The Mavs (Part 2)

Part 2....

(9) 1988 Dallas Mavericks (53-29) vs. (24) 1991 Dallas Mavericks (28-54)

This is the other pre 2000s team in the top 13, this one again led by Aguirre (25-6-4). Ronaldo Blackman had a pretty good year, consisting of a daily 19-4-4 diet. Derek Harper manned the backcourt, serving up 17-3-7. Young center (off the bench) Roy Tarpley has 14-12 cooking every night. And who can forget the sweet smell of what Sam Perkins is cooking (14-8). Sorry…I am really hungry right now.

Roy Tarpley got kicked out of the league (to return in 1995, only to be re-kicked out) for drugs. After 20-11 (well, it WAS only 5 games…but still…)! Ronaldo Blackman was still good, averaging 20-3-4, while Derek Harper averaged 20-3-7. To fill the rebounding void 6, 8, 9 rebounds came from Herb Williams, Rodney McCray, and James Donaldson respectively. 10 points were contributed in from an aged Alex English.

(10) 2001 Dallas Mavericks (53-29) vs. (23) 1982 Dallas Mavericks (28-54)

This is where the Dirk era really takes off (after 40 wins last year). Dirk had 22-9, while he got a lot of help from Michael Finley (22-5-4). Steve Nash did a good job at point, having 16-3-7. A late season trade added Juwan Howard, good for 18-7-3 in 27 games.

Year two of the Mavericks was year one for some important Mavs. Debuting was Jay Vincent (21-7), Ronaldo Blackman (13-3) and, most importantly, Mark Aguirre (19-5-3). Brad Davis was a good guard for them, averaging 12-3-6.



(11) 2004 Dallas Mavericks (52-30) vs. (22) 1999 Dallas Mavericks (19-31)

Another Dirk team, this one featuring him having 22-9-3 nightly, with a lot of those points coming from the 15-3-9 of Steve Nash. Michael Finley was also eager to play with Nash, averaging 19-5-3. 14-8-5 came from Antoine Walker, while a Sixth-Man Award and 15-6 came from Antawn Jamison (who they traded after the season….he was traded stupidly so many times. Would you rather have him or Vince ((you know Toronto just answered Antawn…you know it)). What about him or Stackhouse, and Christian Laettner? Or even better, Al Thornton ((and the right to get rid of Drew Gooden. Hell, that might make the deal worth it in itself.)). That is who he was essentially traded for in 3 of his trades…and you couple that with letting Nash go…and spending the excess cash on Erick Dampier…and making the Finals two years later, then winning 7 later…Mavs fans are lucky to have been so successful…)

This was Michael Finley’s (20-5-4) team. Yes, he had Gary Trent (16-8), but Dirk wasn’t anything special, only 8-3 (meanwhile, in Milwaukee, Tractor Traylor (RIP), was doing even worse). Nash wasn’t anything that year either…wait…how did they win that much? Awful year.

(12) 2008 Dallas Mavericks (51-31) vs. (21) 1995 Dallas Mavericks (36-46)

Have you learned anything about Dallas other than “Dirk was the franchise” and “The 90s sucked”? Same story…Dirk was wonderful (by the way, did you know “ideal” is a synonym for wonderful? I’m going to use that somewhere along the line…), he had 24-9-4 this year. Josh Howard played great (20-7…and then fell off. WHY WOULD YOU WANT HIM ERNIE GRUNFIELD! WHY!), and Terry was great too (16-3-3). Jason Kidd made his return to Dallas, having a thundering 10-7-10 this year.

J-Kidd debuts in the NBA (12-5-8), joining Jamal Mashburn (24-4-4), and Jim Jackson (26-5-4, in 50 some games). Popeye Jones had 10-11 this year. Roy Tarpley was reinstated for a while, following his drug ban. He had 13-8 before being re-banned. Top Teams that hate the drug rules: Houston (Fell apart after a few drug bans after making 1986 Finals), New Jersey (Michael Ray Richardson), and Dallas (Tarpley). Dallas has been screwed a few times by Stern (2006 Finals….got RIGGED OUT OF IT, and Tarpley. It might be a good thing 2012 is locked out for them…I doubt they can get close to repeating…).

