said that he has his own thoughts on the subject, but didn’t really share those postgame.

Morris said on Twitter the next day that the idea that he would try to intentionally injure someone was “crazy” to him. Our Mike Fisher has the full story here.

Our StepBack Mavs podcasters Matt Galatzan and Dalton Trigg have more to say later in Donuts, but for now, here’s the video the Mavs want the NBA to review.

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DONUT 3: NATIONAL DOG DAY. August 26 was National Dog Day, and the Mavs were up for showing photos of their dogs (assuming they were taken pre-bubble).

DONUT 4: INJURY UPDATE: It’s not looking good for Kristaps Porzingis to return to the lineup for Game 6. Porzingis sat out for Game 5 with what the Mavs called ‘soreness’ in his non-surgically repaired knee. Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle said he suspect that other Mavs, like Trey Burke, Luka Doncic and Dorian Finney-Smith would be ready for Game 6. But Porzingis looked far less likely.

“He doesn't want to close the door on playing tomorrow, and we haven't officially,” Carlisle said. “But I'm not optimistic. If he can't, it'll be because he's unable to. He's a tough guy.”

Check Dallasbasketball.com for more updates leading up to a delayed Game 6.

DONUT 5: THE LOOK-BACK: Our Richie Whitt had the gamer and while you may not want to look back on Game 5, here’s the link to Richie’s story for the sake of history.

DONUT 6: THE BEST ELIXIR FOR THAT GAME 5 LOSS? It might be looking back at all the records and personal bests that Luka Dončić’ accumulated in Game 4 (sounds like a plan, right?). Our Bri Amaranthus put together this video outlining all of the records and milestones the second-year guard put together in Game 4.

DONUT 7: LUKA IN DETAIL. No one show in sports television breaks down things quite like ESPN’s ‘Detail.’ Pioneered by the late Kobe Bryant, the show is designed to allow athletes to asses each other’s work and those insights prove valuable to athletes and fans alike.

In the latest episode of Detail, which dropped on Wednesday, one of Bryant’s closest friends on the Lakers, Pau Gasol, broke down the play of Luka Dončić’ in an episode that is definitely worth watching.

DONUT 8: MAVS RECAP POD: Just like a great boxing match, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers have been throwing haymakers at each other all series long. The Clippers, however, delivered the biggest blow yet on Tuesday night, as they put the Mavs 'on the ropes', winning Game 5 by the score of 154-111.

After his masterful and historic performance in Game 4, Luka Doncic just simply didn't have what it took to put forth that kind of effort in back-to-back playoff games while playing on a hurt ankle.

Matt Galaztan and Dalton Trigg break down that forgettable night here, and look ahead to Game 6.

DONUT 9: WHY GAME 6 MATTERS If the Mavs win, we play a Game 7. If the Mavs lose, well, then the series, and their postseason, is over. Simple as that.

DONUT 10: THE SCHEDULE

Western Conference Playoffs, Round 1 ...

Game Time: 8 p.m. CT Thursday

Location: Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando

TV/Radio: TNT, FSSW, 103.3 FM

Series Schedule, Results

Game 1: Clippers 118, Mavericks 110

Game 2: Mavericks 127, Clippers 114

Game 3: Clippers 130, Mavericks 122

Game 4: Mavericks 135, Clippers 133 (OT)

Game 5: Clippers 154 Mavericks 111 (Clippers lead series, 3-2)

Game 6: Thursday, Aug. 27, ESPN, 8 p.m.

Game 7: Saturday, Aug. 29, TNT, time TBD (if necessary)

DONUT 11: MAVSCELLANEOUS: In Game 5, Trey Burke started his second consecutive game and scored 15 points on 6-11 shooting in 29 minutes. … Maxi Kleber scored a playoff-high 12 points on 4-6 shooting to go with 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. … Delon Wright came off the bench and went 5-7 from the floor for 11 points and 2 assists in 21 minutes. Game 5 was his highest-scoring game of the series. … Antonius Cleveland and Josh Reaves both came off the bench and saw their first career playoff minutes. Each finished with 4 points in 7 minutes. … Carlisle was ejected with 6:42 left in the third quarter. This is the first postseason ejection in Carlisle’s career. ... The players will continue league-wide meetings today with reps from each club. Expect Dwight Powell to lead Dallas' representation.

THE LAST WORD: “I’ve heard the talks and I certainly understand the sentiment. It’s a horrific event. It’s exactly why we’re here in many ways - to continue conversations and create greater action for racial justice and against situations like this.'' - Coach Rick Carlisle.

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Matthew Postins
MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist writes for CowboyMaven. He also writes for Inside the Rangers, CowboyMaven,DallasBasketball.com, Longhorn Country, All Aggies, Inside The Texans, Washington Football, covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com and is the Editor of the College Football America Yearbook.

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