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“NBA DRAFT LOTTERY-JACKPOT”
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From the very bad times to a very good moment.
That’s what the Dallas Mavericks experienced.
From the controversial Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers, to the arrival of Anthony Davis, the injury siege that wiped out their top two players, to the months of hate directed at ownership, it came to this on Monday night.
The Dallas Mavericks got the number 1-pick in the draft, Cooper Flagg of Duke, and in doing so, hit probably the longest lottery shot in history, like a long Luka Doncic rainbow three pointer.
From the misery of the final months of the draft after the lopsided Lakers team, comes the arrival of the 6’9-Flagg, the sensational 1-and-Done star who does so many things.
Flagg now joins superstar Anthony Davis and the explosive guard Kyrie Irving in a new look Mavericks lineup that will be very good.
Add in the grizzled vet in Klay Thompson and the two young bigs Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford, and this is suddenly a very different basketball team.
Not to be lost in the hoopla on lottery night is that other team in the Lone Star state, San Antonio, its season overshadowed by the stroke suffered by Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, then the significant injuries and illnesses that struck down two other stars.
San Antonio welcomes in next season by getting the 2nd pick in the lottery, which means big sooter Ace Bailey of Rutgers. At 6’10-he joins Victor Wembanyama, the second year superstar center, and the big time guard D’Aaron Fox, whom they got at the trade deadline from Sacramento.
Wembemyama missed half the season with a blood clot issue in the shoulder. Fox went down with a season ending finger injury.
Philadelphia, it’s season wrecked by injuries, gets Joel Embiid, Ty Maxey and Paul George all back, and adds on star guard Dyan Harper of Rutgers or VJ Edgecomb of Baylor.
Charlotte picks 4th, Utah, coming off a miserable season, fell to 5th. Washington, was awful last year playing kids, will draft 6th in a deep draft.
But for this night, that hour, the Dallas Mavericks can set aside all their angst, anger, resentment, frustration and more over the Luka trade, because they can raise a Flagg, they are back, with Cooper joining AD-and-Kyrie in what should be a fun season.
The Mavs hit the jackpot in the Lottery
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