The Dallas Mavericks won one of the most famous NBA titles in 2011, as they progressed through an incredibly competitive Western Conference, just to beat the LeBron James-led Miami Heat Big 3 in the NBA Finals. That run led to the only NBA title the Mavericks have ever won.
The highlight of that run had to be the Mavericks sweeping the 2-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were looking to complete their 2nd 3-peat of the new millennia. This was supposed to be Phil Jackson’s last dance as a Laker coach and ended in his team getting swept. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban revealed that he spoke to Phil after the Lakers lost Game 4 and asked him not to retire. The loss had made Jackson even more sure of his decision to walk away from the NBA.
Mark Cuban on what he told @PhilJackson11 after @dallasmavs swept the @Lakers in 2011:
“When up to Phil after the game & congratulated me & said don’t retire we need you. He said, no I’m done this is my last game,” Says @mcuban.
2/2#MFFL #LakeShow #LakersDoc #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/ESQK05IcHQ
— Landon Buford (@LandonBuford) October 3, 2022
“I remember going up to Phil after the game, he congratulated me, and I said ‘don’t retire, the game needs you.’ He says, ‘No, I’m done. This is my last game.”
Jackson would stick to his word and never coach another NBA team, though he came close to returning to the Lakers a couple of seasons later. Jackson would find himself as an executive with the New York Knicks next, but has been retired since 2017.
Could The Lakers Have Won More Titles Under Phil Jackson
The 2010 Championship was the last moment of glory the franchise had until the 2020 championship was won under coach Frank Vogel. Many wonders if Jackson was still there as the creative mastermind of the team, they could have extended their run and tried again in 2012.
The Lakers had lost trust in Jackson by the end of the 2010-11 season, so maybe it was for the best that Jackson left the team and chose to not come back. The collapse against the Mavericks proved the Lakers locker room was no longer fighting for Jackson, which is usually a death sentence for a coach.
