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179-880: The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs ) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas . The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference . The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center , which it shares with the National Hockey League 's Dallas Stars . Throughout

358-438: A rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player

537-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of

716-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at

895-501: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that

1074-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For

1253-672: A former North Carolina Tar Heel , with a surprising range from the three-point line who would average 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds in six seasons with Dallas. About this time, the Dallas Cowboys , once one of the NFL 's elite teams, began a slow decline that eventually saw them fall to 1–15 in 1989 . The Mavs were hitting their stride simultaneously and replaced the Cowboys as the Metroplex's most popular team. The 1984–85 team finished

1432-726: A free agent with the New York Knicks . Danilović played in 13 games for the Mavericks before opting out of his contract and signing with Bucker Bologna . Müürsepp played in 73 games for the Mavericks over the next two years before leaving the NBA. Chris Gatling was the Mavericks' sole representative in the NBA All-Star Game, but he did not last much longer in Dallas. In one of the most massive two-team trades in NBA history,

1611-566: A game better than the previous year at 44–38. 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 Mavs returned to the playoffs in 1985 but were not as successful as they had been. They won Game 1 in double-overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers in their first-round playoff series, but lost

1790-453: A generous expansion draft, the team defied all odds and advanced to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals in their first year of existence, and later won the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals in just their sixth season. The National Football League (NFL), despite being considered the most generous in its revenue sharing and the strictest with its salary cap, has had far more difficulty bringing expansion teams up to par with their more established brethren. Of

1969-466: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than

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2148-520: A holdout that lasted a month into its 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 that eventually materialized into Rolando Blackman in 1981 , and Sam Vincent in 1985 . In the Mavericks debut game, taking place in the brand-new Reunion Arena , the Mavericks defeated the Spurs, 103–92. But

2327-512: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of

2506-545: A policy that the league as of 2017 has no intention of stopping. Cities and regions with large populations that lack a team are generally regarded to be the best candidates for new teams. In rugby league , the United Kingdom-based Rugby Football League 's Super League has added teams from France and Wales to cover a great demographic spread. The operator of Super League, England's Rugby Football League , has also added teams to

2685-495: A potential franchise in the UK , with a target date some time in the early to mid-2020s. When an expansion team begins play, it is generally stocked with less talented free agents , inexperienced players, and veterans nearing retirement. Additionally, prospective owners may face expensive fees to the league as well as high startup costs such as stadiums and facilities. The team is also at a disadvantage in that it has not been together as

2864-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout

3043-455: A rebuilding phase in the tail end of Nowitzki's storied career; although they missed the playoffs in three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019 (after which Nowitzki retired following his record-breaking 21st season with Dallas), the franchise's fortunes immediately rebounded once again with the acquisition of Luka Dončić (who was named the 2019 Rookie of the Year ); the Mavericks returned to

3222-443: A record of 28–54, falling behind even the second-year Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic . In March 1991, Tarpley was charged with suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was suspended again by the NBA. It got even worse in 1991–92 . Before the season even began, Tarpley violated the league's substance abuse policy for the third time and was banned from the NBA for life. The former Sixth Man Award winner's fall from grace

3401-506: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for

3580-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in

3759-537: A team as long as its opponents and thus lacks the cohesiveness other teams have built over years. As a result, most expansion teams are known for their poor play during their first seasons. Expansion teams must also compete with any expansion rivals for available talent, a common problem since leagues often expand by two or four teams in one season. Expansion teams are not necessarily doomed to mediocrity, however, as most leagues have policies which promote parity, such as drafts and salary caps, which give some expansion teams

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3938-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling

4117-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games

4296-562: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball

4475-627: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for

4654-492: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to

4833-408: Is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing

5012-404: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play

5191-585: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from

5370-567: Is done so that the history of the team stays with the original city, to be assumed a few years later by a revival of the franchise after a period of inactivity. The league expands in the season corresponding to the original franchise's revival, and holds an expansion draft for the revived franchise. For examples, see the notes below on the NFL 's Baltimore Ravens (relocated in 1996 from the Cleveland Browns , which were revived in 1999), NBA 's New Orleans Pelicans (relocated in 2002 from

5549-482: Is not an expansion team. If it moves, it is known as a relocated team , and if the name changes, the team is known as a renamed team . Relocated teams may change their name, colors, and mascot at the same time as the move; however, because the roster is the same and the league does not expand as a result, they are not regarded as expansion teams. A handful of franchise relocations are officially recognized by their respective leagues as creation of expansion franchises; this

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5728-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within

5907-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for

6086-593: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of

6265-476: Is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in

6444-724: The 1969 draft and acquiring Oscar Robertson from the Cincinnati Royals before the 1970–71 season began. In the NHL, the Florida Panthers made the Stanley Cup Finals in their third season even though, like MLB, the league then had no salary cap; a cap was established in 2005. However, the Vegas Golden Knights quickly emerged as one of the NHL's best teams in its first season. Thanks to

