History of the Dallas Mavericks facts for kids

The Dallas Mavericks, often called the Mavs, are a professional basketball team from Dallas, Texas, USA. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Mavericks have won one NBA championship, four division titles, and two conference championships in their history.

History of the Mavs

How the Team Started (1979–1981)

In 1979, a businessman named Don Carter and his partner Norm Sonju wanted to bring an NBA team to Dallas. The last pro basketball team in Dallas, the Dallas Chaparrals, had moved to San Antonio in 1973.

At the 1980 NBA All-Star Game, NBA team owners voted to let the new Dallas team join. Fans chose the name "Mavericks" from the TV show Maverick. James Garner, who starred in the show, was even part of the team's owners. The Mavs joined the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. Dick Motta, who had won an NBA Championship with the Washington Bullets, became the team's first head coach. He was known for being strict but also a great teacher.

The Mavs drafted Kiki Vandeweghe in 1980, but he didn't want to play for the new team. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets for future draft picks. These picks later brought in important players like Rolando Blackman and Sam Vincent.

Mavs' founder Don Carter.

In their first game, the Mavericks surprised the Spurs, winning 103–92. But they finished their first season with a tough 15–67 record. However, they found a key player in guard Brad Davis. He joined the team in December and quickly became important, leading the team in assists. Davis played for the Mavericks for twelve years, and his number 15 jersey was later retired.

The 1981 NBA draft brought three more vital players: forward Mark Aguirre, guard Rolando Blackman, and forward Jay Vincent. Jay Vincent led the team in scoring in their second season, helping the Mavericks improve to a 28–54 record.

Rising Up (1982–1985)

In the 1982–83 season, the Mavericks started to become serious contenders. They improved their record to 38–44, showing great progress for a new team. Mark Aguirre was a top scorer, and Brad Davis was great at assists.

Derek Harper was drafted in 1983 and played for the Mavs for ten years, averaging 15 points and 6.1 assists. The Mavericks had their first winning season in 1983–84, finishing 43–39. They also made the playoffs for the first time! Mark Aguirre became the team's first NBA All-Star.

In the playoffs, Dallas beat the Seattle SuperSonics in five games. Then they faced the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers and lost in five games. The Mavs also drafted forward/center Sam Perkins in 1984, who became a strong player for them.

The 1984–85 team finished even better at 44–38. Mark Aguirre led the team in scoring again, and Rolando Blackman became an All-Star. The Mavs returned to the playoffs but lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.

Becoming a True Contender (1985–1988)

In the 1985 NBA draft, Dallas drafted German-born forward Detlef Schrempf. They also traded for center James Donaldson, who gave the team a strong presence in the middle. Donaldson later became an All-Star in 1988.

Rolando Blackman played in the 1986 NBA All-Star Game hosted in Dallas. The 1985–86 Mavericks were second in scoring in the league. They made the playoffs for the third year in a row, beating Utah before losing to the Lakers in six close games. The Mavs drafted center Roy Tarpley, a very talented player.

The 1986–87 season was their best regular season yet, with a 55–27 record and their first Midwest Division title. However, they lost early in the playoffs. After this, coach Dick Motta resigned, and John MacLeod took over.

The 1987–88 NBA season was another successful year. Mark Aguirre and James Donaldson were All-Stars, and the team had a franchise-best 11-game winning streak. Roy Tarpley won the NBA Sixth Man Award for his great play off the bench. The Mavs had their deepest playoff run, beating the Houston Rockets and the Nuggets. They then faced the defending champion Lakers again. The Mavericks played hard, but the more experienced Lakers won in seven games.

Tough Times (1988–1993)

Injuries started to hurt the Mavs. In 1989, James Donaldson suffered a serious knee injury, and the team finished with a losing record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1983.

The Mavericks returned to the playoffs in 1989–90 with a 47–35 record. However, they lost quickly to the Portland Trail Blazers. This was their last winning season and playoff appearance until 2001.

The team went through many changes in the early 1990s. Key players left or were injured. The 1990–91 team finished with a very poor 28–54 record. It got even worse in 1991–92, with more injuries and a 22–60 record. In 1992–93, Rolando Blackman, the team's all-time leading scorer at that point, was traded.

