The 1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season was the first season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Expansion draft
Player Position Team Del Beshore Guard Chicago Bulls Winford Boynes Forward New Jersey Nets Alonzo Bradley Forward Houston Rockets Mike Bratz Guard Phoenix Suns Marty Byrnes Forward Los Angeles Lakers Austin Carr Guard Cleveland Cavaliers Jim Cleamons Forward Washington Bullets Terry Duerod Guard Detroit Pistons Jack Givens Forward Atlanta Hawks Joe Hassett Guard Indiana Pacers Geoff Huston Guard New York Knicks Abdul Jeelani Forward Portland Trail Blazers Jeff Judkins Forward Boston Celtics Arvid Kramer Center Denver Nuggets Tom LaGarde Center Seattle SuperSonics Bill McKinney Guard Kansas City Kings Wiley Peck Guard San Antonio Spurs Bingo Smith Guard San Diego Clippers Jim Spanarkel Guard Philadelphia 76ers Raymond Townsend Guard Golden State Warriors Richard Washington Forward Milwaukee Bucks Jerome Whitehead Center Utah Jazz
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 11 Kiki Vandeweghe SF UCLA 2 34 Rossevelt Bouie PG Syracuse 3 57 Dave Britton SG Texas A&M Kiki Vandeweghe of UCLA was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA draft, but Vandeweghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and staged a holdout that lasted a month into the team's inaugural season. Vandeweghe was traded to the Denver Nuggets, along with a first-round pick in 1981, in exchange for two future first-round picks
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Notes z, y – division champions x – clinched playoff spot
Game log Regular season
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | | San Antonio Spurs | W 103–92 | Winford Boynes (21) | Tom LaGarde (10) | Huston,LaGarde (5) | Reunion Arena10,373 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | | Seattle | L 83–85 | Geoff Huston (19) | Tom LaGarde (11) | Geoff Huston (7) | Reunion Arena7,004 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | 8:35p.m. CDT | @ Denver | L 98–133 | Jim Spanarkel (15) | Jerome Whitehead (10) | Geoff Huston (6) | McNichols Sports Arena6,658 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | | Kansas City | L 91–103 | Geoff Huston (28) | Tom LaGarde (8) | Tom LaGarde (6) | Reunion Arena7,017 | 1–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | | @ San Antonio | L 96–110 | Tom LaGarde (16) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Three players (4) | HemisFair Arena9,542 | 1–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | | @ Phoenix | L 99–111 | Jim Spanarkel (20) | Richard Washington (11) | Geoff Huston (6) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,507 | 1–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | | @ Seattle | W 107–102 | Richard Washington (24) | Richard Washington (9) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Seattle Kingdome14,125 | 2–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | | @ Portland | L 105–120 | Winford Boynes (18) | Jeelani,LaGarde (7) | Tom LaGarde (6) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 2–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | | @ Golden State | L 79–86 | Jim Spanarkel (16) | Tom LaGarde (11) | Geoff Huston (7) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena6,750 | 2–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | | Utah | L 96–104 | Geoff Huston (26) | Richard Washington (16) | Geoff Huston (5) | Reunion Arena5,720 | 2–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | | @ Houston | L 103–109 | Jim Spanarkel (19) | Five players (4) | Geoff Huston (6) | The Summit6,123 | 2–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | | @ Utah | L 122–144 | Geoff Huston (24) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Darrell Allums (4) | Salt Palace5,703 | 2–10
