Dallas Mavericks
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division
of the Western Conference
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA), and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat
in the 2011 NBA Finals
.
According to a 2011 Forbes Magazine report, they are the sixth-most valuable basketball franchise in the United States, valued at approximately $438 million; the franchise is surpassed in value only by the New York Knicks
, the Los Angeles Lakers
, the Chicago Bulls
, the Boston Celtics
, and the Houston Rockets
.
Since their inaugural 1980–81 season
, the Mavericks have won three division titles (1987, 2007, 2010), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA Championship (2011).
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
. The name was chosen by the fans with 4600 postcards received beating Wranglers and Express. 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
, causing a divisional realignment with the Midwest and Central Divisions, and would stay there until the league went to six divisions for the 2004–05 season and the team moved to the Southwest Division. 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. Vandeweghe was traded to the Denver Nuggets
, along with a first-round pick in 1981, in exchange for two future first-round picks that eventually materialized into Rolando Blackman
in 1981
and Sam Perkins
in 1984
.
For much of the 1980s, the Mavericks boasted a very good team in the highly competitive Western Conference. Led by Mark Aguirre
, original draft pick Brad Davis
, Rolando Blackman, Derek Harper
, Sam Perkins and Detlef Schrempf
, the Mavericks made the playoffs six of seven times from 1983 to 90, winning the Midwest Division
in 1986–87 and reaching the Western Conference Finals in 1988
. However, they never made it deeper in the playoffs, due to the dominance of the Los Angeles Lakers
at the time.
The 1990s were known as the Mavs' "dark ages". They never reached the playoffs from 1991 through 2000, bottoming out with an 11–71 record in 1992–93 and a 13–69 mark in 1993–94. Much of their freefall was blamed for various off-court and on-court distractions, particularly Roy Tarpley
's drug abuse, which eventually got him banned from the NBA, and the injuries and former coach Quinn Buckner
's disciplinary approach. The mid-90s were considered the only positive period for the Mavs, led by The 3 J's: Jason Kidd
, Jim Jackson
and Jamal Mashburn
. Kidd would become the most famous of the trio, winning Co-Rookie of the Year (with Grant Hill
) in 1994–95 and eventually a perennial All-Star.
The Mavericks returned to prominence in the 2000s, first led by a new "Big Three" of Dirk Nowitzki
, Michael Finley
and Steve Nash
. With a new owner in Mark Cuban
and head coach Don Nelson
leading the crew, they returned to the playoffs in 2001
, eventually returning to the Conference Finals in 2003
. However the San Antonio Spurs
would emerge as their main rivals, defeating them in the playoffs each time. The Big Three gradually disbanded with Nash returning to the Phoenix Suns
in 2004, and Finley picked up off waivers by the Spurs in 2005. Nowitzki emerged as the team's leader, and with Avery Johnson
coaching the team, the Mavericks would make their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006
; along the way exacting revenge against the Spurs and defeating Steve Nash and the Suns. However after leading 2–0 to the Miami Heat
, they lost the Finals' next four games, though some point to biased refereeing and others argue it was the result of the "Curse of the Crease".
The Mavs' best regular season came in 2006–07, winning 67 games and earned the NBA's best record. Despite Nowitzki's MVP
showing, the Mavericks were upset by their former coach Don Nelson and the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors
in the 2007 NBA Playoffs
. Kidd returned to the team in 2008, and with new coach Rick Carlisle
leading the crew, the Mavericks maintained their winning form throughout the decade.
As the 2010 season began, the Mavericks still had Nowitzki, Kidd and Jason Terry
plus other pieces such as Shawn Marion
, Tyson Chandler
, J.J. Barea
and Caron Butler
. They returned to the NBA Finals
after winning 57 games, winning a close 6-game 1st round series against the Portland Trail Blazers; dethroning the previous year's NBA Finals Champion—the Los Angeles Lakers—in the Western Conference Semifinals (four-game sweep); and defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games in the Western Conference Finals on home court in Dallas to win their second Western Conference Championship. The Mavs returned to the NBA Finals for a second time, creating a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
In 2011, the Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 to win the NBA Finals. The series victory secured the first NBA Championship for the franchise in its 31-year history. Dirk Nowitzki
was named the NBA Finals MVP.
Currently, the Mavericks have won 50 or more regular season games in 11 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2001—a stark contrast (and almost diametrically opposed) to the 10-season streak of losing seasons from the 1990–91 to the 1999–2000 season.
During their expansion season of 1980–81, the Mavericks road uniform colors were royal blue with green and white trim, but the green and blue were reversed one season later, and green was the dominant road uniform color through the early-1990s. However, in the 1992–93 season, they were reverted back to their original road uniform scheme from their expansion season, with minor alterations to the "Dallas" script, a design that the Mavericks used until 2001. from 1980 to 2001, the home white uniforms had "Mavericks" in blue, with green and white trim, with a few minor alterations to the "Mavericks" script during the 1990s. The 1980s green road jerseys were revived in the 2004–05 season as part of the Mavericks' 25th anniversary. However, while the lettering from the 1980s uniform was present, the number scheme resembled the 1990s uniforms.
