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The Dallas Mavericks (also known as the Mavs) are an NBA basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. The team is owned by Mark Cuban. Terdema Ussery is president and CEO.
According to Forbes Magazine, the Mavericks are the third most valuable basketball
franchise in the United States, valued at approximately $463 million, surpassed only by
the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles
Lakers.[1]
Franchise history
Original Dallas Mavericks logo, used from 1980-2001.
Early struggles (1980-82)
In 1979, businessman Don Carter and partner
Norm Sonju requested the right to bring an NBA franchise to Dallas, Texas. The last professional basketball team in Dallas had been the Dallas Chaparrals of the
American Basketball Association, which moved to San Antonio in 1973 to become the San Antonio Spurs.
At the 1980 NBA All-Star
Game, league owners voted to admit the new team, with the team's name coming from the 1957-1962 TV western
Maverick. James Garner, who played the
namesake character, was a member of the ownership group. There was some controversy at the time since the University of Texas at Arlington also uses the Mavericks nickname. They joined the
Midwest Division of the Western Conference, where they would remain until the
league went to six divisions for the 2004-05 season. Dick Motta, who had guided the Washington Bullets to the NBA
Championship in 1977-78, was hired as the team's first head coach. He had a well-earned reputation of being a stern disciplinarian, but was also a great teacher of
the game.
Kiki Vandeweghe of UCLA was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft, but Vandeweghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and
staged a holdout that lasted a month into the team's inaugural season. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets, along with a first-round pick in 1986, in exchange for two
future first-round picks that eventually materialized into Rolando Blackman in
1981 and Sam Perkins in 1984.
In the Mavericks' debut game, taking place in the brand-new Reunion Arena, the
Mavericks stunned the Spurs, 103–92. But the Mavs started the season with a discouraging 6–40 record on their way to finishing
15–67. However, the Mavericks did make a player acquisition that, while it seemed minor at the time, turned out to play a very
important role in the early years of their franchise. Journeyman 6'3" guard Brad
Davis, who played for the Anchorage Northern Knights of the Continental Basketball Association, was tracked down and signed by the Mavs in
December. At the time, there was absolutely no reason to expect that Davis would be any better than the expansion-level talent
the Mavs had. But he started the Mavs' final 26 games, led the team in assists, and his career soared. He spent the next twelve
years with the Mavericks, and eventually his #15 jersey was retired.
The 1981 NBA Draft brought three players who would become vital parts of the team. The
Mavs selected 6'6" forward Mark Aguirre with the first pick, 6'6" guard Rolando Blackman 9th, and 6'7" forward Jay Vincent 24th. By the
end of his seven-year Mavs career, Aguirre would average 24.6 points per game. Blackman
contributed 19.2 points over his 11-year career in Dallas.
But it was Jay Vincent who made the biggest difference for the Mavs in their second season, leading the team in scoring with
21.4 points per game and earning NBA All-Rookie Team honors. The Mavericks improved to 28–54, getting out of the Midwest Division
cellar as they finished above the Utah Jazz.
Becoming a power early (1982-85)
In 1982-83, the Mavericks were serious contenders for the first time. At the
All-Star break, they were 25–24 and had won 12 of their last 15 games. They could not sustain this momentum, and finishing seven
games behind the Denver Nuggets for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. But the Mavs' 38–44 record
signified a 10-game improvement from the previous season, and the fact that a third-year expansion team had even been in playoff
contention at all was quite remarkable.
Mark Aguirre led the 1982-83 Mavericks with 24.4 points per game, finishing sixth in the NBA. Jay Vincent and Rolando Blackman contributed 18.7 and 17.7 ppg,
respectively. Brad Davis was 10th in the NBA in assists with 7.2 per game, and shot .845 from
the line, 6th in the league.
Derek Harper was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1983 NBA Draft. The 6'4" guard would spend the next decade with the organization, averaging 15 points and
6.1 assists. The Mavericks' hard work paid off in 1983-84 as they posted a winning
record for the first time in franchise history, finishing 43–39 and second in the Midwest Division. The Mavs also earned the
first playoff berth in franchise history. Mark Aguirre was named the team's first NBA All-Star, as he finished with an average of
29.5 points per game — second in the league only to Utah's Adrian Dantley.
