The Pistons then won Game 5 in The Palace of Auburn Hills, but the Heat answered by winning Game 6 and advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history against Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks, who were also in their first NBA Finals.

The Mavericks were down three with a few seconds left after a pair of missed free-throws by Wade.

Despite Nowitzki's MVP showing, the Mavericks were upset by their former coach Don Nelson and the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

With the condensed 2011-12 NBA season due to the lockout, the Mavericks were unable to win 50 games, thus ending their 11 consecutive season with 50 or more wins.

Once again, Minnesota lost in the first round of the playoffs where they were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in three straight games.

However, in overtime it was not meant to be as the Mavericks were on fire, scoring 15 points to win the game 119 – 111.

While the Spurs were bouncing the Nuggets, the Mavericks, who had an NBA best 67 – 15 record in the regular season, were unraveling, losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

The Mavericks and The ' N Betweens were on their way to separate gigs in Germany when they met on a ferry in 1965.

By 1998, the Dallas Mavericks, then owned by H. Ross Perot, Jr., and the Dallas Stars were indicating their desire for a new facility to replace the dated Reunion Arena.

The Spirits ( who took their name from the Atlantic Ocean-crossing plane flown by Charles Lindbergh ) were the third incarnation of a franchise that was once known as the Houston Mavericks and later the Carolina Cougars.

For the 2012 season, the Mönchengladbach Mavericks, runners-up in the northern division in 2011, were refused a licence, leaving an extra spot in the league which has been offered to the Lübeck Cougars.

The 2007 – 08 Mavericks were 51 – 31 under coach Avery Johnson and lost in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs to the New Orleans Hornets four games to one.

Although the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns were interested in his services, he was strongly linked with a poised move to the Boston Celtics and was expected to be in Boston once he cleared waivers.

The 2011 NBA Finals were a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, pitting the Miami Heat against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967.

One of memorable moments were the Miami Heat's loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, when James averaged 3 points in the 4th quarter the whole series.

Drafted 15th overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, Cato's draft rights were immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for the draft rights to Chris Anstey and cash considerations.

After playing high school basketball at Masuk High School in Monroe, CT he moved to Durham, North Carolina to play for C. E. Jordan High School to finish his high school career, Alexander, a shooting guard, was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 13th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft after he played college basketball at University of Virginia and Fresno State ; his rights were traded to the Dallas Mavericks on the same day.

On July 12, 2010, Haslem re-signed with the Heat, even though he would have received nearly $ 10 million more if he were to sign with the Dallas Mavericks or Denver Nuggets.

This turned out to be a blessing for Harper because the Mavericks were on their way to a 13-69 win-loss campaign, while Harper was an integral part of a Knicks team that came within one game of winning the 1994 NBA Championship.

The Houston Mavericks were a charter member of the American Basketball Association.

The Mavericks were one of the first ABA franchises, announced on February 2, 1967 when the ABA was formed.

According to most reliable sources, the Mavericks padded the gate for most of the early-season games to make the attendance figures look more respectable than they actually were.

The Miami Heat, led by their star shooting guard, Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O ' Neal, who had been traded from the Lakers during the 2004 summer, won the series over the Dallas Mavericks in 6 after losing the first two games.

The Heat, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, did in fact make the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, in a rematch for the franchises of the 2006 Finals.

The Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki ( the eventual NBA Finals MVP ), took the series in six games.

The Heat overcame a miserable start with a 14-point gap to wear down the Mavericks, and led by one point ( 49 – 48 ) at halftime.

The Mavericks returned to prominence in the 2000s, first led by a new " Big Three " of Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Steve Nash.

In the 2001 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs eliminated the Timberwolves 3 – 1, defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4 – 1, but then bowed out against the Lakers led by superstars Shaquille O ' Neal and Kobe Bryant, losing in four straight games.

It was the first time any Mavericks player had ever led the NBA in any statistical category.

Together with Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley, Nash led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals the following season.

Nowitzki and Nash led the Mavericks from a 14-game winning streak to open the season all the way to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champions, the San Antonio Spurs four games to two.

In his second year, along with third-year pro Jim Jackson and rookie Jason Kidd ( collectively known as ' Triple J '), Mashburn led the Dallas Mavericks to the biggest turnaround in the NBA that year.

Nelson was named Head Coach and General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks in 1997, and led them to four consecutive 50-win seasons.

He led the Mavericks to the 1968 ABA Playoffs.

In so doing, the theory went, Rodman's horrific foul shooting would result in the Mavericks actually giving up fewer total points during those Bulls possessions than they would give up by playing a standard defense against the Bulls ' efficient offense, led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Labeled as human Mavericks for opposing his rule, a caravan led by a journalist named Neige is attacked by Weil's army of Variants on their way to freedom.

After two more seasons with the Bullets, he became the first coach of the Dallas Mavericks, whom he led to a 55-27 record in 1986 – 87. Motta also served with the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets before retiring in 1997.

Mark Aguirre led the 1982 – 83 Mavericks with 24. 4 points per game, finishing sixth in the NBA.

Mark Aguirre led the team in scoring again with 25. 7 ppg, Sam Perkins made the All-Rookie team, and Rolando Blackman represented the Mavericks in the 1985 NBA All-Star Game.

The Mavericks brought back Dick Motta, who had led the franchise to some of its most successful seasons.

And Don Carter, the only owner the Mavericks had ever had, sold the team to a group of investors led by H. Ross Perot, Jr.

In the lockout-shortened 1998 – 99 season, the Mavericks finished with a lowly 19 – 31 record, but Michael Finley and Gary Trent put up solid numbers and led their team to their first winning home record ( 15 – 10 ) since 1989 – 90.

The " Big Three " Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash were a 100-point-game waiting to happen and led the Mavericks into the Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets in Round 1 of the playoffs in 7 games but then lost to the Phoenix Suns 4 – 2, led by former Maverick star Steve Nash.

With their backs behind the wall in Game 4, the Mavericks led for much of the second half, but James Harden's 15-point fourth quarter rallied the Thunder to a 103 – 97 win and eliminated the Mavericks from contention.