Dallas Mavericks (1980-Present)

Historical Moments:
1980/81: The Dallas Mavericks owned by Donald Carter who paid a $12 million expansion team takes the floor with a young inexperienced team, by passing aging stars like Earl Monroe, Rick Barry, and Pete Maravich for players with less then 3 years experience. However, things did not go smoothly in the draft when top pick Kiki Vandeweghe refused to sign forcing a trade to the Denver Nuggets. The Mavericks would get off to a rousing start when the beat the San Antonio Spurs, who once played in the ABA as the Dallas Chaparrals, in their first game. However, the Mavs would win just 5 of their next 45 games on the way to an awful 15-67 season.

1981/82: The Mavericks 3 draft picks Mark Aguirre (with the first overall pick), Rolando Blackman (9th), and Jay Vincent (24th) become key starters right away, making the Mavs an exciting team to watch. However the rookie would get off to a slow start as the Mavericks won just 1 of their first 14 games. However by January the team was playing better, putting together a modest 4-game winning streak. However, in the end the Mavericks would still struggle to finish with a 28-54 record. However, they would manage to escape last place.

1982/83: The 3rd year Mavericks continued to improve actually being in playoff contention most of the first half of the season. However, the young Mavs would struggle down the stretch which included a 7-game losing streak that ended their playoff hopes as they finished in 4th place with a 38-44 record.

1983/84: The Mavericks improvement continued as they got off to a fast start winning 10 of their first 13 games, on the way to their first playoff appearance which they earned by finishing in 2nd place in the Midwest Division with a record of 43-39, as Mark Aguirre finished 2nd in scoring with 30.6 ppg. In their first taste of the playoffs the Mavericks played a tight 5-game series with the Seattle Supersonics emerging victorious in overtime of Game 5 by a score of 105-104. However, in the 2nd round the Mavericks would be shot down by the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1.

1984/85: For the 4th year in a row the Mavericks improve over their previous season as the Mavericks lead the league in 3 pointers and fewest turnovers, during a 3rd place finish in which the Mavs finished with a 44-38 record. In the playoffs the Mavs get off to a good start winning Game 1 in double overtime against the Portland Trailblazers in thrilling fashion. However, the Blazers would roar back to win 3 straight to eliminate the Mavericks in 4 games.

1985/86: The Mavericks add another piece to its growing talent pool with the selection of Detlef Schrempf in the draft. In a year Dallas played host to the All-Star game the Mavericks were a high scoring squad average 115.3 ppg the 2nd highest in the NBA, as they made the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row with a 44-38 record. In the playoffs the Mavericks would hit a sweet note as the eliminated the Utah Jazz in 4 games. However, in the 2nd round they would be knocked off by the Los Angeles Lakers again falling 6 games. However, 4 of the games were decided by 4 points or less.

1986/87: The Mavericks had finally arrived winning their first Division Title with a solid record of 55-27. Once again the Mavs took care of the ball as the led the NBA with the fewest turnovers for the 5th year in a row. In the playoffs the Mavericks got off to an incredible start as they slaughtered the Seattle Supersonics 151-129 in Game 1. However, the wheels would suddenly come off as the Mavs who had not lost more then 2 straight all year lost the next 3 as their season was ended in the first round. Following the season Dick Motta the only coach in Mavs history would suddenly resign.

1987/88: With new Coach John MacLeod the Mavericks remained one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA, as they battled all season with Denver Nuggets for the Midwest Division Tilt. However, the Mavs would fall 1 game short with a solid 53-29 record. In the playoffs the Mavericks would shoot down the Houston Rockets in 4 games, before getting revenge on the Nuggets in 6 games to advance to their first Conference Final. In the Western Finals the Mavs gave the Los Angeles Lakers all they could handle before falling in Game 7 by a score of 117-102.

1988/89: After 5 straight playoff appearances the Mavericks hit a speed bump and begin to unravel. In what started out as an injury-plagued season the Mavericks would quickly fall apart on and off the court. First Roy Tarpley was suspended infinitely in January for violating the league's anti drug policy. Then they started to trade away top stars like Mark Aguirre to the Detroit Pistons for Adrian Dantley who refused to even play for the Mavs, even though he would eventually show up after an 8-day holdout. In another questionable move the Mavs would trade Detlef Schrempf to the Indiana Pacers for Herb Williams. The Mavs would finally bottom out in March with a 12-game losing streak as they finished in 4th place with a 38-44 record.

