"I'm stupid-sticious" - Mark Cuban reveals pulling quirky superstitions to help Dallas Mavericks win 2011 NBA Finals
Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks' title run in 2011 has been considered one of the best ones in NBA history. His dedication and desire to win the title were unmatched, and as the team's owner, he was rewarded with the trophy.
There was a lot that went into the Mavs' impressive postseason that year. Dirk Nowitzki was on a tear and eager to win a ring before he retired as he was near the twilight years of his career. Jason Kidd, who now coaches the team, wanted to do the same as he wasn't the young star he once was.
Few actively paid attention to Dallas at the time. All the attention was on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. That was the first season of the Big Three in Miami, which was a historic moment for the league. But that was spoiled by the German star as he humbled the star-studded Heatles.
Cuban recently shared the superstitious routines he did to make sure the Mavs got the last laugh. Some of his antics may sound otherworldly, but they calmed him down and gave the team the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"I'm supid-sticious," Cuban said. "So many routines that I'm just stupid-sticious about. My thing was, if I take a sip of my Diet Coke at the right moment, we'll score, and if I take my Diet Coke and put it down in the exact right spot, we'll get a stop. Obviously, it worked. , I just kept on doing it."
When asked how many Diet Cokes he ordered during their run, the billionaire said:
"I have no idea. I would just give the guy $100 and say, 'Just keep them coming.' ... If you watch me from the first game of the first series up until Game 6, my face bloated. ... It just reduces the stress."
In the end, the hard work that Nowitzki and all the other players put in for the Mavs paid off.
Also read: How much did Mark Cuban buy the Dallas Mavericks for? Understanding negotiations and challenges in NBA team acquisition
Mark Cuban fixes a Dirk story
During Nowitzki's Hall of Fame speech, he mentioned that he dunked on Mark Cuban during their first one-on-one session together, shortly after he bought the team. However, Cuban has a slight addition to the story that the 2011 Finals MVP shared.
According to the owner, everything that Nowitzki said in his speech was accurate. However, the 12-time All-NBA selection left out the detail about who scored first. Cuban said that he scored the first two buckets over the German sensation, which left the Mavs legend no choice but to dunk on his opponent.
Watch the video below to see Cuban's side of the story.
Also read: Mark Cuban challenges tradition despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's rage: "I'd give the ball to the rookie"