The Control Room — Season 1


S01E29

Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman Talks Playing & TV Career & The State of Women's Basketball

A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Nancy Lieberman joins Esrael to talk about her basketball career, both as a player and a coach, and how she translates her skills to broadcast television. She also breaks down the evolution of the point guard and the state of the women's game.


S01E28

Mavs Live Host Dana Larson Talks Sports TV Career & Recaps the Mavs' 2023-24 Season

In this episode, Esrael is joined by Mavs Live Host Dana Larson, who has covered the Mavericks for 22 seasons in its 44-year existence! She talks about her sports TV career, how she stays prepared, her favorite memories of the Mavericks, and she and Esrael recap Dallas's 2023-24 NBA Season after falling short in the NBA Finals.


S01E27

Mavs Graphics Producer Michaela Lewis Talks Broadcasting Career, Working Mavs, and The NBA Finals

On the 13th anniversary of the Dallas Mavericks winning their first and only NBA championship, Esrael is joined by colleague Michaela Lewis, the Mavericks Basketball Graphics Producer. Michaela runs graphics for Mavs games on their local broadcasts and has an even closer perspective on the Mavs over the last 3 seasons. She goes over her broadcasting career, her time covering the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks, and she also gives her take on what the Mavs need to do to get back in the NBA Finals series against the Boston Celtics.


S01E26

The 2024 NBA Finals Preview - Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics

The 2024 NBA Finals are set between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics! First, Esrael puts a bow on the Conference Finals, then he breaks down stats pertaining to both teams' strengths and weaknesses. He gives his official Finals prediction at the end of the episode. Here's to the Finals!


S01E25

How The Dallas Mavericks Can Make The NBA Finals

We've reached the Conference Finals, and the Dallas Mavericks are still dancing! Esrael breaks down how they've succeeded against the Minnesota Timberwolves to take a 2-0 series lead by laying the foundation with their success against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He'll also share his Conference Finals predictions and celebrate the All-NBA selections for this season.


S01E24

Dallas & OKC Match Up After Mavs Send Clippers to Cancún, Thunder Sweep Pelicans

The Dallas Mavericks & the Oklahoma City Thunder will face off in the Western Conference Semifinals! Esrael breaks down how the Mavs took down the Clippers, as well as his main concern for the upcoming series against the Thunder. He'll also recap his picks from the 1st round and give predictions for the 2nd round.


S01E23

Pelicans Live Host Erin Hartigan Talks New Orleans Playoff Adjustments

The one and only Erin Hartigan joins Esrael to talk about their experiences in athletics and broadcasting and how they use their skillsets to create a compelling show for the basketball fan. They also break down what went wrong for the New Orleans Pelicans in their first two games in Oklahoma City and what they need to do to bounce back and avoid elimination.


S01E22

Mavs/Pelicans/Thunder Playoff Preview

The NBA Playoffs have begun! Esrael revisits what he wanted the Mavs to improve from last season and gives his prediction for how they'll fare in their 1st-round series against the LA Clippers. He then recaps the Pelicans' and Thunder's seasons and predicts who wins the series between New Orleans and Oklahoma City. He also gives his early playoff predictions for every series in the NBA.


S01E21

Dave Evans, Former Coordinating Producer at Fox/Bally Sports Southwest

The first interview of The Control Room features Dave Evans, Esrael's former professor of Sports Broadcasting at Baylor University. He was the Coordinating Producer at Fox/Bally Sports Southwest, Oklahoma, and New Orleans. He also served the Dallas Mavericks as their Director of Broadcasting for 14 years. Esrael & Dave discuss Dave's career, including the technology advancements he's seen and the challenges he's overcome from his early years at KWTX in Waco, Texas, through the end of his time at Bally Sports.


S01E20

The NBA's March Madness! Mavs, Pels & Thunder Are Peaking

As March Madness continues, Esrael takes a look at the red-hot Mavericks and what's helped them win 9 of their last 10 games. He also looks at the Pelicans and CJ McCollum to fill the void left by Brandon Ingram as well as the Thunder and their recent 2nd Chance success. Plus, a preview of some potential playoff matchups.