In the 2001–02 NBA season, the Mavericks drastically updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of midnight blue, royal blue and silver. The new uniforms consist of a "Dallas" script on both the home and road jerseys. On the home jersey, "Dallas" is in midnight blue across the chest and the numbers are in royal blue with silver trim, while on the road jersey, "Dallas" is in white, with the numbers in silver and white trim.
In the 2003–04 NBA season, the Mavericks debuted their shiny silver alternate uniforms, with "Mavericks" in white and royal blue trim, with blue numerals. However, it proved to be unpopular with fans (thus derisively nicknamed the 'Trash Bags'), and it was scrapped after just one game (at Lakers
on October 28, 2003).
In the 2004–05 NBA season, the Mavericks introduced an alternate green uniform similar to their 1980s road uniforms. They were designed by rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs
, and featured "Mavs" in white on the front side of the jersey with blue trim, and the numbers in silver with white trim above the script on the left chest.
On September 21, 2009, the Mavericks unveiled a new alternate royal blue uniform with the same "Mavs" script, replacing the green uniform. The said uniform will also be used for the NBA's Noche Latina promotion, with the wordmark "Los Mavs.".
On August 19, 2010, the Mavericks unveiled yet another change to their uniform set, with a new royal blue road uniform that displays the "Dallas" script in navy blue with silver numbers, both with white trim. The alternate royal uniform and has been deactivated as a result and this new uniform has replaced the midnight blue one as the main road jersey. However the 'Los Mavs' uniforms are still in use despite the change.
es for the Mavericks franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Dick Motta
, who served for two non-consecutive stints, and coached for nine seasons with the Mavericks. Motta is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (738); Don Nelson
, Donnie Nelson's father, is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season game wins (339); Avery Johnson
is the franchise's all-time leader for the most playoff games coached (47), the most playoff-game wins (23), and the highest winning percentage
in the regular season (.735). Nelson is also named one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. Johnson is the only coach to have ever won the Western Conference championship, but lost the 2006 NBA Finals
to the Miami Heat
. Johnson is also the only Mavericks coach to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
, having won it in the 2005–06 season. Quinn Buckner
and Jim Cleamons
have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Mavericks. None of the Mavericks coaches have been elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. Rick Carlisle
has been the head coach of the Mavericks since 2008, and led the team to their first championship in franchise history in 2011.
as the Dallas Chaparrals and did not move to San Antonio until 1973. In the playoffs the Spurs defeated the Mavericks in 2001, 2003, and 2010; while the Mavericks defeated the Spurs in 2006 and 2009. The Spurs have won four championships and four conference titles, while the Mavericks have won one championship and two conference titles. The Spurs have won 15 division titles, while the Mavericks have won 3. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks have 3 60-win seasons.
The two teams met in the playoffs during the 2000–2001 season with the Spurs winning in five games. Little was made during this series, as the Spurs won their first NBA championship only two years before. The Mavericks, run by a trio of Steve Nash
, Michael Finley
, and Dirk Nowitzki
, had just defeated the Utah Jazz
despite not having home court advantage and were only starting to meld into a title contender.
The two teams met again in 2003 in the Western Conference Finals. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks had 60-win seasons and reached the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Sacramento Kings
, respectively. Despite having the best season of their history, the Mavericks fell in six games to the Spurs.
The rivalry took on a new meaning in 2005 when, near the end of the regular season, Don Nelson
would resign as head coach of the Mavericks, apparently satisfied with the state of the team, and hand the coaching reins to former Spur Avery Johnson
, the point guard
of the 1999 NBA champion Spurs team who hit the game-winning shot against the New York Knicks
. Since Johnson was coached under Spurs' Head Coach Gregg Popovich
, he would be familiar with most, if not all, of Popovich's coaching style and philosophy. During the 2005 offseason, Michael Finley
, waived by the Mavericks under the amnesty clause, joined the Spurs in search for the elusive title.
During the 2006 playoffs the two rivals met again. San Antonio won the first game at home 87–85. The Mavericks got revenge the next game winning 113–91 evening the series up at 1–1. The Mavericks won a dramatic Game 3 by one point 104–103. Though Manu Ginobili could have made the basket with five seconds remaining, he committed an error allowing the ball to bounce away from him with one second remaining. Dallas won a tightly-contested Game 4 123–118 in overtime. Game Five was won by one point with the Spurs taking the victory. In the final seconds of that game, Jason Terry was seen punching former teammate Michael Finley under the belt. This would lead to his suspension in Game 6. He was sorely missed in Game 6 as the Spurs took the series back home for a Game 7. In the crucial Game 7, with 2.6 ticks to go, Nowitzki converted a three-point play to force overtime. Manu Ginóbili
, the one who fouled Dirk was the same person who gave San Antonio their first lead one possession earlier. Tim Duncan, who had played in all 48 minutes of regulation was too fatigued to carry his team in overtime. The Mavericks, meanwhile, were set to take control of the game and they did just that winning the game 119–111. The Mavericks went on to the Conference Finals where they defeated the Suns in six games, but succumbing to the champion Heat in the NBA Finals.
