The Dallas Mavericks are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Mavericks began playing in the NBA as an expansion team in the 1980–81 season. In their inaugural season, they posted a win–loss record of 15–67.
From 1983 to 1990, the Mavericks, led by key players including Mark Aguirre, Brad Davis and Rolando Blackman, made the postseason six out of seven times, appearing in the conference finals in 1988. For the rest of the decade the Mavericks were dreadful: they bottomed out with an 11–71 record and the worst average point differential in NBA historyWright, Kyle; The NBA from Top to Bottom: A History of the NBA from the No. 1 Team to the No. 1,153; pp. 74, 115-116. during the 1992–93 season. This was followed by a 13–69 mark in the 1993–94 season – easily the worst two-season record in NBA history – and the Mavericks did not win more than thirty-six games in any season until 1999–2000.
The Mavericks returned to prominence in the 2000s, coinciding with the franchise's purchase by Mark Cuban. Leading by the trio of Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Steve Nash, they returned to the playoffs in 2001 and to the conference finals in 2003. While Nash and Finley left in 2004 and 2005 respectively, Nowitzki emerged as the team's leader, leading the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006, only to lose to the Miami Heat. After a series of early exits from the playoffs, the Mavericks returned to the NBA Finals again in 2011, also against the Heat, and won their first NBA Championship. In 2024, they made their third NBA Finals appearance but were defeated by the juggernaut Boston Celtics.
The Mavericks have played 45 seasons, and advanced to the playoffs in 25 of those seasons. They have won five division titles, have been conference champions three times and have won one NBA Championship.
Table key COYCoach of the YearFinishFinal position in league or division standingsGBGames behind first-place team in divisionItalicsSeason in progressLossesNumber of regular season lossesFMVPFinals Most Valuable PlayerMVPMost Valuable PlayerROYRookie of the YearSIXSixth Man of the YearSPORSportmanship AwardWinsNumber of regular season wins
Seasons Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the . NBA Champions Conference Champions Division champions Playoff berthPlay-in berth Season LeagueConference FinishDivision Finish Wins Losses Win% GBPlayoffsAwards Head coachRef.1980–81 NBA Western 12th Midwest 6th 15 67 37 — — Dick Motta1981–82NBA Western 10th Midwest 5th 28 54 20 — —1982–83NBA Western 8th Midwest 4th 38 44 15 — —1983–84NBA Western4th Midwest 2nd 43 39 2 Won First round (SuperSonics) 3–2 Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–1 —1984–85NBA Western4th Midwest 3rd 44 38 8 Lost First round (Trail Blazers) 3–1 —1985–86NBA Western4th Midwest 3rd 44 38 7 Won First round (Jazz) 3–1 Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–2 —1986–87NBA Western2nd Midwest1st 55 27 — Lost First round (SuperSonics) 3–1 —1987–88NBA Western3rd Midwest 2nd 53 29 1 Won First round (Rockets) 3–1 Won conference semifinals (Nuggets) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–3 Roy Tarpley (SIX) John MacLeod1988–89NBA Western 9th Midwest 4th 38 44 13 — —1989–90NBA Western6th Midwest 3rd 47 35 9 Lost First round (Trail Blazers) 3–0 —John MacLeodRichie Adubato1990–91NBA Western 12th Midwest 6th 28 54 27 — — Richie Adubato1991–92NBA Western 12th