Dallas finished with the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and their first playoff trip was modestly successful
as they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in five games. The fifth and deciding game
of that series was played at Moody Coliseum, as Reunion Arena, then the home court for
the Mavericks, was hosting a tennis tournament. The Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers were next for the Mavs, and the young club fell short, losing four games to
one.
But a trade the Mavericks made in their inaugural season of 1980 paid off for them in 1984, because they owned
Cleveland's first-round pick, which ended up being the fourth pick overall. The Mavs
used it to select forward/center Sam Perkins, a former North Carolina Tar Heel with surprising range from the three-point line who
would average 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds in six seasons with Dallas.
About this time, the Dallas Cowboys, once one of the NFL's elite teams, began a slow decline that eventually saw them fall to 1–15 in
1989. The Mavs were hitting their stride at about the same time, and replaced the Cowboys as the
Metroplex' glamour team.
The 1984-85 team finished a game better than the previous year at 44–38. Mark
Aguirre led the team in scoring again with 25.7 ppg, Sam Perkins made the All-Rookie team,
and Rolando Blackman represented the Mavericks in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. The Mavs returned to
the playoffs in 1985, but were not as successful as they had been the previous year. They won Game 1 in double-overtime against
the Portland Trail Blazers in their first-round playoff series, but lost the next
three games in a row, ending their season.
A true contender (1985-87)
Dallas had the eighth pick in the 1985 NBA Draft — again due to a trade with the
Cavaliers — and drafted German-born forward Detlef
Schrempf out of Washington. He would show flashes of brilliance in his
three-plus seasons with the team, but it was not until he was traded to the Indiana
Pacers that he displayed his full potential.
The Mavericks also traded center Kurt Nimphius to the Los Angeles Clippers for center James
Donaldson, who would play for the Mavericks until halfway through the 1991-92
season. This allowed the Mavericks to have the steady hand at center that had been lacking throughout the franchise's
first five years. In 1988 James Donaldson would represent the first and only All-Star center in Dallas Maverick history.
Rolando Blackman represented the Mavericks in the 1986
All-Star Game, hosted by Dallas at Reunion Arena. The 1985-86 Mavericks were an extremely high-scoring team by 1980s
standards, averaging 115.3 points per game, which would be unheard of in the NBA of the early 2000s. The Mavs made their third straight playoff appearance and defeated Utah three games to one in the first
round. In the conference semi-finals, they ran into the Lakers again, and L.A. defeated Dallas in six games. But four of those
games were decided by four points or less, and Dallas won half of those, leaving Mavericks fans room to hope that they could
finally top the Lakers in the following season.
The Mavs drafted Michigan center Roy
Tarpley with the seventh overall pick, who would go on to become a very talented — but troubled — member of the
roster.
The 1986-87 Mavericks team had their most successful regular-season to date, going
55–27 and winning their first Midwest Division title. But despite the great expectations surrounding the team, they
self-destructed in the playoffs. After hammering the Seattle SuperSonics by 22
points in Game 1, the bottom dropped out for the Mavs, as they lost Games 2 and 3 in close fashion before succumbing in Game 4 in
Seattle.
Following the unexpected early playoff exit, Motta, who had been with the team since its inception, shockingly resigned as
head coach. John MacLeod, who had led the Phoenix Suns to nine playoff berths in 11 seasons including an NBA Finals run in 1976, was hired as his
replacement.
The 1987-88 NBA season saw the Mavericks dip just a little bit in the regular
season — finishing 53–29 and losing their Midwest Division title to the Denver Nuggets —
but it was another successful year for the team. Mark Aguirre and James Donaldson both played in the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, the Mavericks rattled off a franchise-best 11-game winning streak, and Rolando Blackman scored his 10,000th career point.
Aguirre led the team in scoring for the sixth consecutive year with 25.1 points per game, and Roy Tarpley won the
NBA Sixth Man Award with averages of 13.5 points and 11.8 rebounds.
The season saw the Mavs' deepest playoff run to date. They dispatched the Houston
Rockets in four games and the Nuggets in six, leaving only the defending NBA Champion Lakers between them and their
first-ever trip to the NBA Finals.