Despite much anticipation of a renewed meeting in the 2007 Western Conference finals, the Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in one of the greatest upsets in NBA history.The Spurs won the NBA finals with after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–0. The eighth seed Warriors, who made the playoffs on the last game of the NBA season, defeated the 67-win, first-seed Mavericks in six games. Meanwhile, the Spurs would ultimately go on to win the 2007 NBA Championship, establishing themselves as a true NBA dynasty. The season also gave longtime former Maverick Michael Finley his first championship. Many Spurs teammates claimed that the drive to win this season was partially to give Finley his first championship, especially since Finley had lost a bitter-fought series to his longtime team the year previous.
Worth noting in a regular season meeting between the two rivals in April 2007, a game which the Mavs won 91–86, Tim Duncan suffered his first career ejection for supposedly laughing while sitting on the bench. Joey Crawford, the referee who ejected Duncan, allegedly asked Duncan to a fight which led to the longtime ref's season-ending suspension. As Duncan was heading into the locker room, American Airlines Center
erupted into a huge cheer, applauding Duncan's ejection.
In the 2009 NBA Playoffs, the Mavericks and Spurs squared off again in the first round. The Spurs and Mavericks split the first 2 games in San Antonio, but Dallas defeated the Spurs in games 3 and 4, both in Dallas. The Mavericks then went on to close out the series and eliminated the Spurs at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
In 2010, the Dallas Mavericks matched up against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Although the Mavericks managed to obtain the number two seed, they were defeated by the Spurs in six games.
During the 2011 playoffs, a role reversal of sorts occurred between the two rivals, when the top seeded Spurs were defeated by the eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies
, the first time an eight seed defeated a one seed since the infamous Mavs-Warriors series of 2007. In addition, the Mavericks defeated the LeBron James-led Miami Heat
in the NBA Finals, similar again to how the 2007 Spurs defeated a LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers
team in the Finals.
signed a free-agent deal with the 29–53 Phoenix Suns
to help out their offense. The addition of Nash helped as Phoenix rolled to a 62–20 record and the best record in the NBA. The teams met in the Western Conference Semifinals with Phoenix having the home-court advantage.
Phoenix won Game One 127–102 with a 40-point game by Amar'e Stoudemire. Steve Nash was also given his NBA MVP award during that game, a game in which he terrorized his former team. However, Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki
hit a game-winning turn-around jumper in Game 2 to beat Phoenix 108–106 to send the series back to Dallas tied 1–1. Phoenix and Dallas split the two games in Dallas which saw both winners of games score 119 points. The series went back Phoenix then took care of Dallas 114–108 in the America West Arena (now US Airways Center). Then, in Game Six, with Dallas facing elimination, Phoenix beat Dallas in a thriller which saw Steve Nash
with a 39-point game, to go along with 12 assists. Phoenix then made it to the Western Conference Finals, where they eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs
who then went on to win the NBA Title that season.
The following year, a Suns team without Stoudemire (who was injured), Joe Johnson
, and Quentin Richardson
, but with a core of new players led by Raja Bell
(who clotheslined Lakers star Kobe Bryant
in a first-round series game), Boris Diaw
and Tim Thomas
to go along with Nash and fellow All-Star Shawn Marion
. Phoenix had to play seven game series against the two Los Angeles teams, the Los Angeles Lakers
(who had a 3–1 lead against Phoenix) and the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers
. They faced a Mavericks team who won 60 games, but were forced to be the fourth seed since the division winners got the top three seeds. On their way to the Western Conference Finals, Dallas swept the Memphis Grizzlies
, and beat in-state rival San Antonio Spurs
in seven tense games. Phoenix won Game One 121–118 after Diaw hit a game-winning shot in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter. Bell, though injured himself in Game One, missing Games Two and Three. After that, Dallas took control of the series, winning Games Two and Three by the scores of 105–98 and 95–88. Bell came back for Game Four and led Phoenix to a 106–86 blowout win. Dallas however, beat Phoenix 117–101 in Game Five which included a 50-point performance from Dirk Nowitzki, and eliminated the Suns in Phoenix 102–93 in Game Six. Dallas would later on lose to the Miami Heat
in six games, despite winning the first two games.