Midwest 5th 22 60 33 — —1992–93NBA Western 13th Midwest 6th 11 71 44 — —Richie AdubatoGar Heard1993–94NBA Western 13th Midwest 6th 13 69 45 — —Quinn Buckner1994–95NBA Western 10th Midwest 5th 36 46 26 — Jason Kidd (ROY) Dick Motta1995–96NBA Western 12th Midwest 5th 26 56 33 — —1996–97NBA Western 11th Midwest 4th 24 58 40 — —Jim Cleamons1997–98NBA Western 10th Midwest 5th 20 62 42 — —Jim CleamonsDon Nelson1998–99NBA Western 11th Midwest 5th 19 31 18 — — Don Nelson1999–00NBA Western 9th Midwest 4th 40 42 15 — —2000–01NBA Western5th Midwest 3rd 53 29 5 Won First round (Jazz) 3–2 Lost conference semifinals (Spurs) 4–1 —2001–02NBA Western4th Midwest 2nd 57 25 1 Won First round (Timberwolves) 3–0 Lost conference semifinals (Kings) 4–1 —2002–03NBA Western3rd Midwest 2nd 60 22 — Won First round (Trail Blazers) 4–3 Won conference semifinals (Kings) 4–3 Lost conference finals (Spurs) 4–2 —2003–04NBA Western5th Midwest 3rd 52 30 6 Lost First round (Kings) 4–1 Antawn Jamison (SIX)2004–05NBA Western4th Southwest 2nd 58 24 1 Won First round (Rockets) 4–3 Lost conference semifinals (Suns) 4–2 —Don NelsonAvery Johnson2005–06NBAWestern4th Southwest 2nd 60 22 3Won First round (Grizzlies) 4–0 Won conference semifinals (Spurs) 4–3 Won conference finals (Suns) 4–2 Lost NBA Finals (Heat) 4–2 Avery Johnson (COY) Avery Johnson2006–07NBA Western1st Southwest1st 67 15 — Lost First round (Warriors) 4–2 Dirk Nowitzki (MVP)2007–08NBA Western7th Southwest 4th 51 31 5 Lost First round (Hornets) 4–1 —2008–09NBA Western6th Southwest 3rd 50 32 4 Won First round (Spurs) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Nuggets) 4–1 Jason Terry (SIX) Rick Carlisle2009–10NBA Western2ndSouthwest1st 55 27 — Lost First round (Spurs) 4–2 —2010–11NBAWestern3rd Southwest 2nd 57 25 4Won First round (Trail Blazers) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–0 Won conference finals (Thunder) 4–1 Won NBA Finals (Heat) 4–2 Dirk Nowitzki (FMVP)2011–12NBA Western7th Southwest 3rd 36 30 14 Lost First round (Thunder) 4–0 Jason Kidd (SPOR)2012–13NBA Western 10th Southwest 4th 41 41 19 — —2013–14NBA Western8th Southwest 4th 49 33 13 Lost First round (Spurs) 4–3 —2014–15NBA Western7th Southwest 4th 50 32 6 Lost First round (Rockets) 4–1 —2015–16NBA Western6th Southwest 2nd 42 40 25 Lost First round (Thunder) 4–1 —2016–17NBA Western 11th Southwest 5th 33 49 28 — —2017–18NBA Western 13th Southwest 4th 24 58 41 —J.J. Barea (JWKC)2018–19NBA Western 14th Southwest 5th 33 49 20 —Luka Dončić (ROY)2019–20NBA Western7th Southwest 2nd 43 32 11 Lost First round (Clippers) 4–2 —2020–21NBA Western5thSouthwest1st 42 30 —Lost First round (Clippers) 4–3 —2021–22NBA Western4thSouthwest2nd 52 30 4Won First round (Jazz) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Suns) 4–3 Lost conference finals (Warriors) 4–1 — Jason Kidd2022–23NBA Western 11th Southwest 3rd 38 44 15 — —2023–24NBAWestern5thSouthwest1st 50 32 7Won First round (Clippers) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Thunder) 4–2 Won conference finals (Timberwolves) 4–1 Lost NBA Finals (Celtics) 4–1 — 2024–25NBA Western9th Southwest 3rd 39 43 29 — — 2025–26NBA Western 12th Southwest 4th 26 56 38 — Cooper Flagg (ROY) Regular Season Record 1,8621,845 1980–present Playoff Record 118131 Playoff Series Record: 22–24 Combined Record 1,9801,976 1 NBA championship, 3 conference championships, 5 division championships
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