The Mavericks gave the Lakers everything they could handle, but in the end the more experienced Lakers prevailed, defeating
Dallas in seven games on the way to eventually winning their second consecutive NBA Championship.
Season in ruin (1988-89)
The Mavericks' 1988-89 season was decimated by injuries, suspensions, and the
trading of two of the team's best players. Dallas started the season 9–3, but spiraled rapidly down the tubes after that. Roy
Tarpley violated the league's anti-drug policy and was given an indefinite suspension. In mid-February, Mark Aguirre was traded
to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons for Adrian
Dantley. Dantley refused to report to the Mavericks at first, holding out for eight days. During the holdout, Detlef
Schrempf was traded to Indiana for Herb Williams.
Despite all the changes, the Mavs remained in contention. However, their season effectively ended when James Donaldson went
down with a ruptured patella tendon on March 10,
1989 and missed the rest of the season as a result. The Mavericks were left undermanned,
demoralized and disheartened as they finished with a 38–44 record. It was their first losing season since 1982-83 — which was
also the last time they missed the playoffs.
Briefly bouncing back (1989-90)
The Mavericks returned to the playoffs in 1989-90 with a 47–35 record, but it was
another season of off-court chaos. On November 15, only six games into the Mavs' season, Tarpley was arrested for
driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. The team started 5–6 and
MacLeod was fired, replaced by assistant coach Richie Adubato. The Mavs finished the
season with four straight victories to surge into the playoffs, but went down rather meekly to the Portland Trail Blazers in three games. It would be the team's last winning season and last
playoff appearance until 2001.
Freefalling (1990-92)
The team endured numerous changes in 1990, losing Sam Perkins to the Lakers via free agency and suffering injuries to
practically their entire 1990-91 starting lineup. The players they managed to acquire
— Rodney McCray, Fat Lever and
Alex English — were all in the twilight of their careers. On November 9 it was announced that Fat Lever would have season-ending surgery on his right knee, and that very
night, Tarpley suffered a knee injury of his own which ended his season. The Mavericks' season only got worse from there,
and they finished with a record of 28–54, the worst in the NBA, falling behind even the second-year Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic.
In March of 1991, Tarpley was charged with suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was suspended again by the NBA.
It got even worse in 1991-92. Before the season even began, Tarpley violated the
league's substance abuse policy for the third time and was banned from the NBA for life. The former Sixth Man Award winner's fall
from grace was complete. The few talented players the Mavericks had remaining to them were lost to injury. Brad Davis' back
problems forced him to retire in mid-January, and Fat Lever had knee surgery again on January
29, missing the remainder of the season — hardly worth the cost of losing two first-round draft picks. The team finished
with a 22–60 record.
In 1992-93 the rebuilding began in earnest, with the Mavs trading Rolando Blackman — who by that point had surpassed Mark Aguirre as the team's all-time leading scorer —
to the New York Knicks for a first-round draft pick. Blackman had made four All-Star Game appearances in his Mavericks career. Herb Williams joined the Knicks as a free agent. Fat Lever underwent more surgery and missed the entire
1992-93 season. Derek Harper was the team's sole bright spot, leading the team with 18.3 points per game.
Flirting with futility (1992-94)
The Mavericks selected Ohio State guard Jim Jackson with the fourth overall pick of the 1992 NBA
Draft, but he and owner Donald Carter could not come to terms on a contract for half of his rookie season. Jackson only
played 28 games in 1992-93, a year that was also ruined by trades, a coaching change
and injuries. The Mavericks started 2–27 and fired Adubato on January 13, replacing him with
Gar Heard. The Mavericks came dangerously close to setting the all-time worst record in NBA
history (9–73, set by the 1972-73 Philadelphia
76ers). But when Jackson was signed on March 3, the Mavs managed to rally, closing the
season with a 7–14 mark, including two straight wins to end the season. That year the Mavericks finished 11–71 which was the 2nd
worst record in NBA history.