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | | San Diego | L 102–116 | Tom LaGarde (23) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Huston (5) | Reunion Arena5,431 | 2–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | | @ Washington | L 95–116 | Terry Duerod (22) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Geoff Huston (8) | Capital Centre6,295 | 2–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | 7:30p.m. CST | Los Angeles | L 102–126 | Duerod,Huston (16) | Byrnes,Lloyd (8) | Tom LaGarde (7) | Reunion Arena17,481 | 2–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | | @ Detroit | L 73–101 | Huston,Robinzine (14) | Tom LaGarde (10) | LaGarde,Spanarkel (2) | Pontiac Silverdome4,584 | 2–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | | Houston | L 94–105 | Bill Robinzine (18) | Tom LaGarde (13) | Terry Duerod (6) | Reunion Arena5,472 | 2–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | | Portland | W 113–106 | Four players (19) | Tom LaGarde (14) | Geoff Huston (9) | Reunion Arena6,103 | 3–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | 9:00p.m. CST | @ Los Angeles | L 102–110 | HustonSpanarkel (28) | Lloyd,Spanarkel (8) | Scott Lloyd (10) | The Forum10,893 | 3–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | | Phoenix | L 91–102 | Geoff Huston (19) | Scott Lloyd (13) | Geoff Huston (6) | Reunion Arena6,015 | 3–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | | Seattle | L 91–101 | Geoff Huston (20) | LaGarde,Robinzine (9) | Tom LaGarde (6) | Reunion Arena6,514 | 3–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | | @ Portland | L 96–116 | Geoff Huston (23) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Huston,Jeelani (5) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 3–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | | Philadelphia | L 92–108 | Jim Spanarkel (20) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Jim Spanarkel (5) | Reunion Arena13,527 | 3–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | 7:30p.m. CST | Denver | L 117–119 (OT) | Tom LaGarde (22) | Scott Lloyd (16) | Geoff Huston (9) | Reunion Arena7,713 | 3–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | | @ Houston | L 90–115 | Abdul Jeelani (24) | Scott Lloyd (9) | Jeelani,LaGarde (5) | The Summit8,123 | 3–22
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | | Cleveland | L 102–109 | Robinzine,Spanarkel (18) | Tom LaGarde (13) | Geoff Huston (7) | Reunion Arena5,117 | 3–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | 6:30p.m. CST | @ Boston | L 87–97 | Bill Robinzine (24) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Geoff Huston (7) | Boston Garden14,351 | 3–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | | @ Atlanta | L 104–110 | Tom LaGarde (26) | Tom LaGarde (8) | LaGarde,Spanarkel (4) | Omni Coliseum7,347 | 3–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | 7:30p.m. CST | Los Angeles | L 92–103 | Geoff Huston (19) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Huston,Spanarkel (5) | Reunion Arena9,313 | 3–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 | 8:35p.m. CST | @ Denver | L 107–116 | Geoff Huston (27) | LaGarde,Robinzine (11) | Brad Davis (9) | McNichols Sports Arena7,768 | 3–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | | San Diego | W 112–109 (OT) | Jim Spanarkel (22) | Tom LaGarde (10) | Brad Davis (6) | Reunion Arena6,457 | 4–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | | @ Kansas City | L 107–114 | Tom LaGarde (22) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Huston,Spanarkel (5) | Kemper Arena5,578 | 4–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | | San Antonio | L 83–89 | Geoff Huston (17) | Bill Robinzine (12) | Geoff Huston (8) | Reunion Arena6,140 | 4–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | | @ Phoenix | L 102–115 | Jim Spanarkel (25) | Jim Spanarkel (8) | Jim Spanarkel (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,247 | 4–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | | @ San Diego | L 92–102 | Bill Robinzine (23) | Bill Robinzine (13) | Davis,Huston (5) | San Diego Sports Arena7,167 | 4–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | | Golden State | L 98–101 | Geoff Huston (20) | LaGarde,Robinzine (10) | Davis (7) | Reunion Arena5,848 | 4–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | | Utah | L 96–101 | Bill Robinzine (23) | Scott Lloyd (11) | Brad Davis (10) | Reunion Arena5,736 | 4–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | 7:30p.m. CST | Denver | W 119–111 | Abdul Jeelani (20) | Scott Lloyd (16) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena8,293 | 5–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | | @ Milwaukee | L 96–112 | Bill Robinzine (16) | LaGarde,Robinzine (6) | Brad Davis (8) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 5–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | | @ Cleveland | L 100–112 | Bill Robinzine (23) | Bill Robinzine (14) | Geoff Huston (6) | Coliseum at Richfield3,884 | 5–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | | @ New York | L 98–100 | Jim Spanarkel (26) | Tom LaGarde (17) | Brad Davis (6) | Madison Square Garden10,559 | 5–36