1989/90: After an awful season the Mavericks would bounce back to make the playoffs with a 47-35 record good enough for 3rd place in the Midwest Division. However, things would not all go smoothly for the Mavericks. First Roy Tarpley would find himself in hot water again as he is arrested in November for Driving under the Influence of Drugs. Shortly there after Coach John MacLeod is fired and replaced by Richie Adubato. After finishing the season on a high note the Mavericks would make a quick exit in the playoffs as they are swept in 3 straight by the Portland Trailblazers.

1990/91: The Mavericks troubles would start early as Fat Lever and Roy Tarpley are both lost early in the season with season ending knee injuries. While on the injured list Tarpley again would be suspended for substance abuse by the NBA. Meanwhile the Mavericks just could not put anything together as they finished worst then the 2 expansion teams (Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves) while finishing 6th in the Midwest Division with a record of 28-54.

1991/92: Prior to the start of the season Roy Tarpley banned from the NBA for violating the league's substance abuse policy for a 3rd time. Fat Lever misses most of the season again, as the Mavericks begin to regret acquiring him from the Denver Nuggets for 2 first round draft picks. With aging stars and injuries the Mavs would struggle all season on the way to finishing in 5th place with a 22-60 record.

1992/93: The dismantling of the Mavericks continues as Fat Lever misses the entire season with a knee injury and Rolando Blackman is traded to the New York Knicks. In addition top draft pick Jim Jackson held out more then half of the season. This would all spell the recipe for disaster as the Mavericks flirted all season with the worst record in NBA history as they stood at 4-57 through 61 games. However, the signing of Jackson on March 3rd, coupled with the announcement that Quinn Buckner would take over as coach the next season, gave the team the emotional boost necessary to avoid infamy. In the final 21 contests Jackson helped the team to a 7-14 record, including 2 straight victories to close out the year and finish at 11-71, avoiding infamy by just 2 games.

1993/94: Despite the addition of Kentucky star Jamal Mashburn from the NBA draft the Mavericks misery continued as they lost 23 of their first 24 games on the way to 3-40 record at the end of January, as the team rejected Quinn Buckner's disciplinary coaching style. The Mavs would go on to narrowly avoid history again finishing with an awful 13-69 record. Following the season Coach Quinn Buckner is fired.

1994/95: With the hopes of repeating history the Mavericks bring back original Coach Dick Motta to restore a team that had complied an awful 24-140 record over the last 2 years. The Mavs select Cal guard Jason Kidd with their top draft pick. Kidd would make an immediate impact as he shared Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill of the Detroit Pistons while averaging 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists on the year. With Kidd in the backcourt and Jamal Mashburn and Jim Jackson the Mavs had a formidable young foundation as they finished in 5th place with a record of 36-46, which was 12 more wins then their previous 2 season combined.

1995/96: The Mavericks would take a step backward as Jamal Mashburn goes down with a knee injury 18 games into the season. Meanwhile Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson had trouble getting along as the Mavericks finished with a terrible 26-56 record. Following the season Dick Motta would be fired as the Mavs are sold by Donald Carter to Ross Perot Jr.

1996/97: With new Coach Jimmy Clemons the Mavericks struggles continued, while the Three J's (Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn, and Jimmy Jackson) continued to squabble on and off the court rumors had they were al fighting over super diva Toni Braxton. With the team not showing any improvement it was decided to scrap the team and start form scratch by season's end Kidd, Jackson, and Mashburn would all be gone, as they are dealt in separate deals to the Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets, and Miami Heat. The Mavs would go on to finish the season with a 24-58 record.

1997/98: The Mavericks continue to struggle as GM Don Nelson takes over as Coach, during a 20-62 season. However, despite the poor record the Mavs have a knack for giving some of the NBA's elite team a hard time, as they beat the Seattle Supersonics, New York Knicks, and Indiana Pacers. However, all the wins were overshadow by a rousing comeback victory over the Chicago Bulls, going on a 17-2 run to force overtime where they won 104-97. During the season, former Los Angels Lakers and Phoenix Suns star A.C. Green would make history, as he became the NBA's all-time iron man with 978 consecutive games played.