6623-486: The 1993–94 Houston Rockets (15–0). The Mavericks finished with a 60–22 record in the regular season, impressing fans and critics with their sparkling offense. Since acquiring the "Big Three" of Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash, the Mavericks were a Western Conference power in waiting. Finally, they led the team to the conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs . However, with the series tied 1–1, Dirk Nowitzki,

6802-473: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at

6981-513: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in

7160-517: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped

7339-783: The Charlotte Hornets , which were revived in 2004 and were initially named the Charlotte Bobcats), and NHL 's Utah Hockey Club (relocated from the Arizona Coyotes in 2024, revival of the Coyotes expected in 2029). The National League had an eight-team lineup established in 1900, mirrored by the eight charter franchises of the American League in 1901. This list enumerates franchises added since this "Classic Eight" era. Eight charter franchises of

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7518-732: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league

7697-568: The Los Angeles Clippers for center James Donaldson , who would play for the Mavericks until halfway through the 1991–92 season . This trade allowed the Mavericks to have a steady hand at the center position lacking throughout the franchise's first five years. In 1988, James Donaldson became the first Dallas Mavericks center in club history to be selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game . Rolando Blackman represented

7876-559: The Los Angeles Sparks , New York Liberty , Phoenix Mercury , and Utah Starzz (now Las Vegas Aces ). AFL Women's, launched in 2017 with 8 teams, is operated by the Australian Football League, with all teams fielded by AFL clubs. The league expanded to 10 teams prior to the 2019 season and 14 prior to the 2020 season. In 2023, the remaining four AFL clubs launched women's sides. Originally known as

8055-682: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at

8234-822: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During

8413-782: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,

8592-473: The Phoenix Suns for guards Michael Finley and Sam Cassell and forward A.C. Green . Cassell would play just one season while Green played three, but Finley, who, after his first half-season in Dallas, went on to average over or near twenty points per game for at least the next seven years of his Mavericks career. He made two visits to the NBA All-Star Game and played in each of the Mavericks games until

8771-572: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In

8950-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of

9129-478: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including

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9308-578: The Utah Jazz 's star Karl Malone . The Mavericks swept the Kevin Garnett -led Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2002 playoffs but lost again in the second round to the Chris Webber -led Sacramento Kings . But it was only in the next season that the Mavericks finally broke through. The team started the 2002–03 season with a 14–0 record, which was one win shy of tying the NBA record set by

9487-547: The Western Conference , where they would stay until the league went to six divisions for the 2004–05 season . Dick Motta , who had guided the Washington Bullets to the NBA Championship in 1977–78 , was hired as the team's first head coach . The Mavs drafted Kiki VanDeWeghe of UCLA with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA draft . Still, VanDeWeghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and staged

9666-542: The following season , the team finally "clicked" and started to win consistently. Led by Finley, the Mavericks earned their first 40-win season since 1989–90. He was much helped by Nowitzki, who finally "arrived" in the NBA and established himself as a potent offensive threat. On January 14, 2000, Ross Perot's group sold the Dallas Mavericks to Internet entrepreneur and season ticket-holder Mark Cuban for $ 285 million. Cuban immediately set out to revitalize

9845-405: The lockout-shortened 1998–99 season , the Mavericks finished with a lowly 19–31 record, but Michael Finley and Gary Trent put up substantial numbers and led their team to their first winning home record (15–10) since 1989–90. Notable were the acquisitions of power forward Dirk Nowitzki and point guard Steve Nash , two seemingly unspectacular moves that would significantly impact the future. In

10024-612: The #1 spot in the Western Conference. However, they fell short of the title and had to settle for a fourth seed. Nonetheless, they once again achieved a 60–22 record, with Avery Johnson winning NBA Coach of the Year honors. They swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2006 playoffs , leading to a titanic series against their state rivals and the reigning NBA champions the San Antonio Spurs. Five out of

10203-470: The 1957–1962 TV western Maverick ; the fans chose the title with 4,600 postcards received, beating Wranglers and Express . James Garner , who played the title character, was a member of the ownership group. The University of Texas at Arlington , who also uses the Mavericks nickname , had objections about a shared name but did not attempt any legal action. They joined the Midwest Division of

10382-508: The 1980s, the Mavericks were a perennial playoff team, led by All-Stars Rolando Blackman and Mark Aguirre . The team struggled during the 1990s, entering into a period of rebuilding. In 1998, the franchise's fortunes would change drastically with the acquisition of Dirk Nowitzki , who would become the cornerstone of the most successful period in franchise history, leading the team to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and its only NBA championship in 2011 . The Mavericks later entered

