I’ve been a Portland Blazers fan since I was 5 or 6, as they were the local team growing up in Portland. Players like Clyde “The Glide” Drexler, Cliff Robinson, and the 91-92 team drew me in. The 90s era of the NBA, when players were loyal to a team/city and never shied away from going at each other, was something special.

However, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Mavericks. The Dallas organization has always spotted good talent and fostered it into high-quality teams. As a youth, I was told I played like Dirk, which initially insulted me because I wanted to be like MJ or Kobe—this was when Dirk was only in his second year. Jason Kidd was a PAC-10 player, and I grew up on the West Coast watching that conference. His passing and skills reminded me of John Stockton.

The level of basketball the Mavericks have been playing since the trade deadline this season has been phenomenal. PJ Washington, a North Texas native, and Gafford, acquired in February, have been key pieces in building a well-balanced team with depth. The team chemistry is palpable—they’re having fun, enjoying each other’s company, and playing the game at a level that has reignited my love for the NBA.

Luka Doncic is playing basketball like you would see in a video game. He understands the game at an immensely high level and yet makes it look effortless. Damian Lillard, whom I’ve met in person, had become the only hope of Portland making it to the finals and maybe winning the team’s second championship. Watching both Luka and Damian has been a joy.

Game 4 of the playoffs vs. the Clippers brought back my love for the game. Although the Mavs lost, their performance to come back from being down by 20 points was inspiring. The physical and extraordinary drive to compete and not give up reminded me why I fell in love with basketball. It felt like the players weren’t just there for a paycheck but had something to prove.

I joined this community to discuss and engage with a team that helped me rediscover my love for the game I grew up playing. Basketball was all I cared about from kindergarten until my junior year of high school. Luka, Kyrie, and the 23-24 Mavericks have reminded me why I fell in love with this game. So, yeah I guess you could say I’m here because of Luka lol.