The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (the NBA).  The Dallas Mavericks play in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference with four other teams: the San Antonio Spurs, the New Orleans Hornets, the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies.  Mavericks tickets will surely be hard to come by during the 2010-2011 NBA schedule.

Mavericks 2009-2010 Outlook

The Dallas Mavericks have qualified for tghe post-season in 10 straight seasons, but all they have to show for it is one trip to the NBA Finals, back in 2006 when Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat defeated the Mavericks in 6 games.  The Mavericks have advanced past the 1st round only one time during the last 4 playoffs, so the heat is on to win a championship soon.  Despite a 55-27 record and a 1st place finish atop the Southwest Division, the division rival San Antonio Spurs sent them home early with a 6-game series loss following the 2009-2010 NBA season.  A mid-season trade for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson from the Washington Wizards helped the team immensely.  While Dirk Nowitki continued to lead the club - 25.0 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game - Butler complemented Nowitzki's style very well, averaging 16.3 points a game to go along with 6.2 rebounds per game.  Jason Terry was the team's 2nd-leading scorer with 16.6 points per game.  And Jason Kidd was the leader on the court averaging 9.1 assists per game while also scoring in double figures with a 10.3 points per game average.  Haywood also became a huge force in the middle, scoring 9.1 points per game and grabbing 9.3 rebounds per game.

While the Mavericks didn't land one of the big free agents like Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson or Carlos Boozer, they accomplished what they set out to do in the summer following the early playoff exit.  The Mavericks re-signed Dirk Nowtizki to a max NBA contract which will keep him in a Mavericks uniform for the rest of his NBA career.  They also brought in big man Tyson Chandler who was coming off of a disappointing 2009-2010 NBA season with the New Orleans Hornet.  Chandler should serve as a nice reserve inside presence against other club's 2nd teams.  The Mavericks are a lock to make the playoffs for an 11th straight season, but how far they can go will once again be the big question come April, May and maybe June of 2011.  Get your Mavericks NBA tickets at the American Airlines Center before it's too late.

History

The Dallas Mavericks franchise was founded in 1980.  The Dallas Mavericks first head coach was Dick Motta and the Dallas Mavericks selected Kiki Vandeweghe with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA draft (the first draft pick made by the Dallas Mavericks franchise).  The Dallas Mavericks won only 15 games during their inaugural 1980-1981 NBA season, and did not record a winning record until their 4th year as an NBA team.  From 1983 through 1988, the team recorded winning records and advanced to the NBA playoffs each and every year.  The Dallas Mavericks even advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 1988, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4-3 in a hard-fought 7-game series.  From 1988 through 200, the Dallas Mavericks recorded only 1 winning season in 1989 and in that season they were swept by the Portland Trailblazers in the 1st round of the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks recorded a franchise-low 11 wins during the 1992-1993 NBA campaign.

During the lockout-shortened 1998-1999 NBA season, the Dallas Mavericks acquired forward Dirk Nowitzki and point guard Steve Nash.  Although these moves were unheralded at the time, they proved to be key factors in the rise of the Dallas Mavericks starting with the 1999-2000 season – a season which saw the Dallas Mavericks win 40 games for the first time in 10 years.  In January 2001, internet entrepreneur Mark Cuban purchased the Dallas Mavericks franchise for $285.  Cuban had a unique way of running his team and his outspoken personality made him an instant fan favorite.  The trio of Finley, Nash and Nowitzki proved a force to be reckoned with in the NBA.  From the 2000-2001 season through the 2006-2007 season, the Dallas Mavericks recorded 52 wins each and every year.  During the 2002-2003 season, the Dallas Mavericks won 60 games for the 1st time in franchise history and advanced to the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.  The franchise’s dreams of reaching an NBA Championships Series for the 1st time came to a crashing halt with a 4-2 series loss to the Spurs.  The Spurs went on to win the championship that year.  During the 2005-2006 season, the Dallas Mavericks once again won 60 games, and this time, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals.  And despite winning the 1st 2 games against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks could not close the deal as the team lost 4 consecutive games to the upstart heat led by Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O’Neal.  An amazing 67-win season during the 2006-2007 NBA season ended in a monumental collapse against the young, energetic Golden State Warriors in the 1st round of the playoffs.  The Dallas Mavericks could never get on track in the 1st round series, as the Warriors upset the Mavericks 4 games to 2.        

The Dallas Mavericks have retired the following players’ numbers:  Brad Davis’ #15 and Rolando Blackman’s #22.

Mavericks TV/Radio

All Dallas Mavericks basketball games can be seen on either the FSN Southwest television network or the TXA-21 television station in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  NBC, ESPN and TNT may also televise Dallas Mavericks games based on the popularity of the game.  Tune into the Dallas Mavericks Flagship radio network ESPN 103.3 on your FM dial (1270 AM La Voz Del Pueblo for the Spanish broadcast) to catch each Dallas Mavericks basketball game on the radio.
 

The Dallas Mavericks play their home games at the American Airlines Center.  The American Airlines Center opened in 2001.  In addition to hosting Dallas Mavericks NBA home games, the American Airlines Center also hosts all of the home professional hockey games for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League and all of the home professional football games for the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League.  The American Airlines was built to replace the outdated Reunion Arena.  American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas and based at DFW Airport in Dallas, acquired the naming rights for the Center for $195 million.  The American Airlines Center has a seating capacity of approximately 21,000 devoted die-hard Dallas Mavericks fans.  The Eagles played the first concert at the American Airlines Center on July 28, 2001.  On August 19, 2001, the first sporting event occurred at the American Airlines Center with a world indoor soccer league game between the Dallas Sidekicks and the San Diego Shockers.  The American Airlines Center has hosted numerous memorable and historic concerts and special events during its brief history, including the 55th NHL All-Star Game on January 24, 2007, the 2006 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat, several WWE wrestling events, U2’s Vertigo World Tour in 2005 and the Big 12 Men’s College Basketball Tournament in 2003, 2004 and 2006.

Stadium:        American Airlines Center
                        2500 Victory Avenue
                        Dallas, Texas 75201

www.nba.com/mavericks 
www.americanairlinescenter.com

2007-2008 Mavericks
2009-2010 Mavericks