(13) 2009 Dallas Mavericks (50-32) vs. (20) 1989 Dallas Mavericks (38-44)

Not much help after a strong front 4. (Don’t worry, we’re nearly done with Dirk…only one more year after this….and it wasn’t super-Dirk we’re used to.). Dirk (of course) was great with 26-8-2, and Terry was pretty good, serving 20-2-3 a day. Howard was great but (of course) he played limited games, though it was an impressive 18-5-2. Jason Kidd had 9-6-9 in his second year of his second stint in Dallas. (One note, isn’t it amazing how long Dallas has been a fifty win team? ….It won’t continue for long……)

It’s the beginning of the end (yes, it is almost the 90s…). Mark Aguirre was traded (he was having 22-5-4…and he helped Detroit to a championship….he had a few decent years) for Adrian Dantley (had 20-5-3 and was out of the league in 2 years….). Ronaldo Blackman was still going strong (20-4-4), and Derek Harper had 17-3-7. But not all was great…Roy Tarpley played only 19 games (17-12) and Sam Perkins (15-9) was going to bolt to LA (Lakers) in two years…..

(14) 1990 Dallas Mavericks (47-35) vs. (19) 1983 Dallas Mavericks (38-44)

But 1990 wasn’t that bad (I think it was good for Dallas…my explanation: the 1990 season started in 1989 ((the 89-90 season…)). It’s not REALLY the 90s yet). Ronaldo Blackman had 19-4-4 this year, and Derek Harper (18-3-7) was still great in the backcourt. They’re new “star” Adrian Dantley, had 15-4-2, comparable to Aguirre’s 14-4-2, but Aguirre didn’t complain about minutes like Dantley last year….Roy Tarpley was amazing (17-13)….in only 45 games. Sam Perkins (16-8) smelled the 90s and would leave for LA soon. It was still a good team…but then the 90s cursed them.

This isn’t a bad team…led by Aguirre’s 24-6-4, Jay Vincent’s 19-7-3, and Blackman’s 18-4-3, this team won only 38 games…but they might (MAYBE) win against these guys….It really isn’t a bad team…They also have Pat Cummings (13-8) and Brad Davis (12-3-7).

(15) 1985 Dallas Mavericks (44-38) vs. (18) 2000 Dallas Mavericks (40-42)

A pretty good team, led by Aguirre (26-6-3), Blackman (20-4-4) and Vincent (18-9-2), they didn’t even get through the Blazers in round 1 (the 1985 Blazers!) Rookie Sam Perkins added a dazzling 11-7, and Brad Davis put up 10-2-7 nightly.

This is the end of the 90s (if it began in 1991, it ends this year…), this is they’re last losing season to date. Dirk entered year 2 to average 18-7-3, but taking the backseat to Michael Finley (23-6-5). Cedric Ceballos had 17-7 a night. This team had a bright future, with Steve Nash on this team (doing relatively nothing…), but the future is bright….

(16) 1986 Dallas Mavericks (44-38) vs. (17) 1984 Dallas Mavericks (43-39)

Our last matchup. This 1986 team is pretty good…led by Aguirre (23-6-5), Blackman (22-4-3), and sophomore Sam Perkins (15-6). Other contributions: Jay Vincent (14-5) and, Derek Harper (12-3-5).

Our final team. With that, it means the average Mavs team is .500+. Mark Aguirre reached his peak this year (an incredible 30-6-5), with Blackman putting up impressive numbers also (22-5-4). Pat Cummings had 13-8, and Brad Davis had 11-2-7.


Well, that’s the Mavs…they had Mark Aguirre, an awful 90s stretch, and Dirk and all his 50 win years…but most of all…one championship.

Ladies and gentlemen, your Dallas Mavericks! Next up, David Thompson, Alex English, and Melo and the Denver Nuggets franchise!