Latest news with #DirkNowitzki
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"They booed me with 90 minutes on the clock" - Dirk Nowitzki on Jazz fans' backlash after calling Utah "a bad city"
"They booed me with 90 minutes on the clock" - Dirk Nowitzki on Jazz fans' backlash after calling Utah "a bad city" originally appeared on Basketball Network. There are a few sure ways to rile up an opposing NBA fan base. One of the fastest is trashing their city. Advertisement Despite his down-to-earth and humble reputation, Dirk Nowitzki did just that. According to multiple reports, it happened during the 2001 NBA playoffs opener when his Dallas Mavericks faced the Utah Jazz. "Utah is a bad city," Nowitzki said at the time. Nowitzki vs. the Utah Jazz The 2001 NBA playoffs marked the start of the German forward's legendary postseason run. Nowitzki, drafted by the Mavs in 1998, faced his first playoff challenge against the team led by the veteran duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton — two icons in the twilight of their careers. Game 1 took place in Salt Lake City. Every basketball fan knows the atmosphere there is electric during the regular season, and it only intensifies in the playoffs. It was the first time Nowitzki experienced that intensity firsthand, and after a narrow two-point loss to start the series, he made his infamous "Utah is a bad city" comment. Advertisement Unsurprisingly, Jazz fans didn't take it lightly. Before Game 2, the intensity at the Delta Center reached another level. The brunt fell on the Mavericks' second-year player. "I came in with 90 minutes on the clock shooting and there was a sign up there: 'Germany is a bad city,'" recalled Nowitzki, per Deseret News. "They got me good. They booed me with 90 minutes on the clock." Related: "Yeah, they'll probably have to do something" - Bird says the NBA will be forced to move the 3-point line back if high volume continues Was it all just a misunderstanding? Reflecting on his early relationship with Jazz fans, Nowitzki admitted, "We got off on the wrong foot." Advertisement While that's true, it was arguably a misunderstanding. Nuances in language can have a big impact, and even a slight misphrasing can change meaning. This can be especially challenging for foreigners who don't speak the language perfectly — and that was true for Nowitzki then. Years later, the 2008 MVP clarified what he really meant by his "bad city" comment and how it got lost in translation. "I said, 'Well, Utah is a bad city,' meaning it's the playoffs and we shouldn't spend too much time there. It's hostile," he explained. "I meant going home, sleeping in my own bed, is never bad." Needless to say, the damage was done. Dirk recalled coming home where "they blew the whole thing up. They were talking about it on TV that night already. I mean, they were trying to call my hotel room. It was awesome." Advertisement Ultimately, his "bad city" remark was actually more of a compliment. Drawing parallels to places like Portland, the 2011 NBA champion said cities without big football teams often invest everything in their basketball teams — and "that's usually where the buildings get the loudest and the craziest. The fans really get into it." While Nowitzki's criticism of Utah/Salt Lake City was mostly a misunderstanding, the same can't be said for another former NBA player. Derek Harper famously rejected a trade offer to the Jazz, making his opinion on living there very clear. "There was a Utah deal, but you go live in Utah. Nothing against Utah or their team, but I don't want to live there," the former guard said in 1997. Related: Dirk doesn't want to bash today's NBA like some ex-players: "It doesn't help to always sit there and complain" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Does the Lakers' big-money sale to Dodgers owner mean big changes are imminent?