1998/99: In a season shortened by a 4-month lockout the young Mavericks begin to show some promise by posting their first winning record at home in 10 years at 15-10. However the Mavs were still a mile away from the playoffs as they finished in 5th place with a 19-31 record.

1999/00: The Mavericks change ownership again as internet mogul Mark Cuban purchases the team. In a promotional move Dennis Rodman is brought in. However, with his best days behind him, the Worm would be gone after just 12 games. The Mavs would struggle early on the way to their 11th straight year without the playoffs. However, as Dirk Nowitzki continued to improve the Mavs finished the season strong posting a 30-18 record over the 2nd half including a 9-1 record in April, as the Mavs finished with a 40-42 record their best since 1990.

2000/01: In the final year of basketball at the Reunion Arena the Mavericks finally end their 10-year playoff drought by finishing in 3rd Place with a 53-29 record. Along the way the Mavs over came the adversity of losing Coach Don Nelson for a while as he underwent treatment for prostate cancer. In his absence the Mavericks were turned over to an experienced group of assistant coaches led by Nelson's son Donnie nelson. Meanwhile Dirk Nowitzki became the first Maverick to receive all-NBA honors when he was named to the 3rd team. In the playoffs the Mavs would drop the first 2 games in Utah to the Jazz. However, they would be rejuvenated when they came home to Reunion, as they went on to win the next 3 and advance to the next round. However, in the 2nd Round they would fall in 5 games to the San Antonio Spurs.

2001/02: Early on in the Mavericks first season at the American Airlines Centers the focus was on Maverick owner Mark Cuban and his continues battles with NBA officials, as his fines reached 7 figures. In one memorable incident Cuban managed a Dairy Queen for day after saying he would not allow NBA director of officiating to manage one of the famous ice cream chain's stores. While Cuban was a headache for the heads of the NBA, he was a true fans man, often wearing just a Mavericks t-shirt at games while rooting for the team like the average fan. In addition he would offer up several promotions that made Mavs basketball the place to be. However, promotions are not enough you also need a good team to draw fans and the Mavericks found themselves among the NBA's elite all year battling all season for the Midwest Division before falling 1 game short with a franchise best 57-25 record. In the playoffs the Mavs stayed hot as Dirk Nowitzki collected 42 rebounds as the Mavericks went through the Minnesota Timberwolves like a buzzsaw sweeping them in 3 straight. However, in the 2nd round the Mavs would be shot down by the Sacramento Kings in 6 games.

2002/03: The Mavericks would come flying out the gate to start the season winning their first 14 games, on the way to an impressive 17-1 start. However, as the season wore on the Mavs weakness on defense would catch up with them as the San Antonio Spurs began to chip away at a 7-game deficit, eventually catching the Mavericks at the end of the season. However, the Mavericks would still end up with league's best record at 60-22, but they would lose a tiebreaker to the Spurs for the division title and the top seed in the playoffs. Facing the Portland Trailblazers in the playoffs the Mavericks once again got off to a fast start winning the first 3 games. However, under a new playoff format the Mavs still needed to win a game to advance. Getting that 4th win would prove difficult as the Blazers won the next 3 games easily to force a 7th game. However, the Mavericks would avoid becoming the first team to blow a 3-0 series lead with a late 12-0 run in Game 7 to win 107-95. Facing the Sacramento Kings in the 2nd round the Mavericks were thoroughly beaten in Game 1 at home 124-113. However, the Mavs would bounce back to even the series the next night, as Kings MVP Chris Webber suffered a knee injury. The Mavs would take advantage of Webbers absence and beat the Kings 141-137 in a Game 3 shoot out in Sacramento. The Kings and Mavs would alternate wins in the next 3 games as the series went to a 7th game. In Game 7 in Dallas the Mavericks pulled out a 112-99 win to set up an all Texas Western Conference Finals. The Mavs would get the Conference Finals started in style by stunning the Spurs on the road with a 113-110 win as the Mavs sank a record 49 of 50 free throws. However, the Mavs would lose Game 2 119-106, but more costly was the loss of Dirk Nowitzki to a sprained knee. Without Nowitzki the Mavs would drop the next 2 games at home as they feel behind 3-1 in the series. However the Mavs would not go down without a fight as they stole Game 5 in San Antonio and were poised to force a 7th game as they held a 69-56 lead entering the 4th Quarter. However, they would end up being buried in a barrage of 3-pointers by Steve Kerr as the Spurs outscored the Mavs 34-9 in the final period to go to the NBA Finals.