Dallas selected Kentucky forward Jamal
Mashburn with the fourth overall pick of the 1993 NBA Draft and hired
Quinn Buckner as coach, but the team's progress was minimal, to say the least. Part of the
problem was that Buckner decided from the start to be a disciplinarian on the model of his college coach, Bobby Knight. The mostly young roster did not respond very well to Buckner's stern coaching style, and
started 1–23. By the end of January they were 3–40, and it was once again possible that they could tie the 1973 Sixers for the
all-time worst record in the league. But 5–9 records in February and April, coupled with Buckner loosening the reins a little
bit, helped the Mavs finish 13–69. It was still by far the worst record in the league, but the Mavericks again avoided setting an
all-time futility record. They did, however manage to tie the NBA's single-season record for consecutive losses at
20 games (since broken).
Buckner was fired after garnering the worst full-season record for a rookie head coach (a record since broken). The Mavericks
brought back Dick Motta, who had led the franchise to some of its most successful seasons. The Mavericks also wound up with the
#2 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, and picked up Cal point guard Jason Kidd, giving them a solid
tandem of Jackson, Mashburn and Kidd which would become known as "The Three Js".
Three Js give Dallas hope (1994-96)
The addition of Jason Kidd infused the Mavericks with new life in 1994-95. Kidd
averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists in his rookie season, and even led the league in triple-doubles.
Roy Tarpley was allowed to return to the league after three years and helped with 12.6
points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
The tandem of Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn combined as the league's highest-scoring pair of teammates. On separate
occasions, Mashburn and Jackson scored 50 points in a game that season. Mashburn contributed 24.1 points per game, fifth in the
NBA; Jackson averaged 25.7 points, but suffered a severe ankle sprain in February which caused him to miss the remainder of the
regular season. Second-year forward Popeye Jones had a great year as well, as he averaged
10.6 rebounds and led the NBA in offensive rebounds.
The Mavericks' improvement was dramatic. They jumped to 36–46, 10th in the Western Conference and only five games behind the
Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot. It was the biggest one-year
improvement in the team's history, and the highest in the NBA that season.
Many expected the Mavericks' improvement to continue with the franchise's first foray into the NBA Playoffs since
1990. But despite a 4–0 start, the 1995-96 season was a
disappointment in about every conceivable way.
For the second time in his career, Roy Tarpley was given a lifelong ban from the NBA for repeated violations of the anti-drug
policy — he never played in the NBA again. Jamal Mashburn had season-ending surgery to repair his sore right knee only 18 games
into the Mavericks' schedule.
The team's two remaining stars, Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson, bickered throughout the season, though neither of them had any
trouble establishing his individual stardom. Jackson led the team in scoring with 19.6 ppg, made 121 three-pointers and was the
only Mav to start in all 82 games. Kidd became the first Maverick to be elected a starter in the NBA All-Star Game, and finished
second in the league in assists and fourth in steals while averaging 16.6 ppg.
George McCloud, who averaged 9.6 ppg in his previous year, blew away his career-high
scoring average as the Mavs resorted to the outside shot time and again due to their lack of an inside scoring threat. McCloud
averaged 18.9 ppg and made 257 three-pointers, equaling the second-highest individual season total in league history.
Overall, the Mavericks connected on 735 of their 2,039 three-point attempts, both new league records. But that particular
statistic is more indicative of the Mavs' desperation to get points from somewhere than of how well they did as a
team.
The Mavs finished 26–56, fifth in the Midwest Division and 33 games out of first place. At season's end, Motta was relieved of
his head coaching responsibilities and replaced by former Bulls assistant coach Jim
Cleamons. And Don Carter, the only owner the Mavericks had ever had, sold the team to a group of investors led by
H. Ross Perot, Jr..
Starting over (1996-2001)
The 1996-97 season was a year of transition for the Mavericks, as they basically
re-designed their entire team; 27 different players saw action for this Dallas team, setting an all-time NBA record. By
the time the season was over, only rookie forward Samaki Walker remained from the
opening-day roster.
The first big move came in December, as Jason Kidd, Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas were traded to the Phoenix Suns for guards Michael Finley and Sam Cassell and forward A.C. Green. By far the most important of these acquisitions was Finley who, after his first half-season in
Dallas, would go on to average over or near 20 ppg for at least the next seven years of his Mavericks career. He made two visits
to the NBA All-Star Game, and even played in each of the Mavs' games until the 2004-05 season.
