By Mo Diaby
Way back when the Mavs were 26-9, earlier this season, Jan 7th to be exact, the Thunder marched into Dallas to play the Mavs and the question was brought up as to, whether the Mavs had found a new rival 3 hours north of Dallas.
Jason Terry specifically addressed it during pregame warm ups and this is what he had to say:
“I was in Spain with Serge Ibaka, and he made it a point to tell me that they’re our rivals,” sixth man Jason Terry said after the Mavericks’ morning shootaround when recalling his trip alongside the Thunder big man while participating in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Program.
“And I was like, ‘You guys haven’t really beat us that many times.’ And he was like, ‘No, we look at y’all as a rival, and we’re gonna try to beat you every time we play,’” Terry added. “If your name is not the San Antonio Spurs, I don’t think there’s a rivalry there. But we know that they’re a dangerous team.”
“It doesn’t become a rivalry until you have playoff victories and playoff losses and it’s multiple years,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “With the location, it does make sense. But right now, they’ve been places we want to go. And until it becomes a rivalry, we have to be able to get to those places.”
That, all but sets the tone for what is to take place on Tuesday night in Dallas 8CT when Game 1 of OKC vs. Dallas tips off.
