Mavs drop to 0-2 as 'Fire Nico!' chants grow louder in Dallas - ESPN

DALLAS — Many Mavericks fans vented their frustration, in what has recently become familiar fashion in Dallas, chanting for the termination of general manager Nico Harrison as the final minute played out in Friday night's 117-107 loss to the Washington Wizards.

«Fire Nico!» chants have frequently been heard in the American Airlines Center since the stunning trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2, months after the homegrown superstar had led the Mavs to the 2024 NBA Finals.

Dallas' improbable win in the draft lottery, which delivered No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg to the Mavs, somewhat reinvigorated the fan base over the summer. But the Mavs have stumbled out of the gates, getting routed by 33 at home by the San Antonio Spurs in Wednesday's opener before losing by double digits to a Washington squad coming off an 18-64 season.

There were scattered «Fire Nico!» chants during the season-opening loss, although «Go Spurs Go!» and «MVP!» chants for San Antonio superstar Victor Wembanyama were louder. There were thousands of empty seats in the arena by the time the chants broke out multiple times late in Friday's loss.

«I think they have a right to vent, but there's a patience [needed],» Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. «It's a different team, it's a new team. We're just getting to understand each other. We're going to keep learning each other. So I would say be patient, but I understand the frustration. We all want to win. We all want to compete at a high level, but it's a game of expression, and fans have a right to express themselves. But that doesn't stop us from coming to work tomorrow and getting better and getting ready for Sunday [against the Toronto Raptors].»

Kidd signed a multiyear contract extension during the