2003/04: After just missing out on a trip to the NBA Finals the Mavericks added more fire power by acquiring Antwan Jamison in a trade with the Golden State Warriors and Antoine Walker in a trade with the Boston Celtics. With the new players the Mavs would get off to a slow start as Coach Don Nelson had a tough time trying to work everyone into the rotation. On the road the Mavericks struggled badly posting a terrible 16-25 record. However at home they were unbeatable posting a franchise best 36-5 record at the American Airlines Center as they posted a solid 52-30 record finishing 3rd in the competitive Midwest Division. Leading the way for the Mavericks was Dirk Nowitzki who led the team in scoring and rebounding with 21.8 ppg and 8.7 rebounds per game. While Antwan Jamison gained NBA hardware by being named NBA's 6th Man of the year for averaging 14.8 ppg off the bench. In the playoff the Mavericks would face the Sacramento Kings in a rematch of their intense 2nd round series from 2003. The Mavs would get off on the wrong foot, losing the first two games on the road. The Mavericks would rebound in Game 3 as the series shifted to Dallas winning 104-79. However the would lose Game 4 in heartbreaking fashion as Steve Nash's last second shot bounced off the rim in a 94-92 loss, as the Kings went on to win the series in 5 games. Following the season the Mavericks roster would go through a shake up as Nash signed a free agent deal with the Phoenix Suns. To replace Nash the Mavericks acquired Jason Terry in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Antoine Walker, while 6th Man Antwan Jamison was dealt to the Washington Wizards for Jerry Stackhouse.

2004/05: Despite the loss of Steve Nash, the Mavericks remained one of the best teams in the Western Conference as they got off to a strong start as Jason Terry acquired in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks for Antoine Walker averaged 5.4 assists per game. However feeling something was lacking the Mavericks would land Keith Van Horn for stretch run. The deal gave them a solid 6th man off the bench as Van Horn averaged 12.2 ppg in 29 games in Dallas. Meanwhile Don Nelson would step down and hand the coaching reigns to Avery Johnson, because in select game the team played better under Johnson when Nelson let him run the team. The change would be a boost for the Mavericks, who won their last 9 games to finish in 2nd place in the Southwest Division with a 58-24 record. In the playoffs the Mavericks faced the Houston Rockets in a first round Texas Tussle. Despite having their strong finish the Mavs stumbled when the series started dropping the first 2 games at home. Staring an 0-3 deficit in the face the Mavs staged an amazing 4th Quarter comeback going on a 20-0 run in the 4th Quarter to win Game 3 in Houston 106-102. The Mavericks would keep the momentum rolling winning Games 4 and 5 to take control of the series. After losing Game 6 in Houston, the series went to decisive 7th game, where Jason Terry and Josh Howard dominated the game as the Mavs won convincingly 116-76. In the 2nd Round the Mavericks faced the Phoenix Suns led by Steve Nash who won the NBA MVP leading the Suns to the best record in the NBA. IN a back and forth showdown of two of the NBA's highest scoring teams the series would go back and forth through the first 4 games with both teams cracking 100 in each game. In Game 5 it would be Steve Nash that would knock the Mavericks on the ropes as he scored 34 points in a 114-108 win for the Suns, needing a win at home in Game 6 to force a 7th game the Mavericks would battle the Suns into overtime where Nash again haunted his former team leading the comeback that forced OT and continuing his hot hand in OT as he scored 39 points in a 130-126 win to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

