The Dallas Mavericks: A Short History of the NBA Team

A look at the history of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks from their origins as an expansion team in 1980 to their present day status as a perennial playoff contender.

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Introduction

The Dallas Mavericks are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center which it shares with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars

The Early Years

The Dallas Mavericks are a professional Basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center which it shares with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.

The Mavericks were founded in 1980 as an expansion team, and were one of two NBA teams (the other being the Charlotte Hornets) to arrive that year. Maverick owner Don Carter had tried to land an NBA Franchise for Dallas prior to 1980, but was unsuccessful in vote meetings with the other NBA owners Carter’s first step towards landing an NBA Franchise was when he hosted a party for then-NBA Commissioner Larry O’Brien at his home in 1977. O’Brien announced that four new franchises would be arriving in 1979–80: the Indiana Pacers the New Jersey Nets the San Diego Clippers and a yet-to-be determined Texas team.

In 1979, Mavericks assistant General Manager Vince Gotelli landed a position with the Indiana Pacers organization, which helpedCarter’s efforts to bring an NBA Franchise to Dallas.

The ’80s

In 1980, the Mavericks were founded by Carnesecca and Dick Motta, who had coached the Washington Bullets to the NBA Championship in 1977-78. They acquired big man Mark Aguirre from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Adrian Dantley, who was then traded to the Utah Jazz for Abdul-Jabbar. Jabbar wanted to retire, but was convinced to play one more season with a championship contender. The result was one of the most dominant single seasons in NBA history Jabbar won MVP honors while leading the Mavericks to a 60-22 record, which at the time was the third best in NBA history

The ’90s

With the fourth pick in the 1990 NBA draft the Dallas Mavericks selected point guard Jay Vincent from Michigan State University In the second round, they took Power Forward Doug Smith from the University of Missouri These two players would go on to have solid NBA careers but neither would make a significant impact with the Mavericks. The real story of the early ’90s Mavericks is one of disappointment and inadequacy.

In their first three seasons, the Mavericks only won a total of 28 games. They finished last in their division all three years and failed to make the playoffs. Head Coach Richie Adubato was fired after just one season, and his replacement, Jim Cleamons, didn’t fare much better. After three consecutive losing seasons, Cleamons was also let go.

The Mavericks finally began to turn things around in 1993, when they hired former Detroit Pistons head coach Don Nelson. Nelson’s up-tempo style of play suited his young roster well, and the team began to improve. In Nelson’s first season, the Mavericks won 36 games, their most since 1988. They continued to get better in each of Nelson’s first four seasons, winning 53 games in 1996-97. However, they still failed to make the playoffs.

The 2000s

In 2000, the Mavericks made a trade with the Indiana Pacers that brought in 7-foot-4 center Shawn Bradley. The Mavericks also acquired point guard Steve Nash in a sign-and-trade deal with the Suns. Nash would go on to win two MVP Awards while playing for Dallas. The Mavericks made the playoffs in 2000 and 2001, but were swept in the first round each time.

In 2002, Dallas drafted Chinese forward Yao Ming with the number one overall pick. However, Yao only played five games for the Mavericks before being traded to the Houston Rockets The Mavericks made the playoffs again in 2002 and 2003, but were once again swept in the first round each time.

In 2004, the Mavericks finally broke through and made it to the NBA Finals Led by Nash, Nowitzki, and Head Coach Don Nelson, Dallas defeated the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles Lakers in six games to win their first ever NBA Championship The Mavericks made it back to the Finals in 2006, but were beaten by Miami Heat in six games.

The Mavericks failed to make the playoffs in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, they returned to form and made it all the way back to the NBA Finals However, they were once again beaten by Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.

In 2010, Nowitzki was named MVP of the NBA Finals as he led Dallas to their second championship, this time defeating Dirk Nowitzki and the Miami Heat in six games. The Mavericks made it back to the playoffs every year from 2011-2015 but failed to make it past the first round each time. In 2016, Dallas failed to make the playoffs for only the second time since 1990.

The 2010s

The Dallas Mavericks are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center which it shares with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.

The Mavericks were founded in 1980 as an expansion team, and were one of the NBA’s first expansion teams to compete in an NBA Finals series in 2006. In 1987, they drafted Dirk Nowitzki, who quickly became their franchise player and would eventually lead them to 15 NBA playoffs appearances, 11 division titles, two conference championships and their only NBA Championship in 2011. The Mavericks have won three division titles since their inception in 1980: 1987–88, 1990–91, and 2002–03.

In the 2010s, the Mavericks made playoff appearances every year except for 2013–14 and 2014–15. They failed to make it out of the first round each time except for 2016 when they lost to eventual champions the Golden State Warriors despite taking a 2–1 series lead. In 2018, they were swept by eventual Conference Finals losers the Houston Rockets

The Mavericks Today

The Mavericks are currently owned by Mark Cuban who bought the team in 2000. The team made the playoffs that year, and went on to win the NBA championship in 2011. The Mavericks play their home games at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Notable Players

The Dallas Mavericks are an American professional Basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Mavericks compete in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference The team plays its Home Games at the American Airlines Center, which it shares with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars. As of the 2015-2016 season, the Mavericks have won three division championships (1987, 2007, 2010), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA championship (2011).

The Mavericks began play as an expansion team in 1980. The team’s draft pick was Mark Aguirre, who went on to be named Rookie of the Year and was a three-time All-Star with Dallas. In their second season, Dirk Nowitzki joined the team as a freshman straight out of High School from Germany. He quickly became one of the NBA’s Rising Stars and led Dallas to 13 playoff appearances in his first 14 seasons. Nowitzki is the only player in Mavericks history to play for 20 seasons with the same team, and he is also their All-time leading scorer.

Other notable players who have donned a Mavericks jersey include Jason Kidd Steve Nash Kobe Bryant Shaquille O’Neal, and Tory LaFontaine.

Championships

In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks Won their first NBA Championship Led by Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games. It was a defining moment for the franchise, which had never won an NBA title in its 32-year history.

The Mavericks were founded in 1980 as an expansion team. They struggled in their early years, but made the playoffs for the first time in 1984. The team slowly built a quality roster over the next decade, culminating in a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 1988. Dallas would make it back to the conference finals in 2006 and 2010 before finally breaking through and winning the championship in 2011.

The Mavericks have been one of the most successful teams in the NBA since their inception, making the playoffs 27 times in 32 seasons. They are currently one of only two teams (along with the San Antonio Spurs) to have never missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Legacy

The Dallas Mavericks are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center, which it shares with the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.

The Mavericks were founded in 1980 as an expansion team, and their first season started in the 1981–82 NBA season In their inaugural season, they won 15 games and lost 67, ultimately leading to a 20-win seasons in 1983-84 and 1984-85. However, they missed the playoffs in both of those years. The Mavericks finally reached the post-season in 1986-87, behind Mark Aguirre’s league-leading 29.5 points per game average. In 1987-88, they won their first playoff series against the Utah Jazz before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals.