Dirk Nowitzki is having a hard time watching the Dallas Mavericks right now.
The Mavericks are off to a 2-7 start to the season following Friday’s 118-104 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Nowitzki did not hold back on the team’s recent performances. He added that the roster is not up to par, and that the team has a huge hole when it comes to players who can create and make their own shots.
“I feel bad for my Mavs fans. This has been a disastrous start,” Nowitzki said. “Obviously, there’s a hole at point guard and the playmaking position. We knew that hole wasn’t filled this summer. There’s a hole at shot creating, there’s a hole at shot making.
“They’re actually on pace to have a record bad start on offense. They can’t shoot. They can’t make plays. It’s all going side-to-side, east-west, handoffs. It’s been tough to watch.”
Dirk:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) November 8, 2025
"I feel bad for my Mavs fans. This has been a disastrous start. Obviously, there's a hole at the point guard and playmaking position…at shot creating, at shot making. They can't shoot, they can't make plays…nobody can make shots. It's been tough to watch" pic.twitter.com/GcCD38dshX
The Mavericks had been optimistic that they would be competitive this year, even with Kyrie Irving set to miss the bulk of the season. A big part of that was getting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick. While Flagg has been solid, there are some growing pains, and with Anthony Davis also missing time due to injury, he has not had a lot of other weapons to turn to.
Perhaps the worst part is that Nowitzki seemingly saw this coming. His comments about the Mavericks not filling offseason holes feel rather pointed. It is also worth remembering that he reportedly has been distancing himself from the organization since Luka Doncic was traded in January.