2005/06: After falling just short of making the Conference Finals the Mavericks returned hoping to finally beat their nemesis from San Antonio and take the next step forward, and thanks to continued strong defense they would battle the Spurs for the top record in the West all season, as neither team got a big lead all season. However, in the end the Spurs would get the best of the Mavericks in the regular season as the Mavs franchise best 60-22 record had them fall three games short of the division title, and best overall record in the West. Despite falling short the Mavericks great season would earn Avery Johnson Coach of the Year honors. In the playoffs the Mavericks would get off to a fast start as they made quick work of the Memphis Grizzlies winning four straight without breaking a sweat to set up another second round showdown with the San Antonito Spurs. The highly anticipated Lone Star State showdown would get off to a fantastic start as the Spurs edged the Mavs 87-85. Game 2 would be a different story as the Mavericks evened the series with an easy 113-91 win, pulling away in the second quarter when they outscored the Spurs 32-16, as the Mavs had four players with 19 or more points. As the series shifted to Dallas the intensity picked up as the lead seesawed several times in the 4th Quarter before Dirk Nowitzki nailed two free throws with 7.5 seconds left to give the Mavs a 104-103 victory. Game 4 would be even tighter as the two heavyweights battled into overtime tied at 111-111, as Jason Terry played the role of hero tying the game for the Mavericks. In OT it was Terry again who got the Mavericks going hitting the first points and helping Dallas keep the lead with a pair of jumpers in a 123-118 victory that gave the Mavericks a 3-1 series lead. Game 5 back in San Antonio would be just as exciting as the Mavericks were unable to contain Tim Duncan who scored 36 points and had 12 rebounds to keep the Spurs alive with a 98-97 win, as Jason Terry got suspended for the next game after delivering a low blow to ex-teammate Michael Finley in the closing seconds. With a chance to close the series out at home, the Mavericks clearly missed Terry as the best efforts of Dirk Nowitzki who had 26 points and 21 rebounds could not stop the Spurs from forcing a seventh game with a 91-86 win. Facing losing a 3-1 lead and losing to the Spurs again the Mavericks went to San Antonio with a chip on their shoulder as Owner Mark Cuban continued to draw criticism for his blogging during the playoffs on his personal website Blog Maverick. Surprisingly the Mavericks made it look easy at first building a 20 point lead, as Terry returned and scored 27 points, but the pesky defending champs battled back and forced overtime again. However it would be Nowitzki who would play the role of hero making the big shots at the end as the Mavericks won in overtime 119-111. After their tough battle against the Spurs the Mavs faced the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals and fell behind early losing the opener 121-118 as the Suns scored 30 points in the 4th Quarter against the tired Mavs. The Mavericks would rebound the next two games as Dirk Nowitzki led the team with two double-doubles. After losing Game 4 in Phoenix, the Mavericks took control of the series for good with a 117-101 win in Game 5 as Nowitzki scored 50 points. In Game 6 the Mavericks got off to a slow start as they trailed at halftime 51-39. The Mavericks would start to crawl back in the 3rd Quarter as they pulled to within 3 points. From there on it would be all Mavericks as they scored 40 points in the 4th Quarter to pull away to a 102-93 win that sent them to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

2005/06: In the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat the Mavericks got off to a flying start winning the first two games at home easily as Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki continued their monster postseasons. Game 3 in Miami looked like more of the same as a 13-point lead midway through the 4th Quarter had Dallas planning a victory parade. However, suddenly Dwyane Wade would get hot and lead the Heat to a miracle comeback with a 98-96 win. The Mavericks stunned by the Game 3 collapse played one of their worst games of the postseason two days later as the Heat tied the series with a 98-74 win, setting up Game 5 as the key game of the series. The game would also be the best of the entire series at it went back and forth with Jason Terry battling Dwyane Wade. As the Mavericks held a slim 1-point lead late in overtime Josh Howard was sent to the line with a chance to extend the lead. However, Howard missed both free throws setting up Wade to be the hero, as the Heat star was fouled in the final seconds of overtime. Wade would hit both shots to give the Heat a 101-100 lead, as Josh Howard mistakenly called a time out between free throws, forcing the Mavericks to go the length of the court to try a game winning shot, which they were unable to do as the Heat took a 3-2 series lead. Following the game Owner Mark Cuban found himself embroiled in more controversy as he was fined $250,000 for criticizing the officials, while Dirk was fined $5,000 for kicking the ball into the stands. Back in Dallas for Game 6 the Mavericks hoped to regain the momentum, but it was not meant to be as Wade scored a game high 36 points to lead the Heat to a NBA Title with a 95-92 victory.