S01E19

Mavs Make NBA History, Zion Leads The Pels & The Thunder's Tough Test

Luka Doncic and Daniel Gafford both made NBA history in the last several games, and Esrael has all the stats to break them down. And as the NBA season reaches the last 16 games, Esrael takes a look at what the Mavs, Pelicans, and Thunder all have ahead of them as they all make a playoff push.


S01E18

Max Strus Breaks the Mavs, Pels Get Big Wins & Thunder Look to Win the West

The Mavs are broken, and it's partly because of the Strus juice. Esrael breaks down Dallas's plays and mistakes from the last 5 minutes of the Mavs-Cavs game. He also takes a look at the high-flying Pelicans after their wins against the Knicks & Pacers as well as the Thunder's quest for best in the West.

Mavericks vs Cavaliers: Final 5 Minutes

76ers vs Mavericks Highlights


S01E17

The NBA Playoff Push for the Mavs, Pelicans & Thunder + All-Star Weekend Review

The NBA All-Star Weekend is in the rearview mirror, and the Mavs, Pelicans, and Thunder each have interesting paths to the playoffs. Esrael breaks down where each team has improved and/or where they may have trouble as contending teams look to finish the season on a high note.


S01E16

NBA Trade Deadline Recap & Mavs/Pelicans/Thunder Week 16 Updates

The NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone, so Esrael breaks down what the Mavericks, Pelicans, and Thunder did or did not do at the deadline, and he also provides a brief outlook for what each team must look out for. Then, he recaps Week 16 for those three teams, and he also provides a tease to what's coming the next couple of weeks as well as a Super Bowl LVIII prediction.


S01E15

The NBA's 65-Game Rule Sucks...Here's Why + Mavs/Pels/Thunder Week 15 Recap

One of the hottest debates in the basketball world right now is the NBA's 65-game rule, and Esrael has some thoughts on it. He'll explain the purpose of the rule as well as its biggest flaw. Plus, he'll touch on how he feels about Luka being 6th in the MVP race, and he'll also look at the best games from the Mavs, Pelicans, and Thunder from Week 15.


S01E14

Luka Drops 73, Pels Fall to Thunder & OKC Reigns Supreme

This week, the NBA saw 2 players score 60+ PTS on the same night...TWICE. Luka's performance, however, was the best of them, and Esrael breaks down the Mavs' response to their recent struggles. He also looks at the matchup between the Pelicans and Thunder, as well as the 2024 All-Star Starters that have been announced.


S01E13

NBA Midseason Reports - Mavs/Pelicans/Thunder

The NBA has reached the halfway point, and Esrael has data on how the Mavs', Pelicans', and Thunder's seasons have gone so far. He'll also give some insight as to where they can improve to come out strong in the second half of the season.


S01E12

Mavs’ Hot Homestand, Pels’ Prolific Play & Thunder’s Second Chance Issues

This week, Esrael breaks down the start of the Mavs' longest homestand of the season and their huge victory against the Knicks without Luka Doncic. He also looks at the hot offense and suffocating defense of the Pelicans while diving deeper into the Thunder's issues with second chance points.


S01E11

Mavs Need a Reset, Pels Fly High & Thunder Take Down the Celtics

In the first episode of 2024, Esrael breaks down the Mavs' post-Christmas struggles, then he talks about their first win of their 7-game homestand. He then gives out advanced stats about the Pelicans' recent rise through their 4-game win streak, and then he looks at the Thunder's big win against the Celtics. He'll also give news on NBA All-Star voting.


S01E10

Luka’s Christmas Miracle, Pels Fall Again & Thunder Take Down the Best in the West

For the last episode of 2023, Esrael recaps Week 9 in the NBA for the Mavericks, including all the milestones Luka Doncic hit on Christmas Day in Phoenix, as well as for the Pelicans and the Thunder throughout the week. He also takes a quick look at the NBA Christmas slate and previews what's to come in 2024.