10561-525: The 2004–05 season. Don Nelson was hired as Dallas' general manager on February 7. Within a week of his hiring, the Mavericks had released Fred Roberts and Oliver Miller . They then traded Jamal Mashburn to the Miami Heat for forwards Kurt Thomas and Martin Müürsepp and guard Sasha Danilović . Thomas did not play in 1996–97 and only ended up playing in five games as a Maverick before signing as

10740-546: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. ⁣There

10919-522: The AFL of the 1960s were expansion teams in that league. Both joined the AFL after the merger with the NFL was agreed to, but before it was finalized. The NHL had a six-team lineup established in 1942. This list enumerates the teams added since the " Original Six " era. Six of the seven charter franchises from 2018 remain active. The WNBA began in 1997 with eight charter franchises, four of which are still active:

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11098-592: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to

11277-533: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting

11456-545: The Denver Nuggets for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. But the Mavs' 38–44 record was a 10-game improvement from the previous season. Mark Aguirre led the 1982–83 Mavericks with 24.4 points per game, finishing sixth in the NBA. Jay Vincent and Rolando Blackman contributed 18.7 and 17.7 points per game, respectively. Brad Davis was 10th in the NBA in assists with 7.2 per game and shot .845 from

11635-492: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball

11814-561: The Heat to the win, with Nowitzki missing a potentially game-tying free throw in the last seconds. After getting blown out in Game 4, the Mavericks suffered another loss in Game 5 when Wade scored the game-tying basket in the final possession of regular time, putting the Heat ahead with last-second free throws in overtime. The tragic figure was Josh Howard , who missed a pair of clutch free throws in overtime and mistakenly called an early timeout, so

11993-665: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University  – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;

12172-400: The Lakers everything they could handle. Still, in the end, the more experienced Lakers prevailed, defeating Dallas in seven games on the way to eventually winning their second consecutive NBA Championship. Despite all the changes, the Mavs remained in contention. However, their season effectively ended when James Donaldson went down with a ruptured patella tendon on March 10, 1989, and missed

12351-405: The Lakers in the following season. The Mavs drafted Michigan center Roy Tarpley with the seventh overall pick, who would become a very talented—but troubled—member of the roster. The 1986–87 Mavericks team had their most successful regular season to date, going 55–27 and winning their first Midwest Division title. But despite the great expectations surrounding the team, they self-destructed in

12530-491: The Lakers via free agency and suffering injuries to practically their entire 1990–91 starting lineup. The players they managed to acquire— Rodney McCray , Fat Lever , and Alex English —were all in the twilight of their careers. On November 9, it was announced that Fat Lever would have season-ending surgery on his right knee, and that very night, Tarpley suffered a knee injury of his own, which ended his season. The Mavericks' season only got worse from there, and they finished with

12709-419: The MVP trophy ceremony. Traditionally, MVP awards are given to the winner in a ceremony between the first and second rounds of the playoffs. It is believed that the league opted to put some distance between the MVP presentation and the Mavericks' elimination against the Warriors. By the time Nowitzki collected his MVP award, nearly two weeks had elapsed since the Mavs were ousted. Basketball Basketball

12888-400: The Mavericks and increase the team's popularity in Dallas and nationwide. His controversial moves (he allowed Dennis Rodman to live in his house for a week before temporarily signing him) and outspoken personality quickly made him a fan favorite in Dallas. They garnered the team much press in the national media. He has also been fined millions of dollars for violating NBA rules. In 2000–01 ,

13067-527: The Mavericks by exploiting match-ups and preying on Dirk Nowitzki's weaknesses. The Mavericks went 67–12 against the rest of the league and 0–3 against Golden State on the year. The Warriors were coached by Don Nelson , the immediate past manager and coach of the Mavericks. He had been appointed head coach of the Warriors in the 2006–07 mid-season. Nowitzki's winning of regular season MVP honors and his team's first-round exit created an awkward dilemma regarding

13246-531: The Mavericks improved further and finished with a 53–29 record fueled by Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash's offensive triangle. The Mavs made a trade minutes before the trade deadline that sent Hubert Davis , Christian Laettner , Courtney Alexander , Loy Vaught , and Etan Thomas to the Washington Wizards for Juwan Howard , Calvin Booth , and Obinna Ekezie . This move brought in fresh blood that secured

13425-490: The Mavericks in December after a scout watched a game with Davis. He had to be convinced to play for the team rather than attend to his studies at the University of Maryland (which he was funding by playing for Anchorage). He would play for the remainder of the season after joining in December. Davis would spend the next twelve years with the Mavericks, and eventually, his number 15 jersey was retired. The Mavericks also marked

13604-573: The Mavericks in the 1986 NBA All-Star Game , hosted by Dallas at Reunion Arena. The 1985–86 Mavericks were second in scoring at 115.3 points per game, gaining their third-straight playoff appearance. They defeated Utah three games to one in the first round. In the conference semi-finals, they ran into the Lakers again, and L.A. defeated Dallas in six games. But four of those games were decided by four points or fewer, and Dallas won half of those, leaving Mavericks fans room to hope that they could finally top

