There is a certain level of expectation around the Dallas Mavericks this season, with many involved with betting on the NBA considering them to be a lock to make the playoffs.
Whether they can do this, and potentially get to the Finals, will be largely dependent on star man Luka Dončić’s health. The fiery point guard has developed a bit of a reputation for being injury prone, but Mavericks fans will be hoping for some luck in that department this season.
Another man the Mavs will be looking to is 2022 NBA draft Jaden Hardy. Signed from the Sacramento Kings on draft night, the youngster arrives with a big reputation. Coach Jason Kidd will be looking to get the most out of his team.
So could this be the Mavericks’ year? With their core of athletic wings able to create their own shot, and a fit MVP-contender Luka in the side, the Mavericks are looking very promising for the upcoming season.
The 2021-22 season was a topsy-turvy one for the Dallas Mavericks’, who more than lived up to their reputation as one of the most entertaining sides in the league. Ultimately, though, it was an impressive finish from the Mavs, ending in fourth place in the Western Conference with a record of 52-30.
Though it eventually ended in disappointment, as they lost to the Golden State Warriors 4 games to 1 in the Western Conference Finals, it’s safe to assume most Mavs fans enjoyed the ride. Highlights included beating both the Utah Jazz and the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs.
Star man Luka Dončić had another great season, averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists over 65 games, going on to play in his third All-Star game.
The Dallas Mavericks were founded in 1980 by Don Carter. Named by fans, they are part of the Western conference and play in the Southwest Division. Now owned by Mark Cuban, their home arena is the American Airlines Center.
The biggest superstar in their franchise history is one of the greatest foreign players to ever play in the NBA: Dirk Nowitzki. In 1998 the Mavs traded with the Milwaukee Bucks for Dirk Nowitzki. Unfortunately, the Mavs would largely struggle to place the right players around Dirk. That was until 2011 when the big German led the Mavericks to their first NBA championship.
The Mavs are renowned for their loyal and passionate fans, who set an NBA record in February 2020 when the Mavericks sold out their NBA-record 815th consecutive game — dating back to December 15, 2001. The sellout streak, which includes 67 playoff games, is the longest currently running in North American major league sports.
Along with the Mavs winning one NBA championship in 2011, they have also won four division titles and two conference titles. Traditionally, the biggest rival to the Dallas Mavericks has been the San Antonio Spurs, who’ve mostly had the Mavs’ number in the series between the two teams.
However, the Spurs weren’t the only NBA team to upset the Mavs; the Golden State Warriors were responsible for one of the biggest upsets in Maverick’s history and NBA history in 2007. Dirk had just won the NBA MVP trophy, and his Mavs went into the playoffs that year as the number one seed in the West, in contrast to the Golden State Warriors in eighth seed. In a shock result, the Warriors embarrassed the Mavs by exploiting Dirk’s weaknesses, taking advantage of matchups, and won the series.
Another team that has consistently rivaled the Mavericks is the Miami Heat. The Mavericks-Heat rivalry goes back to when the two teams faced each other in the NBA finals on two occasions. Perhaps most famously, they came head-to-head in the 2006 NBA Finals. The Dallas Mavericks won the first two games but Miami went on to sweep the next four and win the NBA championship for the first time in their franchise history.
In 2018 the Mavs would make another big move in the draft to trade for another foreign-born player, Luka Doncic, “cool hand Luke”. This move was to prepare for Dirk’s retirement. In 2019 Luka would win the NBA Rookie of the Year — the same year Dirk would announce his retirement from the game, though he now works as a special advisor for the Mavs.