On March 14, 2007 in Dallas, Phoenix beat Dallas in a 129–127 double overtime thriller. With the Mavericks up by 7 with a minute left in regulation, Dirk Nowitzki (a 90% free throw shooter) missed two free throws. Steve Nash fed off his mistakes and scored 10 straight points including the game-tying three pointer with 3 seconds left to go. Dirk Nowitzki's potential game-winning shot bounced off the rim and sent the game to overtime. Jason Terry
sent the game into another overtime with a game-tying three pointer of his own. Dirk Nowitzki's potential game-tying shot in double overtime went in and out of the rim as Amar'e Stoudemire's 41 points were too much for Dallas to handle.
Southwest Division (NBA)
The Southwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA), and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in the 2011 NBA Finals
2011 NBA Finals
The 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010–11 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, to win their first NBA title...
.
According to a 2011 Forbes Magazine report, they are the sixth-most valuable basketball franchise in the United States, valued at approximately $438 million; the franchise is surpassed in value only by the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, and the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Since their inaugural 1980–81 season
1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season
The 1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season was the 1st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association .-Draft picks:* 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...
, the Mavericks have won three division titles (1987, 2007, 2010), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA Championship (2011).
History
Dallas Chaparrals
The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, later becoming the San Antonio Spurs and joining the NBA.The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, which moved to San Antonio in 1973 to become the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
.
At the 1980 NBA All-Star Game
1980 NBA All-Star Game
GAME 30: at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md., Feb. 3, 1980MVP: George GervinCoaches: East: Billy Cunningham, West: Lenny Wilkens.Television: CBSAnnouncers: Brent Musburger, Bill Russell, Rod Hundley-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference:...
, league owners voted to admit the new team, with the team's name coming from the 1957–1962 TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
western Maverick
Maverick (TV series)
Maverick is a western television series with comedic overtones created by Roy Huggins. The show ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC and stars James Garner as Bret Maverick, a cagey, articulate cardsharp. Eight episodes into the first season, he was joined by Jack Kelly as his brother...
. The name was chosen by the fans with 4600 postcards received beating Wranglers and Express. James Garner
James Garner
James Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
, 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
University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university located in Arlington, Texas, United States. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military...
also uses the Mavericks nickname. They joined the Midwest Division of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
, causing a divisional realignment with the Midwest and Central Divisions, and would stay there until the league went to six divisions for the 2004–05 season and the team moved to the Southwest Division. Dick Motta
Dick Motta
John Richard "Dick" Motta is a former basketball coach whose career in the National Basketball Association spanned 25 years, and he continues to rank among the NBA's all-time top 10 in coaching victories....
, who had guided the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
to the NBA Championship in 1977–78, was hired as the team's first head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
. He had a well-earned reputation of being a stern disciplinarian, but was also a great teacher of the game.
Kiki Vandeweghe of UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft
1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
, but Vandeweghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and staged a holdout that lasted a month into the team's inaugural season. Vandeweghe was traded to the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, along with a first-round pick in 1981, in exchange for two future first-round picks that eventually materialized into Rolando Blackman
Rolando Blackman
Rolando Antonio Blackman is a retired professional basketball player. He was an All-Star who spent most of his career with the Dallas Mavericks...
in 1981
1981 NBA Draft
The 1981 NBA Draft was the 35th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the 1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
and Sam Perkins
Sam Perkins
Samuel Perkins is a retired American professional basketball player, also known by the nicknames "Sleepy Sam" and "Big Smooth." He attended Samuel J. Tilden High School, Shaker High School and the University of North Carolina, where he was a teammate of Michael Jordan...
in 1984
1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft was the 38th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 19, 1984 before the 1984–85 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft,...
.
For much of the 1980s, the Mavericks boasted a very good team in the highly competitive Western Conference. Led by Mark Aguirre
Mark Aguirre
Mark Anthony Aguirre is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Aguirre played from 1981–1994 and won two championships with the Detroit Pistons after being sent to Detroit from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Adrian Dantley...
, original draft pick Brad Davis
Brad Davis (basketball)
Bradley Ernest Davis is a retired professional basketball player who spent the bulk of his National Basketball Association career with the Dallas Mavericks.-Biography:...
, Rolando Blackman, Derek Harper
Derek Harper
Derek Ricardo Harper is a retired American professional basketball player from the University of Illinois, who spent 16 seasons as a point guard in the National Basketball Association with the Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers.-College:After graduating from...
, Sam Perkins and Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
, the Mavericks made the playoffs six of seven times from 1983 to 90, winning the Midwest Division
Midwest Division (NBA)
The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail...
in 1986–87 and reaching the Western Conference Finals in 1988
1988 NBA Playoffs
The 1988 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1987-1988 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons four games to three in the Finals...
. However, they never made it deeper in the playoffs, due to the dominance of the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
at the time.
The 1990s were known as the Mavs' "dark ages". They never reached the playoffs from 1991 through 2000, bottoming out with an 11–71 record in 1992–93 and a 13–69 mark in 1993–94. Much of their freefall was blamed for various off-court and on-court distractions, particularly Roy Tarpley
Roy Tarpley
Roy James Tarpley is an American former professional basketball player. He played the power forward and center positions, earning an NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1988. Despite his talent, Tarpley became notable during his career for being banned from the NBA because of his drug addiction...