13783-424: The Mavericks sought retribution in the new season. After a 0–4 start, the Mavericks went on a historic run and posted a 52–5 record over their next 57 games. They finished the regular season with a record of 67–15, good enough to be tied for sixth place all-time, first in the league, and the number 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs . Dirk Nowitzki had a dominant season, further cementing his place as one of

13962-632: The Mavericks traded Gatling, Jim Jackson, Sam Cassell, George McCloud, and Eric Montross to the New Jersey Nets for 7 ft 6 in center Shawn Bradley , forward Ed O'Bannon , and guards Khalid Reeves and Robert Pack . Nelson claimed the trades were necessary because the situation in the locker room was unacceptable. However, whereas Cassell became a consistent floor leader, and Jackson, Gatling and, McCloud all continued to be substantial contributors to their teams for several more years, only Bradley lasted any time in Dallas. He would spend part of

14141-572: The Mavericks' inaugural 1980–81 season , the Mavericks have won five division titles ( 1987 , 2007 , 2010 , 2021 , 2024 ), three conference championships ( 2006 , 2011 , 2024 ) and one NBA championship ( 2011 ). In 1978, Californian businessman Garn Eckardt met Dallas lawyer Doug Adkins and mentioned he was trying to raise capital to move an NBA team to Dallas. Asking for a possible partner, Adkins recommended him one of his clients, Home Interiors and Gifts owner Don Carter . Negotiations with Eckardt fell through, but Carter remained interested in

14320-564: The Mavericks' defense became more vigorous, and they quickly qualified for the 2005 playoffs with an impressive 58–24 record. 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 . Before the 2005 NBA draft , the Mavericks had traded all their picks away and were left empty-handed. On August 15, 2005, veteran guard Michael Finley

14499-546: The Mavericks' offense, the new acquisitions strengthened the team defense. The run-and-gun style of former times changed into a more balanced style of play. At the All-Star break, the Mavericks acquired Keith Van Horn for Calvin Booth and Henderson, the latter resigning only days later. Nowitzki added his third consecutive Euroscar during this season as well. On March 19, longtime coach Don Nelson stepped down, and his assistant Avery Johnson succeeded him. Under Johnson's tutelage,

14678-594: The Mavericks, with a 57–25 record and many sellout crowds. This season also saw a change in logo and colors, changing from the cowboy hat logo and green to a new horse logo and blue, almost on the same colors of fellow Dallas-based team, the Cowboys . Also, the team gained sleeker uniforms. Another blockbuster trade sent Juwan Howard , Tim Hardaway , and Donnell Harvey to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Raef LaFrentz , Nick Van Exel , Tariq Abdul-Wahad , and Avery Johnson . The Mavericks also made several attempts to sign

14857-412: The Mavs had to bring in the ball at backcourt rather than half-court for the last possession. In Game 6, the Mavericks took an early double-digit lead, but again, Wade poured in 36 points, helped by Alonzo Mourning 's five blocked shots, and the Mavericks lost their fourth game and the title after a string of botched three-pointers. Many Mavericks fans were stunned by the defeat. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban

15036-589: The Mavs started the season with a 6–40 record on their way to finishing 15–67. However, the Mavericks did make a player acquisition that, while it seemed minor at the time, turned out to play a significant role in the early years of their franchise. Journeyman 6 ft 3 in guard Brad Davis , who played for the Anchorage Northern Knights of the Continental Basketball Association , was tracked down and signed by

15215-476: The Mavs trading Rolando Blackman —who by that point had surpassed Mark Aguirre as the team's all-time leading scorer—to the New York Knicks for a first-round draft pick. Blackman had made four All-Star Game appearances in his Mavericks career. Herb Williams joined the Knicks as a free agent. Fat Lever underwent more surgery and missed the entire 1992–93 season. Derek Harper was the team's only bright spot, leading

15394-510: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,

15573-632: The NBA (founded in 1950 via merger of the BAA and NBL ) are still active. There was only one expansion team in the whole history of the ABA. Only extant teams are listed. Two charter franchises, the Chicago Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals ) and Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears ), are still active. Starting in 1960, the NFL held an expansion draft for new franchises. Two teams from

15752-405: The NBA again. Jamal Mashburn had season-ending surgery to repair his sore right knee, only 18 games into the Mavericks' schedule. The team's two remaining stars, Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson bickered throughout the season, though neither of them had trouble establishing his stardom. Jackson led the team scoring with 19.6 ppg, made 121 three-pointers, and was the only Mav to start 82 games. Kidd became

