The Dallas Mavericks are sick of the backlash the franchise has received in the wake of trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. On a night when the NBA’s attention is on LA for Doncic’s Lakers debut, the Mavericks broke into the headlines in the worst way possible.
The team was showing fans singing around to songs on the jumbotron when they focused on one fan, who stopped singing the song and mouthed ‘Fire Nico’ on camera, referring to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. They awkwardly zoomed out and cut the action.
OH MY GOSH SOME GUY JUST TRICKED THE CAMERAMAN INTO SHOWING HIM DURING KARAOKE CAM AND HE MOUTHED “FIRE NICO”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA https://t.co/CFDXnjiNok pic.twitter.com/RKAPyg0af1
— All Things Mavs (@All_Things_Mavs) February 11, 2025
The fan was later ejected from the game for his actions, as the Mavericks fans in nearby sections rained boos down on the security escorting him out of the game.
Update: Mavs Security just kicked out the guy who said “FIRE NICO” on the video board. pic.twitter.com/Fk6EIk8ZWe
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) February 11, 2025
What’s funny is that the Mavericks have been actively choosing to not show the fans in attendance since making the Doncic trade because of the negative fan reaction which has included widespread protests.
the Mavericks have continued this approach to the team's game presentation: no fans have been shown on the Jumbotron since the game tipped off so far tonight. https://t.co/TkeB8SNadY
— tim cato (@tim_cato) February 11, 2025
They gently tried reintegrating fans into the broadcast and were immediately struck down by this action. The franchise likely won’t dare to highlight the in-arena fans for the rest of the season.
The fans have a right to let their feelings be known. This fan wasn’t inciting others or being aggressive in any way. Even if the organization disagrees with what’s being said, this is a fundamental right to expression that shouldn’t be quelled. However, the Mavericks retain the ability to kick out anyone from their games for actions they don’t deem appropriate, so they’ve exercised their power here.
This is a night where Doncic is dazzling the world while wearing a Lakers jersey. Even Mavs franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki chose to miss the Mavericks’ home game against the Sacramento Kings tonight to attend Luka’s Lakers debut, sitting with the Doncic family in the crowd.
They traded Doncic due to his increasing injury proneness. Now they’re without Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, PJ Washington, and more, while also losing Daniel Gafford to a knee injury. All four centers on the Mavericks roster are currently sidelined with Davis, Lively, Gafford, and Dwight Powell.
The team also fell to a heartbreaking 129-128 OT loss to the Sacramento Kings. They blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead and were forced into OT by a DeMar DeRozan clutch shot. DeRozan would wind up hitting the dagger with 0.6 seconds left to give the Kings this win and drop the Mavericks to 28-26.
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