The 2024-25 NBA season has been about tragedy and heartbreak for the Dallas Mavericks. Less than a year after reaching the NBA Finals, the Mavericks shipped away star guard Luka Dončić in a trade that sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. The controversial move, accompanied by rising season ticket prices, created an irreparable rift between the team’s leadership and the fans.
Yet, the nightmare in Dallas had just begun. A week later, former Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis, who joined the team in the Dončić trade, suffered an abductor strain in his debut performance. A month later, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving’s season came to an end with a torn ACL in his left knee.
On the court, the show has — as it must — continued to go on. Despite the distractions and nightly chants from fans to fire general manager Nico Collins, the Mavericks still managed to find a way to the dance.
Brandon Williams shines in Mavericks’ Play-In Tournament victory
Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford all returned from injuries and helped the Mavericks win their first Play-In Tournament game, defeating the Sacramento Kings 120-106. While the big men played well, the most notable performance came from point guard Brandon Williams.
Williams provided the Mavericks with 17 points and five assists in just 18 minutes against the Kings. He finished with zero turnovers and made all four of his free throws while shooting five-of-eight from the field and three-of-four from deep. Williams finished the game with a plus/minus of plus-24.
“Brandon Williams might be the best $47K a team has spent at the end of the regular season,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks commented on social media.
The 6-foot-1 guard signed a two-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers after going undrafted in 2020. He averaged 12.9 points, 3.9 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 26.7 minutes through 24 games in the G League as a rookie, but he was ultimately waived due to his inefficiency and size. Williams signed a standard contract with the Mavericks last week after spending the past year as a two-way player with Dallas. After his first game with the team, Williams revealed that he’s received guidance from Irving as he embarks on establishing himself in the NBA.
“I call [Irving] literally about anything,” Williams said. “Anything that I need, anything that I want to learn about, office is right there. Kyrie is one phone call away.”
If he continues to perform, he may just find himself on the court alongside Irving in the future.