LAS VEGAS — Max Christie is standing with a towel draped over his neck near a tunnel inside T-Mobile Arena, the site where one of the most significant moments of his NBA career occurred.
This exact arena is where he and his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, won the inaugural NBA Cup championship game in 2023. Christie is back in Las Vegas, but as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and the stakes are much lower this time around.
“That was cool to be a part of history,” Christie ahead of Wednesday’s preseason finale against the Lakers. “I’m grateful for my time [with the Lakers] so it was cool. The atmosphere was great and I think it’ll be great tonight as well.”
As the Mavericks enter their final exhibition, they’ve made significant strides through the preseason, offering a glimpse of their new offensive schemes based on constant movement and multiple passes.
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Rookie forward Cooper Flagg has filled the stat sheet and showcased his versatility, Anthony Davis is coming off an impressive performance against the Utah Jazz and there have been standouts toward the end of the bench such as Ryan Nembhard, who dished out 12 assists on Monday.
“I think we feel pretty good, to be honest,” Christie said. “We’ve had a lot of reps, a lot of film sessions together so we’re definitely getting more comfortable. It’s still preseason. It’s still early so there are some imperfections, but I think that’s with every team.
“We think we’re communicating well as a unit. From coaching staff to players and players to players. I think we’re in a good spot.”
Christie was traded to the Mavericks alongside Davis on Feb. 1 and averaged 11.2 points through 32 games. With a full training camp and preseason under his belt, he’s averaging 7.7 points, 2.0 assists and 1.3 rebounds without his regular allotment of minutes.
While Christie’s shooting percentages could be the imperfections he alluded to (33.3% from the field and 25% on 3-pointers), there’s an appreciation for the opportunity to build chemistry with his teammates from the start of the season now that he’s fully acclimated to his new home in Dallas.
“It’s good to get those under my belt and being more comfortable with the guys,” Christie said. “We got a new coaching staff so everybody’s kind of transitioning as well. I think we’ve been doing a good job as a unit and as a team of playing together, learning each other’s tendencies and communicating well.”
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