A four-alarm fire at First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, destroyed its historic, red-brick sanctuary last year, and reconstruction of the edifice won’t be completed until Easter 2028. In the meantime, the destruction has taught the nonprofit institution a lot about its workplace as it has navigated the crisis.
Advertisement
Staff members were “scattered” after the fire, and as of August, permanent power still hadn’t been restored to the church offices, said Ben Lovvorn, First Baptist’s senior executive pastor. So, keeping everyone updated and encouraged during the rebuilding effort has been a priority.
“We’ve been very purposeful about communicating with our staff — and our congregation — so that they know and understand what’s going on, and that they are a part of the process,” he said. “At other organizations, this situation would lead to tremendous turnover, but our entire team has stayed intact. That [in turn] has provided consistency and encouragement to our 16,000 church members.
“Another lesson we’ve learned is making sure you have the right people in place so you’re able to handle a crisis like this,” he continued. “Finding those right people — and getting them in the right seats on the bus — is key to tackling whatever obstacles you’re presented with along the way.”
News Roundups
Catch up on the day’s news you need to know.
Advertisement
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Fortunately, First Baptist has had those team members in place for a while. That’s because the staff has a biblically based, “shared faith and shared calling” that gives their work purpose, Lovvorn said. “Whether they’re a minister or work in our accounting department or in the facilities department, they’re part of something greater.”
That greater meaning is emphasized regularly, whether through monthly all-staff leadership luncheons — they brought in Babe’s Chicken for the one in August — or at “staff chapel,” where workers step away from the daily grind and pray together. Throughout its more than 155 years in downtown Dallas, “there have been good times and difficult times” for First Baptist, Lovvorn said. “But God has always been faithful in providing for us and seeing us through every season.”
The 1-8 Washington Wizards are taking on the 2-7 Dallas Mavericks, in a matchup between two of the worst teams in the NBA. This marks the second, and final, time these two teams will match up this season, with the Wizards winning their only game of the season back on Oct. 24 in Dallas.
This time around, both teams are banged up, with Mavericks star Anthony Davis and Wizards stars Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly’s health being in question. With both teams suffering from the injury bug, this could be the perfect opportunity for Washington to sneak out their second win of the season.
If Davis plays, then he will be at the top of the Wizards’ scouting report. His ability to operate as an offensive hub whilst simultaneously being one of the best defenders in the NBA makes him one of the more potent players in all of basketball. However, if Davis doesn’t play, rookie sensation Cooper Flagg will top the Wizards’ report.
Nov 7, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (23) shoots the ball against Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Although Flagg has struggled with offensive consistency throughout the early skirts of his NBA career, that doesn’t make his impact any less felt. Flagg is an elite athlete and open floor playmaker, making him a formidable threat in transition.
Advertisement
Along with that, Flagg has elite touch around the basket, allowing him to finish from a variety of angles. Flagg’s shooting touch has wavered throughout the early portions of his rookie year, but he has proven in the past to be more than capable of stepping out and hitting threes — along with having a smooth mid-range game. Flagg is also an elite defender, considering his age, making him all the more impactful to a struggling Mavericks team.
The Mavericks’ lack of secondary creators is what has held them back the most this season. Although they have a plethora of guys that could get hot at any point and impact a game, their lack of consistency makes the team offense waiver from game to game.
PJ Washington and D’Angelo Russel have been the team’s most “consistent” threats, providing a constant offensive gravity. Washington thrives off of playing others —- hunting open space with cuts and relocation —- in turn setting himself up for clean looks. Russell, on the other hand, is the team’s starting point guard, getting the team set in actions and operating as a lead ball handler.
Max Christie, Daniel Gafford and Naji Marshall are three guys who make an impact every night, along with being capable of taking over games. Christie and Marshall are both creative scorers who have proven defensive prowess, allowing them to gel into any lineup. Gafford is a prototypical play finishing big, who catches lobs and blocks shots on the other end. Gafford did exit the Mavericks’ last matchup versus the Memphis Grizzlies early with reported ankle soreness, though, leaving his availability up in the air.
Nov 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) holds the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) defends in the first half in an Emirates NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
As previously mentioned, the Mavericks have a plethora of guys who can get hot at any moment. Brandon Williams stands out as the most consistent threat in the second unit, using his speed and ball handling skill to get to his spots in a hurry. Klay Thompson, although well past his prime, is still one of the best shooters in NBA history, making him someone the Wizards must keep track of if they wish to pull this one off.
Advertisement
Nov 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards guard Jamir Watkins (5) defends in the second half in an Emirates NBA Cup game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Mavericks have proven the ability in the past to take down the Mavericks, making this a more than winnable game. Both teams being banged up means that others will have to rise to the occasion, filling the shoes of those who are absen’t. In Washington’s case, they will need consistent play from their best player, Alex Sarr, along with a few other guys capitalizing on the moment in hopes of propelling the team to victory.
Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
The Memphis Grizzlies are hoping to bounce back as they take Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks.
To learn more about Flagg and the Mavs, we spoke with Dallas Mavericks On SI contributor Austin Veazey.
He’s been… fine? Jason Kidd tried rolling him out at point guard to start the season, which was leading to poor results for the entire offense, but specifically Flagg. He just isn’t a point guard. He may have good playmaking instincts, but he’s best as a secondary playmaker. It’s no surprise that he then turned in arguably his best performance on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, because Kidd didn’t start him at point guard.
The question isn’t how much they miss Kyrie Irving, it’s how much do they miss Luka Doncic. And it’s a lot. Even Kyrie Irving has been at his best in his career when he has a better playmaker on the roster, and he can do what he does best: score. Even if Irving were here, there’s no guarantee this would even be a league-average offense, because the offense has no spacing as it’s designed right now.
Advertisement
I kind of doubt it, unless they were to move Irving as well. Doncic and Irving worked so well together because Doncic was a bigger body and could guard other teams’ power forwards. A backcourt of Morant and Irving probably wouldn’t work well, but that wouldn’t stop Nico Harrison from trying something crazy.
Maybe not being the worst offense in the NBA? Just an idea. But how they go about doing that is beyond me. This team just lacks the natural playmakers and shooters to survive in this era of the NBA.
The vibes around both of these teams are horrendous right now. Between the Ja Morant suspension, Anthony Davis’ calf strain, and the Mavs losing to teams such as the Pelicans and Wizards, I think most Mavs fans want a close loss with Cooper Flagg developing so it gets one step closer to firing Nico Harrison.
Grizzlies have bright spot amidst Ja Morant chaos
How far the Ja Morant situation has sunk Grizzlies in NBA power rankings
Advertisement
Three prospects Grizzlies can watch for 2026 NBA Draft
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland tragically died at age 24 from an apparent suicide on Wednesday, two days after scoring his first NFL touchdown, prompting mourning across the league and raising awareness about mental health crises among athletes.