Don Nelson was hired as Dallas' general manager on February
7, and it didn't take him long to leave his own mark on the team. Within a week of his hiring, the Mavs had released
Fred Roberts and Oliver Miller and traded Jamal
Mashburn to the Miami Heat for forwards Kurt
Thomas and Martin Müürsepp and guard Sasha
Danilović.
This particular trade didn't really pan out for the Mavs. Thomas did not play in 1996-97, and only ended up playing in five
games as a Maverick before signing as a free agent with the New York Knicks. Danilović
played in 13 games for the Mavs before opting out of his contract and signing with Bucker Bologna of the Italian League, and
Müürsepp played in 73 games for the Mavericks over the next two years before leaving the NBA.
Chris Gatling was the Mavericks' sole representative in the NBA All-Star Game, but he
did not last much longer in Dallas. In one of the largest two-team trades in NBA history, the Mavericks traded Chris Gatling, Jim
Jackson, Sam Cassell, George McCloud and Eric Montross to the New Jersey Nets for 7'6" center Shawn Bradley, forward
Ed O'Bannon and guards Khalid Reeves and
Robert Pack. Nelson claimed the trades were necessary because the situation in the locker
room was unacceptable. Bradley would spend part of the next eight years putting up modest contributions for the Mavs and giving
them solid numbers in terms of blocked shots.
Undrafted rookie guard Erick Strickland was a pleasant surprise for the Mavs as he
averaged 10.6 ppg. He, along with Finley and Bradley, were expected to be the core of this new Mavericks team.
The constant changes made it impossible to establish any sort of team chemistry in 1996-97, and the Mavericks finished 24–58. But they had acquired some of the pieces that would help
them start to turn things around in years to come.
In the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, the Mavericks finished with a lowly 19–31
record, but Michael Finley and Gary Trent put up solid numbers and led their team to their
first winning home record (15–10) for the first time since 1989-90. Notable were the acquisitions of power forward
Dirk Nowitzki and point guard Steve Nash, two
seemingly unspectacular moves which would make a great impact in the future.
In the following season the team finally "clicked" and started to win on a consistent basis. Led by Finley, the Mavericks
earned their first 40-win season since 1989-90. He was greatly helped by Nowitzki, who finally "arrived" in the NBA and
established himself as a potent offensive threat.
On January 14, 2000, Perot's group sold the Dallas Mavericks to internet entrepreneur and season ticket-holder
Mark Cuban for $285 million. Cuban immediately set out to revitalize the Mavericks and
increase the team's popularity in Dallas and nationwide. His controversial moves (he allowed Dennis Rodman to live in his house for a week before temporarily signing him) and outspoken personality
quickly made him a fan favorite in Dallas and garnered the team lots of press in the national media. He has also been fined
millions of dollars for violating NBA rules.
In 2000-01, the Mavericks improved further and finished with an impressive 53-29
record, fueled by an impressive offensive triangle of Nowitzki, Finley and Nash. The Mavs made a blockbuster trade minutes before
the trade deadline that sent Hubert Davis, Christian
Laettner, Courtney Alexander, Loy Vaught,
and Etan Thomas to the Washington Wizards for
Juwan Howard, Calvin Booth and Obinna Ekezie. This move brought in fresh blood that secured the club's first playoff visit in 11 years.
In the playoffs, the Mavericks won the first round against the Utah Jazz, advancing to the
second round for the first time since 1988. This was also the last season in the old Reunion
Arena before making the move to the modern American Airlines Center.
Present Dallas Mavericks logo, 2001-
2001-04
The 2001-02 season was a great season for the Mavericks, with a 57-25 record and
many sellout crowds in the American Airlines Center. This season also saw a
change in logo and colors, ditching the cowboy hat logo and green for a new horse logo and sleeker uniforms. Another blockbuster
trade sent Juwan Howard, Tim Hardaway and
Donnell Harvey to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Raef
LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, Tariq
Abdul-Wahad and Avery Johnson. The Mavericks swept the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs but lost again
in the second round, this time to the Sacramento Kings.
