Unbelievable: Luka Dončić Said Choosing Dallas Was The Biggest Mistake He Has Ever Made….
The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a stunning comeback against the Houston Rockets, securing a thrilling 147-136 victory in overtime at the American Airlines Center.
The Mavericks found themselves in a deep hole early on, trailing the Rockets by 22 points in the first half amidst a backdrop of anticipation for the upcoming total solar eclipse.
However, fueled by stellar performances from Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks mounted an incredible rally to force overtime.
The defining moment came in the final seconds of regulation when Dante Exum delivered a clutch three-pointer at the buzzer, equalizing the score and sending the game into overtime.
Exum”s shot epitomized the Mavericks” resilience and teamwork, as Dončić trusted his teammate and made the critical pass instead of attempting a difficult shot himself.
Reflecting on the pivotal play, Dončić emphasized the importance of trust within the team, highlighting the chemistry and camaraderie that propelled them to victory.
Contributions came from all corners of the roster, with P.J. Washington”s dominant rebounding performance and Irving”s scoring outburst complementing the team”s collective effort.
As the game progressed into overtime, the Mavericks seized control and never looked back, ultimately securing their third consecutive victory on home turf.
With the win, the Mavericks improved to 48-30 for the season, solidifying their position in the Western Conference playoff race and eliminating the Rockets from postseason contention.
Head coach Jason Kidd praised his team”s resilience and unity, emphasizing the trust and commitment displayed by his players throughout the game.
Despite facing adversity and a significant deficit early on, the Mavericks refused to waver, ultimately completing a remarkable comeback to emerge victorious.
“I’ll never forget when we got him in (New) Jersey, I threw the ball over the backboard and asked why he didn’t catch it, because I knew that he could jump,” Jason Kidd told Mavs.com. “His athleticism is like no other.
“His talents, not just in basketball, but bowling. He can throw a football 70 yards. I might be short-changing him — I hope I’m not. But just his athleticism is like no other.”
Carter was announced Saturday as an inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be on Aug. 17 in Springfield, Mass.
The 47-year old Carter finished his career as an eight-time All-Star who scored 25,728 points, 21st on the all-time NBA list. He also played more seasons (22) than any player in NBA history.
After being the fifth overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft out of North Carolina, Carter played the bulk of his career for the Toronto Raptors from 1998-2004. But he also played for the New Jersey Nets, Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
Carter and Kidd were teammates in New Jersey from 2004-08, and again with the Mavs during the 2011-12 season. The fact that the Hall of Fame deservingly came calling, Kidd describes it an “awesome” accomplishment for Carter, who played for the Mavs from 2011-14.
“When you talk about Vince’s career in Toronto and New Jersey, he’s played everywhere,” Kidd said. “When you’ve had that type of career for that long and what he meant for me as a teammate in New Jersey — also as a Team USA member — it makes the game easy.
“He had the ability to take over games scoring, and the ability to catch any bad pass and make you look good. So, I’m very happy for him to make it to the Hall of Fame.”
Mavs fans may remember Carter as the player who buried a dramatic double-pump three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, 109-108, in Game 3 of the first round of the 2014 Western Conference playoffs. Carter received the inbounds pass from Jose Calderon with just 1.7 seconds left and the Mavs trailing, 108-106, but that was enough time for him to nail the game-winner.
Kidd, now the coach of
the Mavs, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018 and offered some sage advice for Carter leading up to his Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
“It’s a surreal moment when you talk about the greats before you,” Kidd said. “Your class that you’re going in with, it’s kind of like a movie when you reflect on your basketball career, and now you’re in the likes of the greats.
“It’s an incredible weekend. It just goes by so fast. I just hope that he can enjoy each day and understand that this chapter of his basketball career to make it to the ultimate place is now fulfilled.”
LINEUP CHANGED MADE THE DIFFERENCE: After Sunday’s pulsating 147-136 overtime win over the Houston Rockets, this run of 14 wins in the last 16 games by the Mavs started with a lineup change on March 7 against the Miami Heat.
Before that, the Mavs had a starting lineup that of Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II
during a 137-120 loss at home against the Indiana Pacers. Following that game, the Mavs started Derrick Jones Jr., Daniel Gafford, Dončić, Irving and Washington, and that lineup has been a smashing success.