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 | | Houston | L 120–124 (OT) | Geoff Huston] (29) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Geoff Huston (11) | Reunion Arena7,872 | 5–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | | @ Seattle | L 89–103 | Geoff Huston (21) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Geoff Huston (6) | Seattle Kingdome12,210 | 5–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | | @ Golden State | W 111–109 | Geoff Huston (24) | Bill Robinzine (14) | Geoff Huston (8) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena7,246 | 6–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | | @ Utah | L 97–99 | Tom LaGarde (24) | Bill Robinzine (12) | Brad Davis (6) | Salt Palace7,239 | 6–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | | Washington | L 94–106 | Huston,Spanarkel (20) | Bill Robinzine (18) | Geoff Huston (5) | Reunion Arena8,021 | 6–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | | Chicago | W 112–106 | Bill Robinzine (26) | Bill Robinzine (8) | Brad Davis (9) | Reunion Arena5,771 | 7–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | | New York | W 118–110 | Geoff Huston (24) | Bill Robinzine (12) | Geoff Huston (7) | Reunion Arena10,473 | 8–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | | @ San Diego | L 109–115 | Tom LaGarde (18) | Scott Lloyd (11) | Geoff Huston (8) | San Diego Sports Arena3,980 | 8–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | | Kansas City | L 91–104 | Bill Robinzine (25) | Tom LaGarde (16) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena5,899 | 8–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | | @ Chicago | L 98–106 | Oliver Mack (22) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Geoff Huston (6) | Chicago Stadium7,836 | 8–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | | @ Indiana | L 89–107 | Tom LaGarde (15) | Three players (6) | Bill Robinzine (6) | Market Square Arena12,636 | 8–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 | | New Jersey | L 100–112 | Tom LaGarde (22) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Oliver Mack (7) | Reunion Arena5,727 | 8–45
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | | Kansas City | L 100–121 | Geoff Huston (23) | Tom LaGarde (13) | Oliver Mack (5) | Reunion Arena5,335 | 8–46 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | | @ Houston | L 68–116 | Bill Robinzine (14) | LaGarde,Robinzine (6) | Three players (5) | The Summit8,353 | 8–47 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | | Atlanta | L 98–100 | Bill Robinzine (16) | Scott Lloyd (8) | Brad Davis (6) | Reunion Arena6,882 | 8–48 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 | | @ San Antonio | L 98–102 | Three players (15) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Brad Davis (6) | HemisFair Arena8,918 | 8–49 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | | Detroit | L 95–101 | Jim Spanarkel (23) | Bill Robinzine (15) | Brad Davis (9) | Reunion Arena5,047 | 8–50 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | | @ Phoenix | L 97–119 | Tom LaGarde (20) | LaGarde,Lloyd (7) | Tom LaGarde (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,357 | 8–51 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | | San Antonio | L 99–107 | Jim Spanarkel (22) | Scott Lloyd (7) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena9,826 | 8–52 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | 4:00p.m. CST | @ Los Angeles | L 99–107 | Oliver Mack (19) | Clarence Kea (13) | Brad Davis (6) | The Forum11,920 | 8–53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | | Milwaukee | L 106–114 | Brad Davis (24) | Oliver Mack (9) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena7,068 | 8–54 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | | @ Philadelphia | L 109–117 | Oliver Mack (19) | Bill Robinzine (8) | Jim Spanarkel (4) | The Spectrum10,642 | 8–55 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | | @ New Jersey | W 132–109 | Oliver Mack (28) | Scott Lloyd (11) | Brad Davis (7) | Rutgers Athletic Center7,849 | 9–55 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | | Seattle | L 84–102 | Jim Spanarkel (15)