's drug abuse, which eventually got him banned from the NBA, and the injuries and former coach Quinn Buckner
Quinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
's disciplinary approach. The mid-90s were considered the only positive period for the Mavs, led by The 3 J's: Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
, Jim Jackson
Jim Jackson (basketball)
James Arthur "Jim" Jackson is an American retired professional basketball player. Over his 14 NBA seasons, Jackson was on the active roster of 12 different teams, tying the league record. He is currently a basketball analyst on the Big Ten Network.-High school and college career:Jackson was a 6'6"...
and Jamal Mashburn
Jamal Mashburn
Jamal Mashburn is a retired American professional basketball player. A small forward, Mashburn was a prolific scorer in his 12 seasons in the league, with a career scoring average of 19.1 points per game...
. Kidd would become the most famous of the trio, winning Co-Rookie of the Year (with Grant Hill
Grant Hill
Grant Hill is the name of:* Grant Hill, American basketball player* Grant Hill , Canadian politician* Grant Hill, San Diego, California, an urban neighboorhood in central San Diego...
) in 1994–95 and eventually a perennial All-Star.
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
, Michael Finley
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
and Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
. With a new owner in Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
and head coach Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
leading the crew, they returned to the playoffs in 2001
2001 NBA Playoffs
The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000–01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their second consecutive championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers...
, eventually returning to the Conference Finals in 2003
2003 NBA Playoffs
The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 NBA season. This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series....
. However the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
would emerge as their main rivals, defeating them in the playoffs each time. The Big Three gradually disbanded with Nash returning to the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in 2004, and Finley picked up off waivers by the Spurs in 2005. Nowitzki emerged as the team's leader, and with Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
coaching the team, the Mavericks would make their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006
2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
; along the way exacting revenge against the Spurs and defeating Steve Nash and the Suns. However after leading 2–0 to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, they lost the Finals' next four games, though some point to biased refereeing and others argue it was the result of the "Curse of the Crease".
The Mavs' best regular season came in 2006–07, winning 67 games and earned the NBA's best record. Despite Nowitzki's MVP
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
showing, the Mavericks were upset by their former coach Don Nelson and the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the 2007 NBA Playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
. Kidd returned to the team in 2008, and with new coach Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
leading the crew, the Mavericks maintained their winning form throughout the decade.
As the 2010 season began, the Mavericks still had Nowitzki, Kidd and Jason Terry
Jason Terry
Jason Eugene Terry is an American professional basketball player playing with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He plays shooting guard, although he also can play point guard. His nickname, "JET," derives from his initials...
plus other pieces such as Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
, Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler
Tyson Cleotis Chandler is an American professional basketball center who most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team.-High school:...
, J.J. Barea
Jose Juan Barea
José Juan "J.J." Barea Mora is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. He most recently played as a point guard for the National Basketball Association's 2011 champion Dallas Mavericks. Barea has played in the NBA, NBA Development League, NCAA and the BSN with Indios de Mayagüez and the...
and Caron Butler
Caron Butler
James Caron Butler, widely known as Caron Butler , is an American professional basketball player who most recently played at small forward for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.-Early life:...
. They returned to the NBA Finals
2011 NBA Finals
The 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010–11 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, to win their first NBA title...
after winning 57 games, winning a close 6-game 1st round series against the Portland Trail Blazers; dethroning the previous year's NBA Finals Champion—the Los Angeles Lakers—in the Western Conference Semifinals (four-game sweep); and defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games in the Western Conference Finals on home court in Dallas to win their second Western Conference Championship. The Mavs returned to the NBA Finals for a second time, creating a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
In 2011, the Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 to win the NBA Finals. The series victory secured the first NBA Championship for the franchise in its 31-year history. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
was named the NBA Finals MVP.
Currently, the Mavericks have won 50 or more regular season games in 11 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2001—a stark contrast (and almost diametrically opposed) to the 10-season streak of losing seasons from the 1990–91 to the 1999–2000 season.
Uniforms
During their expansion season of 1980–81, the Mavericks road uniform colors were royal blue with green and white trim, but the green and blue were reversed one season later, and green was the dominant road uniform color through the early-1990s. However, in the 1992–93 season, they were reverted back to their original road uniform scheme from their expansion season, with minor alterations to the "Dallas" script, a design that the Mavericks used until 2001. from 1980 to 2001, the home white uniforms had "Mavericks" in blue, with green and white trim, with a few minor alterations to the "Mavericks" script during the 1990s. The 1980s green road jerseys were revived in the 2004–05 season as part of the Mavericks' 25th anniversary. However, while the lettering from the 1980s uniform was present, the number scheme resembled the 1990s uniforms.