But it was only in the next season when the Mavericks finally broke through. They started the 2002-03 season with a 14-0 record which was 1 shy of tying the NBA record set by the Houston Rockets who started the 1993-94 season with 15-0
record. The Mavericks finished with a 60–22 record in the regular season, astonishing fans and critics with their sparkling
offense. The "Big Three" Nowitzki-Finley-Nash were a 100-point-game waiting to happen and led the Mavericks into the Conference
Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. However, with the series tied 1–1 Dirk Nowitzki,
the team's leading scorer, suffered a knee injury in game three that kept him out of the rest of the series. This worsened the
Mavs depth problem in the front court (both of their backup centers were injured for the entire series) and the Spurs took the
series in 6 games.
In 2003-04, two blockbuster trades were announced. The Mavericks acquired
Antawn Jamison, Danny Fortson, Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills from Golden State in exchange for Nick Van Exel, Evan
Eschmeyer, Popeye Jones, Avery Johnson and Antoine Rigaudeau. Another high-profile trade sent Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills and Jiri Welsch to
Boston for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk. Although the
team struggled for chemistry, the Mavericks easily qualified for the playoffs. With the trio Nowitzki-Finley-Nash and
NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Jamison, the Mavericks continued their
reputation as the best offensive team in the NBA. Notable were two rookies, Josh Howard and
Marquis Daniels, who made an immediate impact. However, the Mavericks were eliminated
quickly in the playoffs, losing in the first round to the Sacramento Kings, a team which clearly played better defense. The Mavericks management had to
re-evaluate their strategy.
Roster changes lead to Finals
The 2004-05 season brought in blockbuster trades which (among others) brought in
burly center Erick Dampier, combo guard Jason Terry,
speedy rookie point guard Devin Harris, scoring machine Jerry Stackhouse, and defensive stalwart Alan Henderson.
Although the loss of All-Star Steve Nash via free agency visibly hurt the Mavericks' offense, the new acquisitions strengthened
the team defense. The run-and-gun style of former times changed into a more balanced style of play. At the All-Star break, the
Mavericks acquired Keith Van Horn for Calvin Booth and Henderson, the latter resigning
only days later.
On March 19, longtime coach Don Nelson resigned and his assistant Avery Johnson succeeded him. Under Johnson's tutelage, the
defense of the Mavericks became stronger and they easily qualified for the playoffs
with an impressive 58–24 record.
The Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets in Round 1 of the playoffs in 7 games but
then lost to the Phoenix Suns 2–4, led by former Maverick star Steve Nash.
Prior to the 2005 NBA Draft, the Mavericks had traded all their picks away and were
left empty-handed. On August 15 2005, veteran guard Michael
Finley was waived under the new "Allan Houston Rule" [1]. Under this rule, the Orlando Magic
waived Doug Christie, who then signed with the Mavericks. On August 19, the
Mavericks held a press conference announcing they had re-signed Darrell Armstrong, and
introduced Christie, DeSagana Diop, Rawle
Marshall, and Josh Powell as new Mavericks. Christie's playing time was very limited
amidst a surgically-repaired ankle still hampering his play. He was waived on November 25,
2005.
Up until the very end of the season, the Mavericks would be toe-to-toe with the San
Antonio Spurs for the crown of the Southwest Division as well as the #1 spot in the Western Conference. However, they fell
short of the title and had to settle for a fourth seed. Nonetheless, they once again achieved a 60–22 record, with
Avery Johnson winning NBA Coach of the
Year honors. In the playoffs, they swept the Memphis Grizzlies, leading to a titanic series against their state rivals and the reigning NBA
champions the San Antonio Spurs. Five out of the seven games were decided in the last minute, including a Game 7 that had to go
into overtime. Yet under the guidance of Dirk Nowitzki and an incredibly deep bench, the
Mavericks were able to advance to the Conference Finals against former teammate Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns. While the Suns
did extend the series to six games, the Mavs' defense and depth allowed them to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in
franchise history.
