Don't sleep on the Dallas Mavericks, even though they've been one of the worst teams in the NBA.
Dallas followed up a surprising win Sunday versus the San Antonio Spurs with a 104-97 victory over the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
#MFW when you beat the Spurs and the Cavs back-to-back... pic.twitter.com/WVNBCBkXAW
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) January 31, 2017
Head coach Rick Carlisle conceded his club isn't great, but it's better than its 18-30 record suggests.
"We're a shit team, but we're an underrated shit team. That's about as accurately as I can put it," he told reporters postgame, as quoted by SB Nation's Tim Cato.
Told of his bench boss' assessment, Wesley Matthews didn't disagree.
"Quote me, I want Rick to know he's included in this shit too," he said while smiling.
After a brutal start to the campaign that saw the 2011 champs fall to the bottom of the standings, the Mavs have gotten healthier and won seven of their last 10. Dirk Nowitzki, who's battled injuries all season, is pumped about the successful back-to-back set.
"That's the reason why I still play, because I love to compete," said the 38-year-old, who hasn't given up hope of his club making a serious playoff push.
Monday's win represents the first time the Mavs have taken down LeBron James since defeating his Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals. Dallas also earns the distinction of being the team that pushed the Cavs to 8-9 in January, marking James' first sub-.500 month since December 2007, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Not bad for a bottom-dweller.
