Le Journal

On February 1, 2025, former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison changed the lives of everyone associated with the Dallas Mavericks when he traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in the most shocking trade in recent sports history. The move sparked immediate outrage and shock from the entire league and resulted in Harrison’s firing nine months later — a swift, but necessary resolution to one of the most shocking betrayals to a fanbase from a sports executive in league history. Now, nearly a year later, the Lakers will be coming to Dallas for the second time since the trade commenced. Los Angeles’ first trip back — a 112-97 April 9 Lakers win where Dončić dominated the Mavericks to cheers from the American Airlines Center crowd — felt like something out of a sports movie. Home fans rooting for an opposing player throughout the game is exceptionally rare, especially in modern sports, yet it happened in April and I expect it to happen again Saturday. It’s been a year unlike any other in sports fandom. Here’s a look back at a 12-month span that forever altered the Dallas Mavericks, from the fans to the players to the front office. February 1, 2025, 11:12 CST: The Tweet Late in the evening of February 1, ESPN’s Shams Charania shocked the world when he announced the Dallas Mavericks were trading Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick in a three-team deal that included the Utah Jazz. Fans across all teams immediately thought the tweet was a farce. “Has Shams been hacked?” started trending on social media and Charania told the Old Man and the Three podcast that his phone was blowing up with questions about if he’d been hacked. “I answered five people on phone calls, texts I couldn’t, it was literally up to 300 messages,” he recalled. But the trade was real, stunning the world. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that night that Harrison “believed defense wins championships” and that the Mavericks had “major concerns” about moving forward with Dončić due to his “constant conditioning issues.” February 8, 2025: Davis makes debut after fans protest trade A week later, the Mavericks hosted the Houston Rockets in Anthony Davis’ debut as a Maverick, but the headlines that day weren’t focused on the game; it was on the scene outside the arena. Thousands of fans flooded Victory Plaza outside the arena to protest the historic trade. People held signs, chanted “Fire Nico” and voiced their displeasure at the move. Inside the arena, Davis and the Mavericks defeated the Rockets, but the Mavericks’ new star exited the game in the third quarter with an injury. For many, the trade was a turning point, ticket sales declined 40% that season after the trade. In November, the team’s 24-season streak of sellout games was snapped. February 25, 2025: Dončić faces Mavericks for first time Dallas traveled to Los Angeles to play the Lakers three weeks later with Harrison in attendance. The Lakers defeated the Mavericks, 107-99, with Dončić securing a triple double in the win. Davis missed the game with an injury. Inside Crypto.com arena,“ Thank you, Nico!” chants erupted from the Lakers faithful. Harrison was in attendance for the game, and it was likely the last public sporting event where he’d ever receive a positive reception. April 9, 2025: Dončić returns to Dallas Two months after the trade, Dončić returned to American Airlines Center in one of the most surreal games I’ve ever witnessed as a fan. Purple and gold jerseys flooded AAC — which wasn’t uncommon for a Lakers road game, Los Angeles has one of the fiercest fanbases in the NBA — but most of the jerseys had one name: Dončić. Purple and gold meshed with navy blue and white with the same name donned across the back. The Mavericks played a video tribute before the game for Dončić, who teared up on the sidelines as fans applauded the then-25 year old’s tenure in Dallas that included a 2022 Western Conference Finals run and a…

Oubliez la bêche et le mal de dos : découvrez pourquoi ce mois de janvier est le moment critique pour lancer cette révolution potagère invisible.

Global spotlight on the White House transition

With two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s game, it seemed abundantly clear that No. 15 Maryland women’s basketball had lost to No. 10 Iowa.  The Terps trailed by 11 and were completely without offensive momentum. Yarden Garzon had fouled out minutes prior, and the Terps’ other main contributors had fallen flat. The Terps desperately needed a run. They finally got it, but it seemed too little, too late — some of the crowd had already left. But it wasn’t over. The Terps miraculously forced overtime as Oluchi Okananwa tied the game with a deep heave, sending everyone left in the Xfinity Center crowd into a craze. But Maryland’s comeback effort wasn’t sustained in the extra period, and it eventually fell to the Hawkeyes, 85-78. “It was approaching a blowout when we were down 17,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “To be able to fight and claw. That’s the beauty of this locker room, just their mentality.”  Through three quarters, the Hawkeyes’ defense held Okananwa to one point. The junior is Maryland’s leading scorer, and she came in averaging 17.3 points per game. But Iowa’s defense completely limited her production, forcing the Terps to go to their other options.  However, after committing her fourth foul, Okananwa found life and exploded for 11 points in the fourth frame. But in overtime, she fouled out. Without her and Garzon, the Terps once again fell flat. The Terps had the lead, but all momentum was lost after losing their leading scorer. “We had to have Oluchi [Okananwa] on the floor. She was getting downhill, and especially with both teams in the bonus, that was impactful, losing her with her fifth foul,” Frese said. Iowa’s defensive strategy focused on double-teaming Okananwa and preventing her from driving inside. It worked, and she was limited to jumpers until late. In the interim, Maryland was forced to rely on Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu and Kyndal Walker offensively. It wasn’t a recipe for success.  Walker looked confident from midrange and was Maryland’s primary ball-handler as one of two available guards. She was confident and effective, but the Terps couldn’t rely solely on the redshirt freshman in a top-15 matchup.  “My teammates have picked us up in multiple games,” Walker said. “It was a tough night for others, and that’s why you had the depth. That’s why you come to Maryland, because everyone’s capable of scoring.” When Maryland’s comeback took shape, it was ultimately its key contributors that delivered. Like Okananwa, Saylor Poffenbarger and Addi Mack were silent until the fourth quarter but woke up late. The pair combined for 11 points in Maryland’s comeback effort in the fourth. Poffenbarger sank a crucial 3-pointer to help the Terps storm back, but her overall performance was pedestrian. She finished with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting.  Iowa controlled almost all of the pace of Thursday’s game and held a consistent lead until nine seconds remaining in regulation.  Despite a lackluster performance from the Terps throughout most of the game, they remained within striking distance. Iowa led by as much as 17 in the fourth frame before the comeback, but it led by no more than 10 for the majority of the game.  And while Maryland’s defense kept it somewhat close, it also had some detrimental meltdowns. The Terps were intentional in allowing Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke to take midrange shots, and that strategy proved effective. However, the Hawkeyes took advantage from other areas — both inside and from deep. From downtown, they shot 5-of-10 (50%) in the first half. The Terps have been outshot from 3-point range as of late, and it continued on Thursday — they missed their first seven attempts. Chit-Chat Wright and Taylor McCabe combined for seven of Iowa’s eight 3-pointers. For most of Thursday evening, it was an ugly performance. The Terps headed into the final 10 minutes needing a run and were in serious foul trouble at the same…

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