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Dallas Mavericks: Top 10 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season

By Daniel Lubofsky

DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks after scoring a basket against Kenrich Williams #34 of the New Orleans Pelicans to become the sixth all-time leading scorer in the NBA at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks after scoring a basket against Kenrich Williams #34 of the New Orleans Pelicans to become the sixth all-time leading scorer in the NBA at American Airlines Center on March 18, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

10. Two legends exchange jerseys

Over the course of his farewell tour around the league, Dwyane Wade engaged in the little-practiced tradition among NBA circles of swapping jerseys at the end of games. From Jae Crowder to LeBron James, he collected nearly one from each game. So when the Miami Heat came to Dallas to play the Mavs, his next acquisition seemed obvious.

Despite having little to do with each other in their numerous battles over the year — Wade as a guard in the East, Nowitzki as a big in the West — these two legends have managed to play a significant part in each other’s legacies.

Wade led Miami from down 0-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals with one of the greatest four-game stretches in league history to snatch the championship away from a long-suffering Dirk. Nowitzki struck back in 2011, rising above the Heat’s infamous Big 3 to claim the only title victory of his career.

There is little time for reflection in the heat of battle, with little prime to waste. So to see them both relaxed and loose in the final stage of their careers, side-by-side with jerseys in hand, was a fitting image for two all-time greats whose influence on the league created a ripple effect that will be felt for a long time.

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