2006/07: After their heart breaking loss in the NBA Finals there was a concern there would be a hangover when the season started as the Mavericks lost their first four games, as they struggled on both sides of the ball. Facing the Phoenix Suns on the road the Mavericks finally got things turned around with a 119-112 win, as Dirk Nowitzki scored a game high 35 points, that win would spark a 12-game winning streak as the Mavericks began an incredible stretch over the next four months where they would not lose games in a row. After a brief stretch where they lost 3 of five games in early December the Mavericks began another long winning streak, with 13 straight wins to bring their record to 27-7. After a 101-98 loss on the road to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks would win another eight straight as they took firm control of the Southwest Division. Following a 96-85 loss on January 25th, the Mavericks would fire up yet another extended winning streak as they would not lose again until March 11th, winning 17 straight games. In total since their 0-4 start the Mavericks would win 52 of their next 57 games. The Mavericks would go on to close the season with a 67-15 record as they won their first division championship in 20 years. The year would also bring individual accolades to Dirk Nowitzki who was named NBA MVP as he led the team with 24.6 ppg, and 8.9 rebounds per game. At 67-15 the Mavericks were heavy favorites as the playoffs began with everyone focusing on a future Western Conference Final against either the San Antonio Spurs or Phoenix Suns. However, nobody noticed the trap that was lying in wait in the first round against the Golden State Warriors who at 42-40 made their first playoff appearance in 13 years. The Warriors were coached by Don Nelson, who was at the helm for the Mavericks when things began to turn around 1997-2005, and was still there when most of the current Mavericks came to Dallas, and developed their style of play. If one did not realize how dangerous the Warriors were, one may only examine the Mavericks season, as they went 67-15, but lost all three games to the Warriors. When the playoff started it was the Warriors who dominated taking Game 1 in Dallas 97-85. The Mavs would bounce back in Game 2 evening the series with a 112-99 win. However as the series shifted to Oakland the Mavericks walked into a buzz saw, with the crowd helping to lift the Warriors to a 109-91 win in Game 3 and a 103-99 win in Game 4 to take a stunning 3-1 series lead. Led by Dirk Nowitzki who scored 30 points in Game 5, the Mavericks kept their hopes alive with a 118-112 victory. However, that Oakland buzz saw would get them again as the Warriors completed the stunning upset with a 111-86 win, as the Warriors broke the Mavs back with 36 points in the 3rd Quarter.

2007/08: Following their stunning first round exit the Mavericks again got off to a good start posting a 9-2 record in their first 11 games. However, problems were not hard to see as a three game losing streak demonstrated that the Mavs had some holes. As the New Year began the Mavericks embarked on a seven game winning streak, but in a highly competitive Western Conference the Mavericks were only in the middle of the pack of tightly bunched playoff contenders as the trade deadline approached. Hoping to pick up the pace on offense the Mavericks made a trade to re-acquire Jason Kidd, along with Malik Allen and Antoine Wright for the retired Keith Van Horn, Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, $3 million, and two first round draft picks. The deal would quickly look like a dud as the Mavericks struggled against winning teams, posting a 3-11 record, as they actually lost ground on the Western Conference leaders. The Mavericks would end up finishing in fourth place in the Southwest Division as they entered the playoffs with the seventh seed. In the first round they would face the New Orleans Hornets. Despite strong games from Dirk Nowitzki in the first two games, the Mavericks were hammered twice and came home needing a win desperately down 0-2 in the series. With Nowitzki scoring 32 points, with 19 rebounds and 6 assists the Mavs were able to get a 97-87 win in Game 3. However, the Hornets proved too strong and despite two more solid games from Dirk Nowitzki the Mavericks were eliminated in the first round again, losing the series in five games. Following their quick exit, Coach Avery Johnson was dismissed, and replaced by Rick Carlise.