The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. Today is Dirk Nowitzki's 47th birthday. One of my favorite things to think about is going back to the 1998 NBA Draft night and watching him get selected with the ninth overall pick. Then go tell everybody that guy would end up with more points than Wilt Chamberlain and watch them react. Happy Birthday, Dirk! Here's 10 minutes of him being clutch in the 2011 championship run. Lakers sold to Dodgers owner for big billions The late, great Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million. Yesterday, the news broke that his daughter Jeanie Buss and the Buss family are setting a global record with the sale of the Lakers franchise. Dodgers owner Mark Walter has agreed in principle to purchase the Lakers for $10 billion. Yes, ten billion (that's million with a 'b' instead of an 'm' with a big fat dollar sign in front of the 10). A billion is a million times a thousand, kids. Advertisement No sports franchise has ever sold for more. And here's the ridiculous thing: It might actually end up being more than $10 billion, according to Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov: 'The sale, which is not yet finalized, could eventually value the team at $12 billion, according to one source with knowledge of the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the transaction. That would be far more than the $6.1 billion valuation for the Boston Celtics when they were sold in March.' Remember that Celtics sale? It was a North American franchise record two months ago. It cleared the sale of the Washington Commanders by $50 million. If you add the recent sales of the Celtics and the Mavericks (roughly $3.5 billion), it doesn't add up ($9.6 billion) to the initial price tag of the Lakers. That is almost unfathomable, considering the Celtics are one of the most storied franchises in all of professional sports, and the Mavericks were a very good franchise in a very valuable market. Such is life for the Lakers, their brand and having the premier sports franchise in Los Angeles. And Walter now has the Lakers and the Dodgers. He already owned a 27 percent share in the Lakers with Todd Boehly at a $5 billion valuation from a 2021 purchase. Where does he get all this money? Walter is the chief executive of the Guggenheim Partners global financial firm, which he used to buy controlling interest in the Dodgers for $2.15 billion back in 2012. Guggenheim Partners has over $325 billion in assets. The Dodgers currently have the largest payroll in Major League Baseball at $338 million. Jeanie Buss will remain the governor of the team following the completion of the sale. Although, after what happened with the Mavericks – with Mark Cuban still running basketball operations, and then Nico Harrison doing the Luka Dončić trade over a year later without Cuban being involved – it's worth keeping an eye on how long Buss does in fact remain involved with the Lakers organization. You just never know with rich people these days! Advertisement The Lakers won't be able to spend the way Walter allows the Dodgers to dominate with their payroll. The NBA has trojan horse'd a vague hard cap into the mix with financial apron penalties, so there are limitations. But Walter can spend in every other facet outside of roster payroll. We may see massive upgrades to team facilities, amenities and everything you can possibly imagine. It makes you wonder what the Knicks would go for. James Dolan, care to find out? Never forget: the NBA still did Seattle dirty 🏀 Twist the knife. The Thunder winning the title would suck for Seattle fans. Sonics forever. 🏀 Top prospect. You want intel on the likely No. 2 pick in the draft? Here's Dylan Harper (no relation). ✍️ Flagg facts. Since we're discussing intel, David Aldridge shares his draft thoughts on Cooper Flagg and the top wing prospects. 🤔 How generational? How does Flagg stack up against the other top draft prospects in the last decade? 😤 Steady presence. Shakeia Taylor details Myles Turner's invaluable place in the Pacers' lineup and Indiana's community. 👀 Steady looking. The Knicks' head-coaching search continues. James Edwards III has you covered in his latest mailbag. 🇬🇧 Refurbished interest? The United Kingdom is trying to spur intrigue in basketball. Can it become more popular than badminton? 🥱 Questionable class? John Hollinger breaks down why he isn't too impressed with this year's crop of free-agent small forwards. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. Thunder can clinch championship tonight We have Game 6 of the NBA Finals happening tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC (and Fubo if you want to stream for free!). The Thunder need just one more win to bring home the first title in franchise history. (Remember, they gave up the SuperSonics titles when they ripped that franchise out of the Pacific Northwest.) The Thunder have been so dominant all season long, and yet have met a very formidable opponent in the Pacers during this run. Advertisement Only the Nuggets have managed to challenge the Thunder as much as the Pacers have, forcing them to a Game 7 in the second round. However, the Thunder did manage to absolutely demolish Denver in a couple of those games, including that Game 7. Indiana is wondering if it can force its own Game 7 and try to avoid that same fate. We are also wondering if a Game 7 will be forced, which would happen on Sunday. If the Pacers can protect their home court tonight, we'll get both teams with their backs against the walls in a do-or-die final game for the championship. Yesterday, we asked you, The Bouncers, some questions about this series. Let's go over your answers! Are the Thunder going to close out Game 6? Roughly two-thirds of you believe this is over tonight, which is understandable. The Thunder have been in a very good place the last two games, with Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both playing great basketball. If the Pacers win Game 6, will they win Game 7? Wow, almost none of you believe in the Pacers on the road! Need I remind you of them winning Game 7 on the road at Madison Square Garden in the second round last year? Is that even close to the same thing? Not at all! But 86.7 percent is disrespectful! Did blowing Game 4 spoil Pacers title chances? OK, some idiot (me) actually had a typo in the Google Form and had it say, 'by giving away Game 7,' but I trust you all knew what I meant. Most of you do believe that the Pacers giving away the fourth quarter of Game 4 and failing to go up 3-1 in the series likely ruined their title chances. Whom do you want to win? A little over half of you want the Pacers to win the title, but I like that this is nearly down the middle. Either team winning is kind of a cool story in its own right. We also asked if you've enjoyed the NBA Finals so far, and you overwhelmingly voted yes (87.7 percent) while 2.4 percent of voters said no. We also gave you a chance to write in your own separate answer to further express yourself. Here were the most intriguing answers to me: 'Bring back Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy … the current broadcast team just doesn't cut it.' 