15931-484: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are

16110-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help

16289-704: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It

16468-593: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,

16647-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled

16826-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as

17005-454: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way

17184-644: The Western Conference finals on June 3, 2006, in the US Airways Center in Phoenix , and the Mavs advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history. In the NBA Finals, the Mavericks faced the Miami Heat , held the home-court advantage, and scored two convincing wins. After game 2, Dallas city officials had already planned the victory parade. However, in Game 3, the Mavs blew a late double-digit lead, courtesy of Heat guard Dwyane Wade . He carried

17363-399: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. Expansion team In North America, expansion often takes place in response to population growth and geographic shifts of population. Such demographic change results in financial opportunities to engage with

17542-470: The all-time worst record in NBA history (at the time, 9–73 by the 1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers ). But when Jackson was signed on March 3, the Mavs rallied, closing the season with a 7–14 mark, including two straight wins to end the season and finishing 11–71, the second-worst record in NBA history. Dallas selected Kentucky forward Jamal Mashburn with the fourth overall pick of the 1993 NBA draft and hired Quinn Buckner as head coach. Buckner decided from

17721-459: The all-time worst record in the league. But 5–9 records in February and April, coupled with Buckner loosening the reins a little bit, helped the Mavs finish 13–69. It was still the worst record in the league by far, but the Mavericks again avoided setting an all-time futility record. However, they did tie the NBA's single-season record for consecutive losses at 20 games (since broken). Buckner

17900-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,

18079-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in

18258-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with

18437-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as

18616-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball

18795-530: The club's first playoff visit in 11 years. Also, Wang Zhizhi became the first Chinese player to play in the NBA, signing with the Mavs in January, along with Eduardo Nájera, bringing Dallas an international cast that included Canada's Nash and Germany's Nowitzki. Nowitzki was named to the All NBA Third Team, becoming the first Maverick receive an All NBA honor. In the playoffs , the Mavericks won in

18974-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of

19153-626: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,

19332-833: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as

19511-573: The enterprise as a gift to his wife Linda, who played basketball while at Duncanville High School . Simultaneously, Buffalo Braves president and general manager Norm Sonju developed an interest in bringing the NBA to Dallas as he studied possible new locations for the ailing franchise. While the Braves went to California as the San Diego Clippers , Sonju eventually returned to Texas. He was introduced to Carter by Mayor Robert Folsom , one of

19690-420: The existing franchises can pocket more revenue from expansion fees. Indoor American football leagues are notorious for doing so: the leagues can double the number of teams and have many new teams fail within a year or two. Major League Soccer , after spending most of its first decade of existence with relatively stable membership and struggling finances, adopted a policy of continuous expansion beginning in 2005,

19869-429: The first Maverick to be elected a starter in the NBA All-Star Game and finished second in the league in assists and fourth in steals while averaging 16.6 ppg. George McCloud , who averaged 9.6 ppg in his previous year, blew away his career-high scoring average as the Mavs resorted to the outside shot time and again due to their lack of an inside scoring threat. McCloud averaged 18.9 ppg and made 257 three-pointers, equaling

20048-459: The first NBA team to have a good debut season, with 7,789 spectators per game. The 1981 NBA Draft brought three players who would become vital parts of the team. The Mavs selected forward Mark Aguirre with the first pick, guard Rolando Blackman ninth, and forward Jay Vincent at 24th. By the end of his seven-year Mavericks career, Aguirre would average 24.6 points per game. Blackman contributed 19.2 points over his 11-year career in Dallas. But it

20227-478: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took

20406-866: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and

20585-417: The first round against the Utah Jazz . They advanced to the second round for the first time since 1988. Even though the San Antonio Spurs eliminated them in five games, it marked a sense of optimism for Dallas in earnestly contending for an NBA title. This season was also the last in the old Reunion Arena before moving to the modern American Airlines Center . The 2001–02 season was an excellent season for

20764-512: The first round to the Chris Webber -led Sacramento Kings , a better defensive team. The Mavericks management had to re-evaluate their strategy. The 2004–05 season saw trades which (among others) brought in robust center Erick Dampier , combo guard Jason Terry , speedy rookie point guard Devin Harris , scoring machine Jerry Stackhouse , and defensive stalwart Alan Henderson . Although the loss of All-Star Steve Nash via free agency visibly hurt

20943-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting

21122-455: The free-throw line, sixth in the league. The Mavs drafted Derek Harper with the 11th pick of the 1983 NBA draft . The 6 ft 4 in guard would spend the next decade with the organization, averaging 15 points and 6.1 assists. The Mavericks' in 1983–84 posted a winning record for the first time in franchise history, finishing 43–39 and second in the Midwest Division. The Mavs also earned the first playoff berth in franchise history. Mark Aguirre

21301-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)

21480-456: The game in their 9th and 21st seasons of existence) playing in the game. In 1996 , the Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars each made it to their respective conference championship games in their second season in the league. Expansion teams are usually considered as such in their first season and sometimes in their second season. A team that moves to another location and/or changes its name

