Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki refuses to throw in the towel despite team owner Mark Cuban's belief that losing is their best option.
"You don't really want a culture here that's just giving up and quitting and not playing hard," Nowitzki said following Monday's 109-103 victory over the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "I think it just sets the wrong tone for the future."
Nowitzki, who's in his 20th season with the Mavericks and led them to their first championship in 2011, is trying to ensure his winning mentality stays with the franchise when he's gone.
"I think it's important for our young guys to learn how to compete and to compete all the time, play hard," he said. "You play your minutes hard. That's the only way to get better. That's the only way to play in this league, and whatever happens after the season, we'll just go from there. But for now, you play your minutes hard and you play to win."
The 39-year-old registered seven points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 25 minutes. He's expected to retire after this season or the next, depending on how his body feels.
Harrison Barnes, who led the way for the Mavs with 21 points and is regarded as a central part of their core in the post-Nowitzki era, supported the legendary big man's point by saying it's imperative to play to win.
"Any time you don't play to win or you're just kind of going through the motions, that can become contagious. That can become a habit, and that can become your culture," he said.
"'Oh, it's OK for us to do this. Oh, it's OK for us to not give full effort.' Then next season rolls around, and you can't flip that switch. It's still that malaise that you had from the year before."
Monday's win marked the first since Cuban was fined $600,000 for admitting to tanking. The 19-42 Mavericks remain in an intense race to the bottom of the standings, with one-third of the league gunning for lottery ping pong balls. Not only is the 2018 NBA Draft expected to feature five-to-seven elite players, but it also marks the final year before changes to the lottery system are implemented to lower the three worst teams' chances of winning the No. 1 pick.