In the 2001–02 NBA season, the Mavericks drastically updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of midnight blue, royal blue and silver. The new uniforms consist of a "Dallas" script on both the home and road jerseys. On the home jersey, "Dallas" is in midnight blue across the chest and the numbers are in royal blue with silver trim, while on the road jersey, "Dallas" is in white, with the numbers in silver and white trim.
In the 2003–04 NBA season, the Mavericks debuted their shiny silver alternate uniforms, with "Mavericks" in white and royal blue trim, with blue numerals. However, it proved to be unpopular with fans (thus derisively nicknamed the 'Trash Bags'), and it was scrapped after just one game (at Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on October 28, 2003).
In the 2004–05 NBA season, the Mavericks introduced an alternate green uniform similar to their 1980s road uniforms. They were designed by rapper Sean "P. Diddy" Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, and featured "Mavs" in white on the front side of the jersey with blue trim, and the numbers in silver with white trim above the script on the left chest.
On September 21, 2009, the Mavericks unveiled a new alternate royal blue uniform with the same "Mavs" script, replacing the green uniform. The said uniform will also be used for the NBA's Noche Latina promotion, with the wordmark "Los Mavs.".
On August 19, 2010, the Mavericks unveiled yet another change to their uniform set, with a new royal blue road uniform that displays the "Dallas" script in navy blue with silver numbers, both with white trim. The alternate royal uniform and has been deactivated as a result and this new uniform has replaced the midnight blue one as the main road jersey. However the 'Los Mavs' uniforms are still in use despite the change.
Head coaches
There have been nine head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
es for the Mavericks franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Dick Motta
Dick Motta
John Richard "Dick" Motta is a former basketball coach whose career in the National Basketball Association spanned 25 years, and he continues to rank among the NBA's all-time top 10 in coaching victories....
, who served for two non-consecutive stints, and coached for nine seasons with the Mavericks. Motta is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (738); Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
, Donnie Nelson's father, is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season game wins (339); Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
is the franchise's all-time leader for the most playoff games coached (47), the most playoff-game wins (23), and the highest winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
in the regular season (.735). Nelson is also named one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. Johnson is the only coach to have ever won the Western Conference championship, but lost the 2006 NBA Finals
2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. Johnson is also the only Mavericks coach to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
, having won it in the 2005–06 season. Quinn Buckner
Quinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
and Jim Cleamons
Jim Cleamons
James Mitchell "Jim" Cleamons is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. He played collegiately at The Ohio State University, and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 13th pick of the 1971 NBA Draft...
have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Mavericks. None of the Mavericks coaches have been elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
has been the head coach of the Mavericks since 2008, and led the team to their first championship in franchise history in 2011.
Home arenas
- Reunion ArenaReunion ArenaReunion Arena was an indoor arena, in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas . It held 18,293 for basketball and 17,001 for ice hockey.It was demolished in November 2009 and the site was cleared by the end of the year.-History:...
(1980–2001) - Moody ColiseumMoody ColiseumMoody Coliseum is an 8,998-seat multi-purpose arena in University Park, Texas. The arena opened in 1956. It is home to the Southern Methodist University Mustangs basketball team. It was also home to the Dallas Chaparrals and Texas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association before they moved...
(1984 game 5 first round) - American Airlines CenterAmerican Airlines CenterThe American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.It is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and the Dallas Stars of the NHL....
(2001–present)
vs. San Antonio Spurs
The Mavericks-Spurs rivalry is relatively new but very fierce. It features two teams with Dallas roots—the Spurs began their life in the ABAAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
as the Dallas Chaparrals and did not move to San Antonio until 1973. In the playoffs the Spurs defeated the Mavericks in 2001, 2003, and 2010; while the Mavericks defeated the Spurs in 2006 and 2009. The Spurs have won four championships and four conference titles, while the Mavericks have won one championship and two conference titles. The Spurs have won 15 division titles, while the Mavericks have won 3. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks have 3 60-win seasons.
The two teams met in the playoffs during the 2000–2001 season with the Spurs winning in five games. Little was made during this series, as the Spurs won their first NBA championship only two years before. The Mavericks, run by a trio of Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
, Michael Finley
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
, and Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
, had just defeated the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
despite not having home court advantage and were only starting to meld into a title contender.
The two teams met again in 2003 in the Western Conference Finals. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks had 60-win seasons and reached the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, respectively. Despite having the best season of their history, the Mavericks fell in six games to the Spurs.
The rivalry took on a new meaning in 2005 when, near the end of the regular season, Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
would resign as head coach of the Mavericks, apparently satisfied with the state of the team, and hand the coaching reins to former Spur Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
, the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
of the 1999 NBA champion Spurs team who hit the game-winning shot against the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Since Johnson was coached under Spurs' Head Coach Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich
Gregg Popovich is an American basketball coach, and is currently the head coach of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs. With the resignation of Jerry Sloan as head coach of the Utah Jazz on February 10, 2011, Popovich is the longest tenured coach in the NBA and also the...