21659-478: The game's elite players; he won his fifth consecutive Euroscar during the season and was named the NBA MVP at its end. Josh Howard was named to the all-star team. However, the first-place Mavericks were defeated in six games by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors . This outcome is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. The Mavs were exposed defensively, and the Warriors systematically dismantled

21838-437: The home court for the Mavericks was hosting a tennis tournament. The Magic Johnson -led Los Angeles Lakers , were next for the Mavs, and the young club fell short, losing four games to one. But a trade the Mavericks made in their inaugural season of 1980 paid off for them in 1984 because they owned Cleveland 's first-round pick, which ended up being the fourth pick overall. The Mavs used it to select forward-center Sam Perkins ,

22017-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it

22196-435: The league after three years and helped with 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. The tandem of Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn combined as the league's highest-scoring pair of teammates. On separate occasions, Mashburn and Jackson scored 50 points in a game that season. Mashburn contributed 24.1 points per game, fifth in the NBA; Jackson averaged 25.7 points but suffered a severe ankle sprain in February, which caused him to miss

22375-556: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came

22554-614: The lower levels of its league pyramid, specifically the Championship and League 1 , from both France and Wales, and most recently Canada . In rugby union , the competition originally known as the Celtic League and now as Pro14 , which began with sides only from the Celtic nations of Ireland , Scotland , and Wales, has added teams from Italy and more recently South Africa . The U.S.-based NFL has been laying groundwork for

22733-413: The measures that MLB took was to expand by four teams in 1961 and 1962. Over the past four decades, MLB expanded further, to its current 30-team membership. In the context of MLB, the term "expansion team" is also used to refer to any of the 14 teams enfranchised in the second half of the 20th century. Leagues that are new and/or financially struggling may also admit large numbers of expansion teams so that

22912-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from

23091-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In

23270-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at

23449-433: The new market as consumers of sports demand local teams to support. Major League Baseball (MLB) was limited to 16 teams located north and east of St. Louis, Missouri for the first half of the 20th century. During that time, the United States population doubled and expanded to the south and west. Rival interests explored the possibility of forming a rival league in the untapped markets. To forestall that possibility, one of

23628-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and

23807-418: The next eight years putting up modest contributions for Dallas and giving them substantial numbers in blocked shots. Undrafted rookie guard Erick Strickland averaged 10.6 ppg. Along with Finley and Bradley, he was expected to be the core of this new Mavericks team. The constant changes made it impossible to establish any team chemistry in 1996–97, and the Mavericks finished 24–58. But they had acquired some of

23986-560: The next three games in a row, ending their season. Dallas had the eighth pick in the 1985 NBA draft —again due to a trade with the Cavaliers—and drafted German-born forward Detlef Schrempf out of Washington . He would show flashes of brilliance in his three-plus seasons with the team, but it was not until he was traded to the Indiana Pacers that he displayed his full potential. The Mavericks also traded center Kurt Nimphius to

24165-407: The number two pick in the 1994 NBA draft and picked up Cal point guard Jason Kidd , giving them a solid tandem of Jackson, Mashburn, and Kidd, known as "The Three Js." The addition of Jason Kidd infused the Mavericks with new life in 1994–95 . Kidd averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in his rookie season and led the league in triple-doubles. Roy Tarpley was allowed to return to

24344-458: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,

24523-511: The only owner the Mavericks had ever had, sold the team to a group of investors led by H. Ross Perot, Jr. The 1996–97 season was a year of transition for the Mavericks as they re-designed their entire team; 27 different players saw action for that Dallas team, setting an all-time NBA record. By the time the season was over only rookie forward, Samaki Walker , had remained from the opening-day roster. The first big move came in December, as Jason Kidd, Loren Meyer , and Tony Dumas were traded to

24702-478: The opportunity to win championships only a few years after their first season. In Major League Baseball (MLB) The Arizona Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series in their fourth season, and the Florida Marlins won the 1997 World Series in their fifth season. In the NBA, The Milwaukee Bucks won the 1971 NBA Finals in their third year of existence, greatly helped by drafting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in

24881-405: The opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with

25060-630: The owners and team president of the last professional basketball team in the city, the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association , which moved to San Antonio in 1973 becoming the San Antonio Spurs . Sonju and Carter tried purchasing both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Kansas City Kings , but disagreement on relocation stalled the negotiations, leading them to instead aim for an expansion team . The league

25239-580: The pieces that would help them start to turn things around in years to come. In 1997–98, despite a poor record of 20–62, Dallas had a knack for giving some of the NBA's elite teams a hard time to beat the Seattle SuperSonics , New York Knicks , Indiana Pacers , and Chicago Bulls . Against the Bulls, Dallas went on a 17–2 run to force overtime, where they won 104–97. Midway through that season, Nelson fired Cleamons and named himself head coach. In

25418-416: The playoffs in 2020, reached the Western Conference finals in 2022 for the first time since their 2011 championship, and reached their third NBA Finals in 2024 . In February 2020, 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. Since