2006 NBA Finals
-
The Mavericks advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history when they defeated the Phoenix Suns in game 6 of the Western Conference Finals on June 3
2006 in the US Airways Center in Phoenix. They faced the Miami Heat in the finals, held home-court
advantage and scored two convincing wins. After game 2 Dallas city officials had already planned the victory parade. However, in
Game 3, the Mavs blew a late double-digit lead, courtesy of Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who
scored at least 36 points during each of the next four matches. He carried the Heat to the win, with Nowitzki missing a
potentially game-tying free throw in the last seconds. After getting blown out in Game 4, the Mavericks suffered another loss in
Game 5 when Wade scored the game-tying basket in the last possession of regular time, putting the Heat ahead with last-second
free throws in overtime. The tragic figure was Josh
Howard, who missed a pair of clutch free throws in overtime and mistakenly called an early timeout, so the Mavs had to
bring in the ball at backcourt rather than halfcourt for the last possession. In Game 6, the Mavericks took an early double digit
lead, but again, Wade poured in 36 points, helped by Alonzo Mourning's five blocked
shots, and the Mavericks lost their fourth game and the title after a string of botched three pointers.
Mavericks fans blamed the Mavericks's loss on poor officiating. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban
was fined a total of $250,000 for "several acts of misconduct" during the series, Nowitzki was fined $5,000 for kicking a ball
into the stands after Game 5, and Jerry Stackhouse was suspended for Game 5 after
fouling Shaquille O'Neal on a breakaway dunk attempt. The latter marked the third time
a Mavericks player was suspended in the 2006 playoffs.
The Mavericks became only the third team in NBA history (the first since 1977) to lose in the Finals after taking a 2–0 lead.
In Game 3, the Mavs held a 13-point lead with under seven minutes remaining but were outscored 22–7 in the momentum-changing
98–96 defeat. The Heat's performance in the last seven minutes represented the team's greatest postseason comeback in team
history [2].
The Choke of 2007
-
Main article: 2006-2007 Regrouping
After a disappointing end to their magnificant playoff run in 2006, the Mavericks sought retribution in the new season. After
a rocky 0-4 start, the Mavericks then went on an historic run and posted a 50-5 record over their next 55 games. They finished
out the regular season with a record of 67-15, good enough to be tied for 5th place all-time, 1st in the league and the #1 seed
in the Western Conference playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki had a dominant season, further cementing
his place as one of the game's elite players and was named MVP. Josh Howard was named to the
all-star team. As the season came to a close, there was no doubt that the Mavericks would race to the finish line and claim the
championship trophy. However, the Golden State Warriors were in their way. The 8th
seeded Warriors proceeded to systematically dismantle the Mavericks by exploiting matchups and preying on Dirk Nowitzki's
weaknesses. Dirk Nowitzki and his 1st place Mavericks were defeated in 6 games by the 8th seeded Warriors to give way to the
biggest upset in NBA history. The Mavericks look to once again try and redeem themselves in the 2007-2008 season.
Uniforms
Currently the Dallas uniforms consist of midnight blue with silver and white trim on the road uniforms, while the home
uniforms consist of white with midnight blue, silver and black trim. Beginning in the 2004-05 NBA season, they introduced the alternate green uniforms, similar to the Mavs 80's road
uniforms. They are designed by rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, and feature "Mavs" in the front
side of the jersey with blue trim.