'As a Bucks fan, I wanted anyone but the Pacers coming out of the East. We deserved the Donte Bowl finals: Wolves vs Knicks.' 'Great for basketball diehards, but a Timberwolves-Knicks finals would've been way more intriguing storyline wise.' 'I don't care who wins, just keep it going for seven games. Lol.' 'Up until the injury bug hit Hali. He was THE story of these playoffs.' 'If Foster refs a game 7, there will be a game 8.' 'They should be more appreciated even though they are small teams! Having such a clutch team against the best in the league is amazing to watch. I can't count out the Pacers when they've proven they can bounce back in crazy ways. This series has been awesome.' 'The thunder are the NBA version of a shareholders presentation on the court it is not entertaining,' Advertisement And yes, you rapscallions couldn't resist trolling me with Thanasis answers. 'I need more Thanasis Antetokounmpo. The viewing experience has lacked Thanalysis.' 'Thanasis for NBA Finals MVP.' 'Thanasis would've caught that mistake.' 'I reckon that if Hali goes can't play, the pacers will sign Thanasis to a ten-day contract: he'll average 37.6 and 12 in games 6 and 7, lead Indiana to the chip and win finals MVP.' You are going to cause me to become the Joker. What will decide tonight's crucial Game 6? I feel pretty confident that Game 6 will come down to three things to decide the fate of whether or not we have a trophy ceremony tonight: 1. The health of Tyrese Haliburton, as Bouncers noted above, is unlikely to keep him out of Game 6. I'm not reporting that. I have no information. It just sounds like he's going to try to give it a go. He had a couple of days of treatment and rest, and it's about as good as it will get. That doesn't mean he'll be mobile enough to play like the player we're used to seeing, but the Pacers will need the All-NBA-caliber, clutch ruiner of beat writer deadlines to extend this series. 2. Stocks! No, we're not talking about the S&P. We're talking about the S&B! Steals and blocks! Game 5 saw the Thunder really go heavy on creating live-ball turnovers and protecting the rim. The Thunder had 27 stocks, with 15 steals and 12 blocks. Gilgeous-Alexander had four of their blocks as Chet Holmgren shook off a tough scoring game by grabbing 11 boards and blocking three shots. Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace each had four steals off the bench. The steals helped lead to 23 turnovers, which created 32 points. The Thunder have done a great job of turning over a Pacers team that doesn't typically give the ball away. 3. Reserve points. The bench scoring in this series has been all over the place. The Pacers are going to need Obi Toppin to knock down 3-pointers. They'll need Bennedict Mathurin to be the guy they saw in Game 3, rather than what they got at the end of Game 4 or in all of Game 5. They also need the T.J. McConnell they saw in the third quarter of Game 5. Advertisement For the Thunder, another big game from Caruso will all but seal up this championship. When he's had big games, the Thunder have had incredible success in this series. Wallace and Aaron Wiggins being effective off the bench, especially with Wiggins knocking down 3-pointers, will be too much for Indiana. The stars are the stars, but the role players should be the difference. Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Don Nelson doesn't hold back on Mavericks' ‘tremendous mistake' of trading Luka Doncic
The post Don Nelson doesn't hold back on Mavericks' 'tremendous mistake' of trading Luka Doncic appeared first on ClutchPoints. In the history of the Dallas Mavericks franchise, former head coach Don Nelson was instrumental in establishing them as a consistent playoff team in the early 2000s. Nelson helped unlock Dirk Nowitzki and helped shape him into the greatest player in franchise history. Being one of the best offensive innovators in league history, Nelson is certainly deserving of winning the 2025 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the winner of which was announced earlier today. Advertisement Suffice to say, the Mavericks franchise wouldn't be where they are today without Nelson's contributions. This is why Nelson is disappointed more than ever on the current state of the team. While the Mavs recently won the first overall pick, putting them in position to draft Cooper Flagg as some sort of mulligan for the biggest mistake in franchise history, Nelson isn't pleased whatsoever with their decision to trade away Luka Doncic back in February. 'I think it was a tremendous mistake for the Dallas franchise to trade him — and I want everybody to know that,' Nelson said in his press conference prior to Game 2 of the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA Finals clash. Nelson has formed a close relationship with Doncic, so it's not exactly a huge surprise to see him to go to bat for his guy. And it's not like Nelson's sentiment is unpopular; the Mavericks continue to be widely chastised for their egregious decision to let go of Doncic without making it known to the whole league — which could have drummed up a major bidding war. Advertisement Over four months have passed since the Mavericks shocked the world, and there are times where it still doesn't feel real that Doncic is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Only time will tell if the Mavs end up being right, but this trade is viewed as a disaster for a very good reason. Mavericks hope for a quick turnaround © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images At the very least, all hope is not lost for the Mavericks. They have an incredible collection of talent in the frontcourt; Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and PJ Washington comprise their impressive core. And they're (presumably) about to add Flagg to the mix. Advertisement All the Mavericks need is for Kyrie Irving to return to full strength and for them to bolster their backcourt, re-balancing the roster by perhaps trading a few of their big men in exchange for some guard help. Related: Don Nelson reveals 'favorite player' in 1998 NBA Draft and it's not Dirk Related: Mavericks rumors: Tim MacMahon reveals 'feasible' Jason Kidd scenario amid Knicks' interest