25597-513: The playoffs. After hammering the Seattle SuperSonics by 22 points in Game 1, the bottom dropped out for the Mavs, as they lost Games 2 and 3 in close fashion before succumbing to Game 4 in Seattle . Following the unexpected early playoff exit, Motta, who had been with the team since its inception, shockingly resigned as head coach. John MacLeod , who had led the Phoenix Suns to nine playoff berths in 11 seasons, including an NBA Finals run in 1976,

25776-407: The potential Minnesota owners backed out, only Dallas remained. (The Minnesota Timberwolves would not join until 1989.) Through negotiations with general counselor and future commissioner David Stern , the expansion fee was settled on $ 12.5 million. Carter would provide half the amount. At the 1980 NBA All-Star Game , league owners voted to admit the new team, with the team's name coming from

25955-400: The regular season's remainder. Second-year forward Popeye Jones had a great year as well, as he averaged 10.6 rebounds and led the NBA in offensive rebounds. The Mavericks' improvement was dramatic. The team jumped to 36–46, 10th in the Western Conference, and only five games behind the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot. It was the most significant one-year improvement in

26134-416: The rest of the season. The Mavericks were left understaffed, demoralized, and disheartened as they finished with a 38–44 record. It was their first losing season since 1982–83—which was also the last time they missed the playoffs. The Mavericks returned to the playoffs in 1989–90 with a 47–35 record, but it was another season of off-court chaos. On November 15, only six games into the Mavs' season, Tarpley

26313-459: The score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect

26492-582: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,

26671-404: The second-highest individual season total in league history. Overall, the Mavericks connected on 735 of their 2,039 three-point attempts, both new league records. The Mavs finished 26–56, fifth in the Midwest Division, and 33 games out of first place. Motta was relieved of his head coaching responsibilities at season's end and replaced by former Bulls assistant coach Jim Cleamons . And Don Carter,

26850-420: The seven games were decided in the last minute, including a Game 7 that had to go into overtime, with the Mavs prevailing under the guidance of Dirk Nowitzki and an incredibly deep bench. The Mavericks were able to advance to the conference finals against former teammate Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns . The Mavs' defense and depth enabled them to take the series as they defeated the Phoenix Suns in game 6 of

27029-601: The six teams to have been added to the NFL since the AFL–NFL merger , the fastest turnaround between an inaugural season and the team's first Super Bowl victory was 27 seasons (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , established in 1976, won Super Bowl XXXVII in the 2002 season); none of the four teams to hold expansion drafts since 1995 have ever won that contest, with only one, the Carolina Panthers (who reached

27208-468: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by

27387-405: The start to be a disciplinarian on the model of his college coach, Bobby Knight , who told Buckner that the only way he would succeed with the Mavs would be to run the team with an iron hand. The mostly young roster did not respond very well to Buckner's stern coaching style and started 1–23. By the end of January, they were 3–40, and it was once again possible that they could tie the 1973 Sixers for

27566-614: The team in scoring for the sixth consecutive year with 25.1 points per game, and Roy Tarpley won the NBA Sixth Man Award with averages of 13.5 points and 11.8 rebounds. The season saw the Mavs' deepest playoff run to date. They dispatched the Houston Rockets in four games and the Nuggets in six, leaving only the defending NBA Champion Lakers between them and their first-ever trip to the NBA Finals . The Mavericks gave

27745-474: The team struggled with chemistry, the Mavericks comfortably qualified for the playoffs. With the trio Nowitzki-Finley-Nash and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamison, the Mavericks continued their reputation as the NBA's best offensive team. Notable were two rookies, Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels , who made an immediate impact. However, the Mavericks were eliminated quickly in the 2004 playoffs , losing in

27924-495: The team with 18.3 points per game. The Mavericks selected Ohio State guard Jim Jackson with the fourth overall pick of the 1992 NBA draft , but he and owner Donald Carter could not come to terms on a contract for half of his rookie season. Jackson only played 28 games in 1992–93 , a season also ruined by trades, a coaching change, and injuries. The Mavericks started 2–27 and fired Adubato on January 13, replacing him with Gar Heard . The Mavericks came dangerously close to setting

28103-414: The team's history and the highest in the NBA. Many expected the Mavericks' improvement to continue with the franchise's first foray into the NBA playoffs since 1990. But despite a 4–0 start, the 1995–96 season was a disappointment about every conceivable way. For the second time in his career, Roy Tarpley was given a lifelong ban from the NBA for repeated violations of the anti-drug policy—he never played in