Season-by-season records
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Win-Loss %
| Season |
W |
L |
% |
Playoffs |
Results |
| Dallas Mavericks |
| 1980-81 |
15 |
67 |
.183 |
|
|
| 1981-82 |
28 |
54 |
.341 |
|
|
| 1982-83 |
38 |
44 |
.463 |
|
|
| 1983-84 |
43 |
39 |
.524 |
Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals |
Dallas 3, Seattle 2
Los Angeles 4, Dallas 1 |
| 1984-85 |
44 |
38 |
.537 |
Lost First Round |
Portland 3, Dallas 1 |
| 1985-86 |
44 |
38 |
.537 |
Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals |
Dallas 3, Utah 1
LA Lakers 4, Dallas 2 |
| 1986-87 |
55 |
27 |
.671 |
Lost First Round |
Seattle 3, Dallas 1 |
| 1987-88 |
53 |
29 |
.646 |
Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Lost Conference Finals |
Dallas 3, Houston 1
Dallas 4, Denver 2
LA Lakers 4, Dallas 3 |
| 1988-89 |
38 |
44 |
.463 |
|
|
| 1989-90 |
47 |
35 |
.573 |
Lost First Round |
Portland 3, Dallas 0 |
| 1990-91 |
28 |
54 |
.341 |
|
|
| 1991-92 |
22 |
60 |
.268 |
|
|
| 1992-93 |
11 |
71 |
.134 |
|
|
| 1993-94 |
13 |
69 |
.159 |
|
|
| 1994-95 |
36 |
46 |
.439 |
|
|
| 1995-96 |
26 |
56 |
.317 |
|
|
| 1996-97 |
24 |
58 |
.293 |
|
|
| 1997-98 |
20 |
62 |
.244 |
|
|
| 1998-99 |
14 |
36 |
.280 |
|
|
| 1999-2000 |
40 |
42 |
.488 |
|
|
| 2000-01 |
53 |
29 |
.646 |
Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals |
Dallas 3, Utah 2
San Antonio 4, Dallas 1 |
| 2001-02 |
57 |
25 |
.695 |
Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals |
Dallas 3, Minnesota 0
Sacramento 4, Dallas 1 |
| 2002-03 |
60 |
22 |
.732 |
Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Lost Conference Finals |
Dallas 4, Portland 3
Dallas 4, Sacramento 3
San Antonio 4, Dallas 2 |
| 2003-04 |
52 |
30 |
.634 |
Lost First Round |
Sacramento 4, Dallas 1 |
| 2004-05 |
58 |
24 |
.707 |
Won First Round
Lost Conference Semifinals |
Dallas 4, Houston 3
Phoenix 4, Dallas 2 |
| 2005-06 |
60 |
22 |
.732 |
Won First Round
Won Conference Semifinals
Won Conference Finals
Lost NBA Finals |
Dallas 4, Memphis 0
Dallas 4, San Antonio 3
Dallas 4, Phoenix 2
Dallas 2, Miami 4 |
| 2006-07 |
67 |
15 |
.817 |
Lost First Round |
Golden State 4, Dallas 2 |
| 2007-08 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
|
|
| Totals |
1046 |
1136 |
.479 |
|
|
| Playoffs |
62 |
71 |
.466 |
0 Championships (playoff series record: 12–13) |
Home arenas
Current roster
|
Dallas Mavericks roster
|
| Players |
Coaches |
| Pos. |
# |
Nat. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
From |
| 1.5 G |
13 |
USA  |
Ager, Maurice |
77
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Michigan State |
| 1.0 PG |
11 |
PRI  |
Barea, José |
72
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Northeastern |
| 3.5 F |
33 |
USA |
Bass, Brandon |
80
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Louisiana State |
| 5.0 C |
25 |
USA |
Dampier, Erick |
83
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Mississippi State |
| 5.0 C |
7 |
Senegal  |
Diop, DeSagana |
84
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Oak Hill Academy |
| 4.5 F/C |
20 |
USA |
Fazekas, Nick |
83
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Nevada |
| 3.0 SF |
40 |
USA |
George, Devean |
80
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Augsburg College |
| 1.0 PG |
34 |
USA |
Harris, Devin |
75
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Wisconsin |
| 2.0 SG |
23 |
USA |
Hassell, Trenton |
77
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Austin Peay |
| 3.0 SF |
5 |
USA |
Howard, Josh |
79
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Wake Forest |
| 5.0 C |
28 |
BEL  |
Ilunga-Mbenga, Didier |
84
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
DRC |
| 2.5 G/F |
6 |
USA |
Jones, Eddie |
78
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Temple |
| 3.5 F |
41 |
DEU  |
Nowitzki, Dirk (C) |
84
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Germany |
| 2.0 SG |
42 |
USA |
Stackhouse, Jerry |
78
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
North
Carolina |
| 1.5 G |
31 |
USA |
Terry, Jason |
74
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Arizona |
| 4.5 F/C |
45 |
USA |
Willis, Kevin (FA) |
84
ft in ( m) |
lb ( kg) |
Michigan State |
|
- Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (DP) Draft pick
- (FA) Free agent
 Injured
Roster •
updated 2007-09-29
|
Current Depth Chart
.svg)
