Here Are the Stories That Got Mavs Fans Talking In 2020

Published: December 21, 2020 / Updated: November 24, 2023 admin blog

Remember when the most complicated thing about 2020 was the NBA’s new All-Star game format?

Good times.

2020 has been…*checks thesaurus.com for another word for “unprecedented”*…bizarre. Some of the biggest stories of the past decade happened this year.

This little blog covered stories that resonated with Dallas Mavericks fans. I thought it would be fun to take a look back at all the crazy things we cared about this year. Here are the most popular pieces of content from our website, podcast, and social media accounts.

Yup, we were all about Kristaps Porzingis’ torn ACL in 2020, as you’ll see from the rest of this list. I did a research project to predict Kristaps’ season averages for 2020 (and actually got pretty close), but there’s nothing like seeing a real-life example.

This article featured past NBA players who suffered a torn ACL and came back in pretty good shape, if not the same as before. Guys like Zach Lavine, Mark Price, and Al Jefferson brought some comfort to Mavs fans who were waiting for Kristaps to find his rhythm.

If 2020 wasn’t bad enough already, some clown in a suit decided to pull Fox Sports Southwest from just about every TV provider and streaming service. There was a lot of confusion over where to watch the Mavericks. I decided to track down every single local TV provider and every available streaming service to verify which ones carry our regional Fox Sports channel.

Turns out it’s pretty much just AT&T.

You can read the whole page to get the lowdown on packages and pricing. I show a few other services besides AT&T that carry FSSW, but I’ve heard conflicting reports on even those. Just make sure you double-check before signing a contract.

Yup, Kristaps’ little knees were a hot topic this year.

After a pretty good first season back, Kristaps came into the Orlando “Bubble” and dominated. He was The Unicorn.

And then he had another injury.

At this point, I think we were all starting to wonder if this was going to be an ongoing problem with KP. Were these freak accidents or is he injury-prone?

I decided to talk to a doctor and get an educated answer. This article includes some very helpful insights into what could have caused these injuries, whether or not Mavs fans should be concerned, and how the Mavericks should use Kristaps to lower his risk of injury. I know I’m biased, but it’s a super-good article. (And apparently Mavs fans agree with me.)

WHAT IS GOING ON?? Mavericks-Clippers Game 4 Recap – Luka’s Game-Winning Buzzer Beater

The Mavericks First Round series against the Clippers had plenty of storylines: Marcus Morris’ general punkery; Kristaps Porzingis’ general injury-ness (it’s a word – shut up); and oh yeah, Luka Doncic hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater in his first ever NBA Playoff series.

Mavs fans were BUZZING. Heck, Martin and I jumped up screaming and hugged, for cryin’ out loud. (When was the last time a stupid game made you hug someone?)

Our post-game pod was fun to record and fun to listen to. (Yes, I listen to my own podcast. Judge me.)

Sixers Reporter Jason Blevins on How Josh Richardson Helps the Mavericks

Ok, so fast-forward a few months. We know we have the next GOAT, we know a Championship is just around the corner, and we’re ready for some big moves.

When the Mavericks acquired Josh Richardson from the Sixers via trade, we were all pretty intrigued. He’s a good defender, he can…..wait, what does he do?

Yeah, Josh Richardson is a guy we all know about, but we weren’t really sure what he’s good at, or what to expect. Jason Blevins from The Painted Lines gave some super-helpful insights on who Josh Richardson is and how he can help the Mavericks.

And then we did our usual rant about hating the Mavericks’ free agency plan.

The Mavs’ Failed Protest & Mark Cuban’s Fine; Are the Mavs Getting Better In the Clutch? (Special Guest Host Lauren Gunn)

I’m guessing this one was popular because bad officiating seemed like the most pressing issue at the time. (Remember those days?)

Well, that and Lauren Gunn is a legend and an amazing co-host.

For a little context, this was when the Mavericks thought they had been cheated because of a basket that happened after a goaltend call that was later overturned. The Mavericks protested the outcome, they lost the protest, and Mark Cuban was fined.

The topic might be dated now, but the episode is still good because Lauren and I also talk about the Mavs’ clutch problems and Maxi Kleber’s versatility as a defender, which is super-relevant right now.

Luka Doncic is the Superstar We Need, But Not the One We Deserve (Or Something Like That)

Your superstar hasn’t shown up for training camp yet? Can’t relate. pic.twitter.com/GZ4dxzrwGe— Sydney Myers (@_sydneymyers) December 7, 2020

When James Harden was out partying in Atlanta and causing all kinds of problems for his team, Luka Doncic was in Dallas with his teammates, wearing a ninja headband, and dancing.

We don’t deserve him.

In the Streaming Wars, We Are the Casualties

I remember when all these streaming services like Sling came up it was supposed to be the start of customers being able to buy whatever channels they wanted instead of being forced into expensive cable packages. 5 years later and everything is basically the same, just new names.— Sydney Myers (@_sydneymyers) February 27, 2020

Yeah, TV was a big problem in 2020 for Mavs fans. When I tweeted this in February, the problems were just starting. We’re in the heat of battle right now, and I don’t even know who’s winning.

Kids These Days…

Oh I forgot the time AD won MVP and Finals MVP and scored 30k points. Man, what a career.— Sydney Myers (@_sydneymyers) October 2, 2020

The original tweet in this thread was deleted by the author, but he was trying to say that Anthony Davis is better than Dirk. Obviously, I had to shut that down, like, pronto.

Luka Magic

🗣️ YOUR APOLOGY NEEDS TO BE AS LOUD AS YOUR DISRESPECT WAS. 😎 pic.twitter.com/Rxqf0YpqHU— Sydney Myers (@_sydneymyers) August 9, 2020

I’m actually not entirely sure what this tweet was about, but judging by the date, it probably had something to do with Luka’s triple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks and his clutch between-the-legs pass to Maxi Kleber.

We had no idea what we were in for.

That’s all of our best and most popular content from 2020. Despite the world’s situation, Mavericks fans actually had some fun things to cheer about and take our mind off it all.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this blog and our website. You guys have been amazing, and literally any amount of growth we experience is because of you. Keep listening and reading because 2021 will have more fun times.