28282-661: The team's leading scorer, suffered a knee injury in game three that kept him out. This injury further worsened the Mavs' front-court depth problems (both of their backup centers were injured for the entire series), and the Spurs took the series in 6 games. In 2003–04 , two blockbuster trades were announced. The Mavericks acquired Antawn Jamison , Danny Fortson , Jiří Welsch , and Chris Mills from Golden State in exchange for Nick Van Exel, Evan Eschmeyer , Popeye Jones, Avery Johnson , and Antoine Rigaudeau . Another high-profile trade sent Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, and Jiří Welsch to Boston for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk . Although

28461-501: The third time a Mavericks player was suspended in the 2006 playoffs. The Mavericks became only the third team in NBA history (the first since 1977) to lose in the finals after taking a 2–0 lead. In Game 3, the Mavs held a 13-point lead under seven minutes remaining but were outscored 22–7 in the momentum-changing 98–96 defeat. The Heat's performance in the last seven minutes represented the team's most remarkable postseason comeback in team history. After an end to their playoff run in 2006,

28640-572: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,

28819-657: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith

28998-581: Was Jay Vincent who made the most significant difference for the Mavs in their second season, leading the team in scoring with 21.4 points per game and earning NBA All-Rookie Team honors. The Mavericks improved to 28–54, getting out of the Midwest Division cellar as they finished above the Utah Jazz . In 1982–83 , the Mavericks were serious contenders for the first time. At the All-Star break , they were 25–24 and had won 12 of their last 15 games. They could not sustain that momentum and finished seven games behind

29177-463: Was arrested for driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. The team started 5–6, and MacLeod was fired, replaced by assistant coach Richie Adubato . The Mavs finished the season with four straight victories to surge into the playoffs but went down rather meekly to the Portland Trail Blazers in three games. It would be the team's last winning season and playoff appearance until 2001. The team endured numerous changes in 1990, losing Sam Perkins to

29356-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to

29535-400: Was complete. The few talented players the Mavericks had remaining to them were lost to injury. Brad Davis' back problems forced him to retire in mid-January, and Fat Lever had knee surgery again on January 29, missing the remainder of the season—hardly worth the cost of losing two first-round draft picks. The team finished with a 22–60 record. In 1992–93 , the rebuilding began in earnest, with

29714-632: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,

29893-407: Was fined a total of $ 250,000 for "several acts of misconduct" during the series, and Nowitzki was fined $ 5,000 for kicking a ball into the stands after Game 5. Nowitzki was also caught by TV cameras attacking a stationary bicycle in the hallway outside of the Mavericks locker room. Jerry Stackhouse was suspended for Game 5 after fouling Shaquille O'Neal on a breakaway dunk attempt. The latter marked

30072-466: Was fired at the end of the season despite having a five-year contract. However, Carter decided that Buckner had "burned too many bridges" due to his autocratic coaching style. He compiled the worst record for a rookie NBA head coach, a record that only lasted four years until Bill Hanzlik broke it with the Denver Nuggets . The Mavericks brought back Dick Motta, who had led the franchise to some of its most successful seasons. The Mavericks also wound up with

30251-506: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which

30430-601: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing

30609-465: Was hired as his replacement. The 1987–88 NBA season saw the Mavericks dip just a little bit in the regular season—finishing 53–29 and losing their Midwest Division title to the Denver Nuggets —but it was another successful year for the team. Mark Aguirre and James Donaldson both played in the 1988 NBA All-Star Game , the Mavericks rattled off a franchise-best 11-game winning streak, and Rolando Blackman scored his 10,000th career point. Aguirre led

30788-434: Was initially reluctant to expand to Dallas, given Texas had both the Spurs and Houston Rockets . The 1978–79 season was proving unprofitable (18 out of the 22 teams lost money) and unpopular (television ratings fell 26 percent). Still, during the 1979 NBA All-Star Game weekend, NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien announced the league would add two new teams in the 1980–81 season , with teams in Dallas and Minneapolis . Once

30967-485: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to

31146-405: Was named the team's first NBA All-Star, as he finished with an average of 29.5 points per game—second in the league to Utah's Adrian Dantley . Dallas finished with the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and in their first playoff trip, they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in five games. The fifth and deciding game of that series was played at Moody Coliseum , as Reunion Arena, then

31325-476: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and

31504-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling

31683-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into

31862-537: Was waived on November 25, 2005. At the end of calendar 2005, Nowitzki achieved a rare double by winning both the Euroscar and Mr. Europa , a second prestigious award for the top European player. He additionally was named the inaugural FIBA Europe Player of the Year . Up until the very end of the season, the Mavericks were toe-to-toe with the San Antonio Spurs for the crown of the Southwest Division and

32041-501: Was waived under the new "Allan Houston Rule." Under that rule, the Orlando Magic waived Doug Christie , who then signed with the Mavericks. On August 19, the Mavericks held a press conference announcing they had re-signed Darrell Armstrong and introduced Christie, DeSagana Diop , Rawle Marshall , and Josh Powell as new Mavericks. Christie's playing time was minimal amid a surgically repaired ankle still hampering his play. He

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