The 2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season was the 21st season for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association.
Season summary
Off-season The Mavericks received the twelfth overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, and selected power forward Etan Thomas out of Syracuse University. The Mavericks also made several trades on draft day. The team acquired shooting guard, and first-round draft pick Courtney Alexander out of Fresno State University from the Orlando Magic, power forward, and first-round draft pick Donnell Harvey out of the University of Florida from the New York Knicks, and power forward, and second-round draft pick Eduardo Nájera out of the University of Oklahoma from the Houston Rockets.
During the off-season, the Mavericks acquired Christian Laettner and Loy Vaught from the Detroit Pistons in two separate trades, and acquired Howard Eisley from the Utah Jazz in a four-team trade. However, before the start of the regular season, Thomas suffered a toe injury, and would never play for the Mavericks.
Regular season After ten seasons of struggling, the Mavericks showed improvement by winning ten of their first fifteen games of the regular season, and played above .500 in winning percentage for the entire season, as the team held a 31–19 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the Mavericks traded Laettner, Thomas, Vaught, Alexander and Hubert Davis to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Juwan Howard, second-year center Calvin Booth, and second-year forward Obinna Ekezie. The team also signed free agent Vernon Maxwell, who was previously released by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Mavericks finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a 53–29 record, earned the fifth seed in the Western Conference, and qualified for the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 1989–90 season, ending a ten-year playoff drought.
Dirk Nowitzki averaged 21.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, led the Mavericks with 151 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Michael Finley averaged 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and Howard provided the team with 17.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in 27 games after the trade. In addition, Steve Nash showed improvement averaging 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game, while Eisley contributed 9.0 points and 3.6 assists per game, along with 107 three-point field goals, and Shawn Bradley provided with 7.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., Finley was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his second and final All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, Nowitzki and Nash both participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout; it was the second consecutive year that Nowitzki participated in the Three-Point Shootout. Nash also finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting, while Nowitzki finished tied in fifth place, and head coach Don Nelson finished in third place in Coach of the Year voting.
The Mavericks finished 14th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 680,238 at the Reunion Arena during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 2001 NBA playoffs, the Mavericks faced off against the 4th–seeded Utah Jazz, who were led by All-Star forward Karl Malone, Bryon Russell, and All-Star guard John Stockton. The Mavericks lost the first two games to the Jazz on the road, which included a Game 2 loss at the Delta Center by a score of 109–98, as the Jazz took a 2–0 series lead. However, the Mavericks managed to win the next two games at home, including a Game 4 win over the Jazz at the Reunion Arena, 107–77 to even the series. The Mavericks won Game 5 over the Jazz at the Delta Center, 84–83 to win in a hard-fought five-game series; the team won their first NBA playoff series since the 1987–88 season.
In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the top–seeded, and Midwest Division champion San Antonio Spurs, who were led by All-Star forward Tim Duncan, All-Star center David Robinson, and Derek Anderson. The Spurs took a 3–0 series lead, but the Mavericks managed to win Game 4 at the Reunion Arena, 112–108. However, the Mavericks lost Game 5 to the Spurs on the road, 105–87 at the Alamodome, thus losing the series in five games.
Aftermath This was also the Mavericks' final season in which they played their home games at the Reunion Arena. Following the season, Eisley was traded to the New York Knicks in a three-team trade, while Gary Trent signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Meanwhile, Booth signed with the Seattle SuperSonics, Ekezie was released to free agency, and Maxwell retired.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College112Etan ThomasCSyracuse231Dan LanghiPFVanderbilt258Pete MickealFCincinnati
Roster
Roster notes Center Shawn Bradley holds both American and German citizenship.