Rebuilding and "The Three Js" (1992–1996)

The Mavericks drafted guard Jim Jackson in 1992, but he missed half his first season due to contract issues. The team struggled, finishing 1992–93 with an 11–71 record, the second-worst in NBA history at the time.

In 1993, Dallas drafted forward Jamal Mashburn and hired Quinn Buckner as coach. The team continued to struggle, finishing 13–69. Buckner was fired, and Dick Motta returned as coach. The Mavs then drafted point guard Jason Kidd in 1994, forming a strong trio with Jackson and Mashburn, known as "The Three Js."

The addition of Jason Kidd brought new energy in 1994–95. Kidd was great at triple-doubles. Roy Tarpley returned to the league for a short time. Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn were a high-scoring duo. The team improved dramatically to 36–46.

However, the 1995–96 season was disappointing. Roy Tarpley was banned from the NBA for a long time. Jamal Mashburn had season-ending surgery. Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson had disagreements. Despite individual successes, the team finished 26–56. Dick Motta was replaced by Jim Cleamons, and original owner Don Carter sold the team to a group led by H. Ross Perot, Jr..

Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Cuban Arrive (1996–2001)

The 1996–97 was a year of big changes for the Mavericks, with many players coming and going. The most important new player was Michael Finley, who became a consistent scorer for years. Don Nelson was hired as general manager and later became head coach.

In 1998, the Mavericks made key additions: power forward Dirk Nowitzki and point guard Steve Nash. These moves seemed small at the time but would change the team's future. In the following season, the team started winning more consistently, led by Finley and Nowitzki, who became a strong offensive player.

On January 14, 2000, Mark Cuban, an internet entrepreneur and season ticket-holder, bought the Dallas Mavericks. Cuban quickly worked to make the team more popular. He was known for his strong opinions and for getting the team a lot of media attention.

In 2000–01, the Mavericks had an impressive 53–29 record, thanks to the strong play of Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash. They made a big trade to bring in Juwan Howard. They also signed Wang Zhizhi, the first Chinese player in the NBA. The Mavs made the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, winning the first round against the Utah Jazz. They lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round, but it brought a lot of hope for the team's future. This was also the last season at the old Reunion Arena before moving to the modern American Airlines Center.

The "Big Three" Era (2001–2004)

The 2001–02 was great for the Mavericks, with a 57–25 record and many sold-out games at the new American Airlines Center. The team also changed its logo and colors. They made another big trade, bringing in players like Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel. The Mavericks swept the Kevin Garnett-led Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs but lost in the second round to the Chris Webber-led Sacramento Kings.

In the 2002–03 season, the Mavericks started with an amazing 14–0 record. They finished the regular season with a 60–22 record, exciting fans with their powerful offense. The "Big Three" of Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash led the team to the Conference Finals against the Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs. However, Dirk Nowitzki got a knee injury in Game 3 and missed the rest of the series. The Spurs won the series in 6 games.

In 2003–04, the Mavericks made more big trades, acquiring players like Antawn Jamison and Antoine Walker. While the team had some struggles with new players fitting in, they still made the playoffs. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the Sacramento Kings, who played better defense.

Changes and First Finals Appearance (2004–2006)

The 2004–05 brought more major trades, adding players like Erick Dampier, Jason Terry, Devin Harris, and Jerry Stackhouse. Even though they lost All-Star Steve Nash, the new players made the team's defense stronger. Longtime coach Don Nelson resigned, and his assistant Avery Johnson took over. Under Johnson, the Mavericks' defense improved, and they made the playoffs with a 58–24 record. They beat the Houston Rockets in the first round but lost to the Phoenix Suns, led by former Maverick Steve Nash, in the second round.

In the 2005–06 season, the Mavericks were very strong, finishing with another 60–22 record. Avery Johnson won the NBA Coach of the Year Award. In the playoffs, they swept the Memphis Grizzlies. Then they faced their rivals, the reigning champion San Antonio Spurs, in a tough seven-game series that went to overtime in Game 7. The Mavs, led by Dirk Nowitzki, won and advanced to the Conference Finals. They then defeated the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 to reach their first-ever NBA Finals!

In the 2006 NBA Finals, the Mavericks faced the Miami Heat. Dallas won the first two games convincingly. However, the Heat, led by Dwyane Wade, won the next four games in a row, taking the championship. Many Mavericks fans were shocked by the loss.