, he would be familiar with most, if not all, of Popovich's coaching style and philosophy. During the 2005 offseason, Michael Finley
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
, waived by the Mavericks under the amnesty clause, joined the Spurs in search for the elusive title.
During the 2006 playoffs the two rivals met again. San Antonio won the first game at home 87–85. The Mavericks got revenge the next game winning 113–91 evening the series up at 1–1. The Mavericks won a dramatic Game 3 by one point 104–103. Though Manu Ginobili could have made the basket with five seconds remaining, he committed an error allowing the ball to bounce away from him with one second remaining. Dallas won a tightly-contested Game 4 123–118 in overtime. Game Five was won by one point with the Spurs taking the victory. In the final seconds of that game, Jason Terry was seen punching former teammate Michael Finley under the belt. This would lead to his suspension in Game 6. He was sorely missed in Game 6 as the Spurs took the series back home for a Game 7. In the crucial Game 7, with 2.6 ticks to go, Nowitzki converted a three-point play to force overtime. Manu Ginóbili
Manu Ginobili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of...
, the one who fouled Dirk was the same person who gave San Antonio their first lead one possession earlier. Tim Duncan, who had played in all 48 minutes of regulation was too fatigued to carry his team in overtime. The Mavericks, meanwhile, were set to take control of the game and they did just that winning the game 119–111. The Mavericks went on to the Conference Finals where they defeated the Suns in six games, but succumbing to the champion Heat in the NBA Finals.
Despite much anticipation of a renewed meeting in the 2007 Western Conference finals, the Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in one of the greatest upsets in NBA history.The Spurs won the NBA finals with after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–0. The eighth seed Warriors, who made the playoffs on the last game of the NBA season, defeated the 67-win, first-seed Mavericks in six games. Meanwhile, the Spurs would ultimately go on to win the 2007 NBA Championship, establishing themselves as a true NBA dynasty. The season also gave longtime former Maverick Michael Finley his first championship. Many Spurs teammates claimed that the drive to win this season was partially to give Finley his first championship, especially since Finley had lost a bitter-fought series to his longtime team the year previous.
Worth noting in a regular season meeting between the two rivals in April 2007, a game which the Mavs won 91–86, Tim Duncan suffered his first career ejection for supposedly laughing while sitting on the bench. Joey Crawford, the referee who ejected Duncan, allegedly asked Duncan to a fight which led to the longtime ref's season-ending suspension. As Duncan was heading into the locker room, American Airlines Center
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.It is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and the Dallas Stars of the NHL....
erupted into a huge cheer, applauding Duncan's ejection.
In the 2009 NBA Playoffs, the Mavericks and Spurs squared off again in the first round. The Spurs and Mavericks split the first 2 games in San Antonio, but Dallas defeated the Spurs in games 3 and 4, both in Dallas. The Mavericks then went on to close out the series and eliminated the Spurs at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
In 2010, the Dallas Mavericks matched up against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Although the Mavericks managed to obtain the number two seed, they were defeated by the Spurs in six games.
During the 2011 playoffs, a role reversal of sorts occurred between the two rivals, when the top seeded Spurs were defeated by the eighth seeded Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, the first time an eight seed defeated a one seed since the infamous Mavs-Warriors series of 2007. In addition, the Mavericks defeated the LeBron James-led Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in the NBA Finals, similar again to how the 2007 Spurs defeated a LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
team in the Finals.
vs. Phoenix Suns
During the 2004 off-season, former Dallas Mavericks point guard Steve NashSteve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
signed a free-agent deal with the 29–53 Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
to help out their offense. The addition of Nash helped as Phoenix rolled to a 62–20 record and the best record in the NBA. The teams met in the Western Conference Semifinals with Phoenix having the home-court advantage.
Phoenix won Game One 127–102 with a 40-point game by Amar'e Stoudemire. Steve Nash was also given his NBA MVP award during that game, a game in which he terrorized his former team. However, Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
hit a game-winning turn-around jumper in Game 2 to beat Phoenix 108–106 to send the series back to Dallas tied 1–1. Phoenix and Dallas split the two games in Dallas which saw both winners of games score 119 points. The series went back Phoenix then took care of Dallas 114–108 in the America West Arena (now US Airways Center). Then, in Game Six, with Dallas facing elimination, Phoenix beat Dallas in a thriller which saw Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
with a 39-point game, to go along with 12 assists. Phoenix then made it to the Western Conference Finals, where they eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
who then went on to win the NBA Title that season.
The following year, a Suns team without Stoudemire (who was injured), Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson (basketball)
Joe Marcus Johnson is an American professional basketball player, currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. Johnson stands at 6'7" and 240 lbs ....
, and Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic...
, but with a core of new players led by Raja Bell
Raja Bell
Raja Bell is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Utah Jazz of the NBA. Bell is known for his three-point shooting and intense defense.- Biography :Bell was born in Saint Croix, in the U.S...