Regular season
Standings
z = clinched division title y = clinched division title x = clinched playoff spot
Game log
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 31 | Milwaukee | | Michael Finley (26) | Greg Buckner (11) | Michael Finley (8) | Reunion Arena16,600 | 1–0
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | November 2 | Indiana | | Steve Nash (18) | Shawn Bradley (7) | Steve Nash (5) | Reunion Arena11,750 | 2–0 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 3 | November 4 | Utah | | Steve Nash (24) | Shawn Bradley (14) | Steve Nash (12) | Reunion Arena16,500 | 2–1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 4 | November 6 | @ Denver | | Michael Finley (26) | Finley, Nowitzki (6) | Howard Eisley (8) | Pepsi Center11,190 | 3–1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | November 8 | Vancouver | | Christian Laettner (17) | Shawn Bradley (9) | Howard Eisley (5) | Reunion Arena11,500 | 3–2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | November 10 | San Antonio | | Michael Finley (20) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena17,296 | 4–2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 7 | November 12 | @ Sacramento | | Dirk Nowitzki (16) | Loy Vaught (8) | Steve Nash (4) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 4–3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | November 13 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Shawn Bradley (22) | Shawn Bradley (8) | Michael Finley (5) | Staples Center9,340 | 5–3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 9 | November 15 | @ Phoenix | | Steve Nash (19) | Greg Buckner (10) | Steve Nash (6) | America West Arena16,652 | 5–4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | November 17 | @ Seattle | | Michael Finley (26) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (9) | KeyArena12,285 | 6–4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 18 | @ Vancouver | | Nowitzki, Davis (20) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (4) | General Motors Place13,301 | 7–4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 | November 20 | @ Utah | | Michael Finley (29) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (17) | Delta Center18,869 | 8–4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 13 | November 21 | Seattle | | Hubert Davis (32) | Shawn Bradley (8) | Steve Nash (12) | Reunion Arena15,100 | 8–5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 14 | November 25 | Denver | | Dirk Nowitzki (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (13) | Finley, Eisley (6) | Reunion Arena16,234 | 9–5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 15 | November 28 | Toronto | | Michael Finley (32) | Bradley, Vaught (7) | Steve Nash (10) | Reunion Arena16,016 | 10–5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 16 | November 30 | @ Portland | | Courtney Alexander (20) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Christian Laettner (5) | Rose Garden Arena19,980 | 10–6
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 17 | December 2 | @ Golden State | | Dirk Nowitzki (24) | Shawn Bradley (14) | Michael Finley (10) | The Arena in Oakland12,187 | 11–6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 18 | December 3 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Dirk Nowitzki (25) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | Howard Eisley (10) | Staples Center18,997 | 11–7 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 19 | December 5 | @ Houston | | Dirk Nowitzki (35) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Howard Eisley (7) | Compaq Center11,426 | 11–8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | December 6 | New York | | Michael Finley (21) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (6) | Reunion Arena14,551 | 12–8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 21 | December 8 | Chicago | | Steve Nash (22) | three players tied (7) | Steve Nash (5) | Reunion Arena16,600 | 13–8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | December 10 | @ New Jersey | | Dirk Nowitzki (31) | Dirk Nowitzki (8) | Eisley, Nash (6) | Continental Airlines Arena10,654 | 14–8 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 23 | December 12 | @ Cleveland | | Steve Nash (21) | Michael Finley (7) | Steve Nash (8) | Gund Arena12,577 | 14–9 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 24 | December 13 | @ Indiana | | Howard Eisley (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (7) | Steve Nash (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse16,740 | 14–10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | December 15 | @ Philadelphia | | Dirk Nowitzki (36) | Laettner, Davis (8) | Steve Nash (13) | First Union Center18,563 | 15–10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 17 | @ Detroit | | Dirk Nowitzki (25) | Dirk Nowitzki (7) | Steve Nash (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills11,389 | 16–10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 27 | December 18 | @ Boston | | Dirk Nowitzki (31) | Shawn Bradley (6) | Steve Nash (14) | FleetCenter11,327 | 17–10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 28 | December 20 | Portland | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Nowitzki, Bradley (12) | Steve Nash (8) | Reunion Arena17,750 | 18–10 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 29 | December 22 | L.A. Lakers | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Finley, Nash (8) | Reunion Arena18,201 | 18–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | December 26 | Seattle | | Michael Finley (38) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | three players tied (8) | Reunion Arena13,755 | 19–11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | December 28 | L.A. Clippers | | Michael Finley (25) | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Steve Nash (8) | Reunion Arena14,260 | 20–11 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 32 | December 30 | Houston | | Michael Finley (32) | Michael Finley (9) | Steve Nash (6) | Reunion Arena18,187 | 20–12
|-style="background:#fcc;" | 33 | January 3 | Detroit | | Michael Finley (35) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Steve Nash (9) | Reunion Arena12,789 | 20–13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 5 | @ Toronto | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Shawn Bradley (14) | Steve Nash (8) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 21–13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 35 | January 6 | @ Washington | | Dirk Nowitzki (28) | Shawn Bradley (17) | Steve Nash (13) | MCI Center12,741 | 22–13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | January 8 | @ Chicago | | Michael Finley (30) | Finley, Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (8) | United Center21,344 | 23–13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | January 10 | @ Minnesota | | Dirk Nowitzki (28) | Laettner, Bradley (9) | Steve Nash (11) | Target Center16,274 | 24–13 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 38 | January 11 | @ Milwaukee | | Michael Finley (30) | Christian Laettner (12) | Howard Eisley (4) | Bradley Center15,675 | 24–14 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 39 | January 13 | Phoenix | | Michael Finley (27) | Shawn Bradley (13) | Michael Finley (6) | Reunion Arena18,187 | 24–15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 40 | January 15 | Sacramento | | Dirk Nowitzki (28) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | Howard Eisley (8) | Reunion Arena18,187 | 24–16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 41 | January 17 | @ Charlotte | | Dirk Nowitzki (27) | Loy Vaught (10) | Howard Eisley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum14,134 | 25–16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 42 | January 18 | Orlando | | Dirk Nowitzki (38) | Dirk Nowitzki (17) | Howard Eisley (7) | Reunion Arena13,355 | 26–16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 43 | January 20 | Denver | | Dirk Nowitzki (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Howard Eisley (10) | Reunion Arena18,187 | 27–16 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 44 | January 23 | Philadelphia | | Michael Finley (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Finley, Nash (7) | Reunion Arena18,187 | 27–17 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | January 25 | Vancouver | | Steve Nash (21) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena12,690 | 28–17 |-style="background:#fcc;"