Five Late Thrillers. One Firing. A Wild Week in the NBA.
The first firing of the season came Tuesday, when the Dallas Mavericks decided to part ways with general manager Nico Harrison. Harrison had become the most hated man in Texas sports after he traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024 season.
The night before Harrison’s firing was filled with drama, as five games came down to the last minute of regulation, went to overtime or ended on a game-winner. The chaos began in Florida, with the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat both forcing fans to hold their breath.
Monday Night Madness
Magic fans were treated to a roller-coaster Monday. Paolo Banchero tied the game against the Portland Trailblazers at 112 apiece with just five seconds to play, and had a free-throw to take the lead. A miss left the door ajar, but he quickly earned his redemption, picking up a steal from Blazers guard Jrue Holiday. With 1.9 seconds on the clock after an Orlando timeout, Desmond Bane played the hero as he hit a 3-pointer as time expired, giving the Magic a 115-112 win.
Fans in Miami were treated to extra basketball as the matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers went to overtime. It looked like two overtimes were in the cards after a magical three from Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell, but Eric Spoelstra was having none of that. With 0.4 seconds on the clock, the Heat coach dialed up a lob from Nikola Jovic to Andrew Wiggins that gave the Heat a 140-138 victory.
Nothing encapsulated the modern game quite like the San Antonio Spurs’ 121-117 win over the Chicago Bulls. Down by three with a minute to play, center Victor Wembanyama hits back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Spurs the lead for good. Wembanyama had 38 points on the game, as well as five blocks.
No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg nearly had his first marquee moment in the NBA. He gave the Dallas Mavericks a 113-112 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks with 28.7 second remaining by hitting an impressive layup over Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. A quick answer from guard Ryan Rollins set the stage for Flagg to be the hero. Instead he slipped and fell while trying to receive an inbounds pass, leading to a dunk for the Bucks and the 116-114 defeat for the Mavericks.
The other overtime affair took place in Detroit, where a NBA record was set. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham finished with 46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals in a 137-135 victory. The record was set by Cunningham, but is not a positive. He attempted 45 shots, making just 14. His 31 missed shots is the most in NBA history.
Better Late Than Never
“Fire Nico” chants have been raining down upon the Mavericks ever since Doncic was shipped out last season. The return, Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, left fans confused about the direction the franchise was heading. It now seems that ownership shares the concern about the lack of vision, as Harrison is out the door.
Interim general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are now tasked with figuring out where to go from here. An aging team that also has a young star in Cooper Flagg makes players like Davis potentially expendable. The questions of how much value he would have in a trade and whether Finley and Riccardi are going to be given the freedom to make deals will define the rest of the season for Dallas.
Championship Hangover
Following a grueling run through the playoffs, teams that make the NBA Finals have been known to take a step back the following season. The Indiana Pacers, who came up just short against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals, have felt the effects of championship hangover. They sit at 1-11 on the season, going 0-4 this week.
Injuries are partially to blame. Guard Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his achilles in the championship last year, while Andrew Nembhard has been dealing with a shoulder strain. The struggles are coming from the offense. The Pacers were fueled by their fast pace offense last year, which covered up for some of the defensive weakness. Without their lead playmakers, the Pacers are just giving up points. Opponents averaged 129 points against them this week.
Category: Basketball, Miami Heat, NBA, Orlando Magic