CBS News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
North Texas teen selected to train with Dirk Nowitzki's former coach in Germany
A young North Texas basketball player is getting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train overseas with the same coach who helped shape NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki. Freshman heads to Germany Michael "Tise" Lawson CBS News Texas At just 14 years old, Michael "Tise" Lawson, a freshman at Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington, has been selected to attend a basketball camp in Germany led by Holger Geschwindner, Nowitzki's longtime mentor and trainer. "I'm going to be going to Germany for a basketball camp, and I'm excited and preparing for it," Lawson said. Only American selected Lawson was the only American chosen for the camp, a selection made by the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center. "I was just thanking God, especially," he said. Unconventional training methods Geschwindner is known for his unconventional training methods, which include dancing and rowing, in addition to traditional basketball drills. In a past interview with VICE Sports, he explained how his approach differs from typical American trainers. "He doesn't do what you see trainers here in America do," Lawson said. "I personally think he is one of the greatest coaches ever." Dirk sends encouragement Lawson's story has even caught the attention of Nowitzki himself, who sent a video message wishing him luck. "It's a big tradition, and we are excited to include Michael Lawson this year," Nowitzki said in the message. Family beams with pride As Lawson prepares to head overseas, his father, Lanre Lawson, said the opportunity is a dream come true. "This is his dream. He wants to be in the NBA, and this makes a huge difference in his life," he said. Hard work pays off Lawson's coach, Fred Campbell, said the teen's work ethic sets him apart. "High school basketball is highly competitive here in North Texas," Campbell said. "We get a lot of reps up, and we just have fun in the gym and stay consistent with it. When you're the most committed, you get rewarded with cool trips like this." Confidence and gratitude Lawson credits his coaches and support system for helping him reach this moment. "Thanks to Coach Fred and others, they all prepared me for this moment," he said. "I found confidence, confidence I didn't even know I had." Ready for the challenge As he heads to Germany, Lawson says he's ready to take his shot — and prove what he's made of.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Timberwolves hit embarrassing Game 5 low point last seen in 2010
The post Timberwolves hit embarrassing Game 5 low point last seen in 2010 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Barring an unforeseen and historic turnaround, the Minnesota Timberwolves' season will officially be coming to an end after 24 minutes of game time following a horrific first half performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Timberwolves, expected to play with a sense of desperation now that their backs are against the wall, have instead rolled over, allowing a slow start to the game to snowball into something worse with each passing minute en route to a 65-32 halftime deficit. Advertisement A slow start to the game appears to be the undoing of the Timberwolves' season, as there aren't many teams that can recover from such a ghastly first-quarter performance against a team as resolute defensively as the Thunder. Minnesota scored just nine points in the first quarter, and in so doing, they became just the first team since the 2010 Dallas Mavericks to score fewer than 10 points in the first quarter of an elimination game, as per Sportsnet Stats on X (formerly Twitter). But that Mavericks team, at the very least, managed to hang around in the game despite their eight-point first quarter performance. They even took the lead at one point in the third quarter before the San Antonio Spurs pulled away. Dirk Nowitzki, the team's best player, even had a solid performance in the loss, tallying 33 points on 13-21 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards is straight up not having a good time against the Thunder's elite perimeter defense. The Timberwolves star has been struggling all night long, scoring just nine points on 3-10 shooting while being a team-worst minus-28. This is not the kind of play that Minnesota needed if they were to stave off elimination, but the possibility of extending the series looks nothing but a pipe dream at this point. Timberwolves get swallowed whole by the Thunder's elite defense Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images The Thunder have built their powerhouse identity on an elite defense that forces turnovers at a frenzied rate. They cover ground defensively like no other team in the NBA, and the Timberwolves, a team that relies on dribble penetration to create shots from beyond the arc, have played perfectly into OKC's hands, and in quite the literal sense too. In the first half of Game 5, the Timberwolves, rather embarrassingly, have turned the ball over more times than they have made field goals (14 vs. 12). It's hard to win against the Thunder when the team is that careless with the basketball, and now, the Timberwolves' championship hopes have gone up in smoke.