What We Learned From The NBA Christmas Day Games | The Dunker Spot


S01E09

Mavs Struggle, Pelicans Lose at the Buzzer in Ja’s Return & OKC Strikes Gold in the Mile High

It's the holiday season, and Christmas in the NBA is almost here! Esrael recaps Week 8 for the Mavericks, Pelicans, and Thunder as they each navigate their trials and triumphs and look to solidify their standing in the loaded Western Conference. He also previews the NBA Christmas slate.

Merry Christmas!


S01E08

Mavs Stay Hot, Pels Get Waxed in Vegas & Thunder Take Another Game from Warriors

With the first quarter of the NBA season completed, Esrael breaks down Week 7 for the Mavs, Pels, and Thunder, and he identifies some key traits of these teams through their stats. He also puts a bow on the In-Season Tournament and provides an update on Mark Cuban's sale of the Mavericks.

Links to Articles/Documents about Dallas Mavericks sale:

Dallas Morning News Article

D Magazine Article

Land Deed near Texas Stadium

Winston & Strawn LLP Locations

Village Walk RE 2 LLC - Company Information

Tax ID Match - Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts


S01E07

Mavs vs. Thunder Showdown in Dallas & Pelicans Advance to Vegas

The Mavericks and the Thunder had one of the wildest game endings ever, and Esrael breaks down everything that happened on the floor and behind the scenes in the control rooms for both the Pelicans and Thunder shows from that night. He also updates the In-Season Tournament bracket with New Orleans advancing to Las Vegas in the Semifinal.


S01E06

Mavs Find Balance, Pels Reach Knockout Round & OKC’s Young Stars Keep Showing Out

With the In-Season Tournament Group Play all wrapped up, Esrael recaps the last week for the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as previews the Quarterfinal Round for all the remaining teams looking to win the inaugural NBA Cup. He also touches on the news of Mark Cuban selling a majority stake of the Mavericks.

Josh Bowe's Article (Mavs Moneyball): Luka Doncic Got Back Into The Paint Against The Rockets

Marc Stein's Article (The Stein Line): Mark Cuban Has a Deal


S01E05

Mavs’ 3-PT Shooting, Pelicans’ Resurgence & Thunder’s Dominance

After the NBA's games in Week 4, Esrael breaks down the Mavs' recent 3-PT shooting trends, as well as looks at how the Pelicans and the Thunder have improved their records. He also gives an update on the In-Season Tournament as two teams have already clinched their groups.


S01E04

NBA Week 3 Breakdown - Mavs/Pelicans/Thunder & In-Season Tournament Update

As the NBA season reaches 10 games for most teams, Esrael breaks down the most recent week for the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans, and he also takes a look at the Oklahoma City Thunder in their most recent game. He also provides updates on the In-Season Tournament standings for both groups in which these teams play.


S01E03

Mavs’ and Pelicans’ Week 2 Breakdown

In this third episode, Esrael breaks down the Dallas Mavericks' hot start through the second week in the NBA. Then, he shares his thoughts (and stats) on the New Orleans Pelicans' season so far. He will also preview the upcoming In-Season Tournament matchups for both teams, including the LA Clippers with newly-acquired James Harden against Dallas.


S01E02

Dallas Mavericks’ First Week & In-Season Tournament Preview

In this episode, host and Bally Sports Southwest Associate Producer, Esrael Yohannes, recaps the Dallas Mavericks' first week and compares them to last year's numbers. He also previews the upcoming, inaugural In-Season Tournament.


S01E01

Dallas Mavericks Recap & 2023-24 NBA Season Preview

Welcome to The Control Room! Host and Bally Sports Southwest Associate Producer, Esrael Yohannes, recaps the Dallas Mavericks' season with stats and insights he's gained from covering them as the Studio Graphics AP for Mavericks Live in 2022-23. He also brings you up to speed on some of the biggest changes in the NBA for the upcoming season. 

This is an independent project and is not associated with Bally Sports or any other sports network.