(who clotheslined Lakers star Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
in a first-round series game), Boris Diaw
Boris Diaw
Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod, better known as Boris Diaw , is a French professional basketball player for JSA Bordeaux in France. He has also played in the National Basketball Association for the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, and Charlotte Bobcats...
and Tim Thomas
Tim Thomas (basketball)
Timothy Mark "Tim" Thomas is an American professional basketball player, in the small forward position.-High school / College:...
to go along with Nash and fellow All-Star Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player currently with the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Waukegan, Illinois, Marion attended high school in Clarksville, Tennessee. Before transferring to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Marion...
. Phoenix had to play seven game series against the two Los Angeles teams, the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(who had a 3–1 lead against Phoenix) and the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. They faced a Mavericks team who won 60 games, but were forced to be the fourth seed since the division winners got the top three seeds. On their way to the Western Conference Finals, Dallas swept the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, and beat in-state rival San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in seven tense games. Phoenix won Game One 121–118 after Diaw hit a game-winning shot in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter. Bell, though injured himself in Game One, missing Games Two and Three. After that, Dallas took control of the series, winning Games Two and Three by the scores of 105–98 and 95–88. Bell came back for Game Four and led Phoenix to a 106–86 blowout win. Dallas however, beat Phoenix 117–101 in Game Five which included a 50-point performance from Dirk Nowitzki, and eliminated the Suns in Phoenix 102–93 in Game Six. Dallas would later on lose to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in six games, despite winning the first two games.
On March 14, 2007 in Dallas, Phoenix beat Dallas in a 129–127 double overtime thriller. With the Mavericks up by 7 with a minute left in regulation, Dirk Nowitzki (a 90% free throw shooter) missed two free throws. Steve Nash fed off his mistakes and scored 10 straight points including the game-tying three pointer with 3 seconds left to go. Dirk Nowitzki's potential game-winning shot bounced off the rim and sent the game to overtime. Jason Terry
Jason Terry
Jason Eugene Terry is an American professional basketball player playing with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He plays shooting guard, although he also can play point guard. His nickname, "JET," derives from his initials...
sent the game into another overtime with a game-tying three pointer of his own. Dirk Nowitzki's potential game-tying shot in double overtime went in and out of the rim as Amar'e Stoudemire's 41 points were too much for Dallas to handle.
International rights
| F |  Greece | Georgios Printezis | 2007 NBA Draft 2007 NBA Draft The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | Originally drafted by the San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... with the 58th pick | G/F |  United States | Shan Foster Shan Foster Shan Donte Foster is an American professional basketball player. Foster played shooting guard for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's... | 2008 NBA Draft 2008 NBA Draft The 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including... | 51st pick | G | Greece | Nick Calathes Nick Calathes Nicholas William "Nick" Calathes is an American-born Greek professional basketball player. Calathes played American college basketball for the University of Florida. He currently plays for Panathinaikos, the Athens, Greece affiliate of the EuroLeague.-High school career:Calathes was born in... | 2009 NBA Draft 2009 NBA Draft The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | Originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor... with the 45th pick | F | United States | Ahmad Nivins Ahmad Nivins Ahmad Naadir "Slim" Nivins is an American professional basketball player. A power forward, he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 56th overall pick of the 2009 draft. He was quickly released and is now playing in Europe for Bàsquet Manresa in the Spanish ACB... | 2009 NBA Draft 2009 NBA Draft The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | 56th pick | G |  Finland | Petteri Koponen Petteri Koponen Petteri Koponen is a Finnish professional basketball player. He currently plays for Virtus Bologna. He is a point guard, weighs 195 pounds and is 6 feet 4.5 inches tall . He played for Virtus Bologna in Italian Lega Basket Serie A basketball league... | 2007 NBA Draft 2007 NBA Draft The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | Originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... with the 30th pick | G | Renaldas Seibutis Renaldas Seibutis Renaldas Seibutis , is a Lithuanian professional basketball player. He is currently with the Lithuanian Basketball League club Lietuvos Rytas.-NBA career:... | 2007 NBA Draft 2007 NBA Draft The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | 50th pick | G | United States | Steve Logan Steve Logan Steve Deontay Logan is an American professional basketball player. He played with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats... | 2002 NBA Draft 2002 NBA Draft The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North... | Originally drafted by the Golden State Warriors Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... with the 31st pick | >
Retired numbers
- 15 Brad DavisBrad Davis (basketball)Bradley Ernest Davis is a retired professional basketball player who spent the bulk of his National Basketball Association career with the Dallas Mavericks.-Biography:...
, G, 1980–92 - 22 Rolando BlackmanRolando BlackmanRolando Antonio Blackman is a retired professional basketball player. He was an All-Star who spent most of his career with the Dallas Mavericks...
, G, 1981–92