Playoff Struggles (2006–2010)

After the disappointing Finals loss, the Mavericks had a historic regular season in 2006–07, finishing with an amazing 67–15 record, the best in the league. Dirk Nowitzki had a dominant season and was named the NBA MVP. Josh Howard was also named an All-Star.

However, in the playoffs, the first-place Mavericks were defeated in 6 games by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors. This was a huge upset, especially since the Warriors were coached by Don Nelson, the Mavs' former coach.

In the 2007–08 season, the Mavericks traded for veteran All-Star Jason Kidd. They finished with a 51–31 record and made the playoffs for the eighth year in a row. However, they were eliminated again in the first round by the New Orleans Hornets. After this, Avery Johnson was dismissed as head coach, and Rick Carlisle was hired.

Kidd drives to the basket during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 2008–09 season saw the Mavs finish 50–32, their ninth straight season with 50 or more wins. They surprised many by beating the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. In the semifinals, they faced the Denver Nuggets and lost in five games.

In the 2009–10 season, the Mavericks made key trades, bringing in players like Shawn Marion and Caron Butler. These moves helped the team, and they finished with an impressive 55–27 record, earning the second seed in the Western Conference. However, they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

Jason Terry.

After the season, the Mavericks re-signed Dirk Nowitzki to a new contract. They also acquired center Tyson Chandler in a trade.

Championship Season (2010–2011)

The 2010–11 season started strong for the Mavericks, winning 24 of their first 29 games. Despite injuries to Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler, the team kept winning. The Mavericks improved their defense, especially with the addition of Tyson Chandler. They finished with a 57–25 record.

In the playoffs, many predicted the Mavs would lose early. But they beat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. Then, they faced the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Mavericks shocked everyone by sweeping the Lakers in four games! Jason Terry set an NBA playoff record with nine three-pointers in Game 4.

Next, the Mavs met the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Dirk Nowitzki had an amazing 48-point game in Game 1. The Mavericks won the series in five games, claiming their second Western Conference Championship.

In the 2011 NBA Finals, the Mavericks faced the Miami Heat, who were favored to win. After losing Game 1, the Mavs made a huge comeback in Game 2, winning after being down by 15 points in the fourth quarter. The series went back and forth. In Game 5, the Mavs won a high-scoring game, putting them one win away from the title. Three nights later, the Mavericks won their first-ever NBA title with a 105–95 victory, reversing what happened in the 2006 Finals. Dirk Nowitzki was named the NBA Finals MVP.

After the Championship (2011–2018)

The next season was shorter due to a lockout. The Mavericks let go of several key players from their championship team, including Tyson Chandler. They acquired Lamar Odom and signed veterans like Vince Carter. The Mavericks raised their championship banner on Christmas Day, but lost to the Heat. The team struggled and finished with a 36–30 record.

In the 2012 NBA playoffs, the Mavericks faced the Oklahoma City Thunder again and were swept in four games. This was the first time Dallas was swept in a seven-game series.

The Luka Dončić Era (2018–Present)

The Mavericks had a tough 2017–18 season, finishing with a 24–58 record. In the 2018 NBA draft, the Mavericks made a trade to get Slovenian guard Luka Dončić, a highly talented young player.

On April 9, 2019, Dirk Nowitzki announced his retirement from the NBA. He played for the Mavericks for a record-breaking 21 seasons, becoming a true legend for the team.

In the 2019–20 season, the Mavericks returned to the playoffs with a 43–32 record. On August 23, 2020, Luka Dončić hit an amazing game-winning shot at the buzzer against the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs. He scored 43 points, had 17 rebounds, and 13 assists in that game. This shot broke several records for young players in the playoffs. However, the Mavericks lost to the Clippers in 6 games.

For the 2020–21 season, the Mavericks faced the Clippers again in the playoffs and lost in seven games.

In the 2021-22 season, under new head coach Jason Kidd, the Mavericks finished with a 52–30 record. They beat the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, their first playoff series win since their championship in 2011. Then, they shocked the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, winning in seven games to reach the Western Conference Finals! Their season ended there, losing to the Golden State Warriors.

The 2022-23 season was challenging for the Mavs. They traded for Kyrie Irving in February 2023, hoping to pair him with Dončić. However, the team struggled after the trade and missed the playoffs for the first time since Dončić's rookie year.