National Basketball Association
Dallas Mavericks
Western Conference/Southwest Division
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History of the Mavericks
The initial basketball franchise in Dallas was the Dallas Chaparrals and they played from the 1967-68 season until the 1972-73 season. They then moved to San Antonio and became the San Antonio Spurs.
In 1979, the city of Dallas put in a bid for an NBA team and after a $12 million dollar entry fee, was admitted into the league as the Dallas Mavericks. Their initial season was dismal as the team amassed a 15-67 record. The next season was better as they drafted perennial all star Rolando Blackman, and though ticket sales went up, still they finished the season with a 28-54 record.
The team would not make it to the playoffs until the 1983-84 season only to be knocked out by the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1. They would continue to make playoff appearances until the 90-91 season when both Fat Lever and Roy Tarpley sustained season ending knee injuries. It would not be until the 2000-2001 season that the Mavs returned to the playoffs while under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson.
The Dallas Mavericks have had only one Hall of Famer on their rosters, that being Adrian Dantley who played with the Mavs from the 1988 season thru the 1990 season. They were Division Champs twice, 1987 and 2007 and have been to the NBA Conference Finals three times 1988, 2003 and 2006. The Mavs finally made it to the NBA Finals in 2006 led by Coach Avery Johnson (The Coach of the Year) and were eliminated by the Miami heat in 6 games.
The Mavericks have retired only two jerseys; # 15 Brad Davis and # 22 Rolando Blackman. They have had one Coach of the Year Award (Avery Johnson - 2006), one Rookie of the Year (Jason Kidd -1995), two Sixth Man of the Year Awards (1988 –Roy Tarpley and 2004 –Antwan Jamison) and one NBA Most Valuable Player Award for Dirk Nowitzki in 2007.
| Stadium Seating Chart |
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American Airlines Center
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NBA Basketball
Eastern Conference
| Atlantic Division | Central Division | Southeast Division |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | Chicago Bulls | Atlanta Hawks |
| Brooklyn Nets | Cleveland Cavaliers | Charlotte Bobcats |
| New York Knicks | Detroit Pistons | Miami Heat |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Indiana Pacers | Orlando Magic |
| Toronto Raptors | Milwaukee Bucks | Washington Wizards |
