1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season

The 1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season was the first season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Expansion draft

Draft picks

• Kiki Vandeweghe of UCLA was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA draft, but Vandeweghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and staged a holdout that lasted a month into the team's 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

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Notes

• z, y – division champions
• x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | | San Antonio Spurs | W 103–92 | Winford Boynes (21) | Tom LaGarde (10) | Huston,<br>LaGarde (5) | Reunion Arena<br>10,373 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | | Seattle | L 83–85 | Geoff Huston (19) | Tom LaGarde (11) | Geoff Huston (7) | Reunion Arena<br>7,004 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | <br>8:35p.m. CDT | @ Denver | L 98–133 | Jim Spanarkel (15) | Jerome Whitehead (10) | Geoff Huston (6) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>6,658 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | | Kansas City | L 91–103 | Geoff Huston (28) | Tom LaGarde (8) | Tom LaGarde (6) | Reunion Arena<br>7,017 | 1–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | | @ San Antonio | L 96–110 | Tom LaGarde (16) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Three players (4) | HemisFair Arena<br>9,542 | 1–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | | @ Phoenix | L 99–111 | Jim Spanarkel (20) | Richard Washington (11) | Geoff Huston (6) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,507 | 1–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | | @ Seattle | W 107–102 | Richard Washington (24) | Richard Washington (9) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Seattle Kingdome<br>14,125 | 2–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | | @ Portland | L 105–120 | Winford Boynes (18) | Jeelani,<br>LaGarde (7) | Tom LaGarde (6) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 2–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | | @ Golden State | L 79–86 | Jim Spanarkel (16) | Tom LaGarde (11) | Geoff Huston (7) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>6,750 | 2–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | | Utah | L 96–104 | Geoff Huston (26) | Richard Washington (16) | Geoff Huston (5) | Reunion Arena<br>5,720 | 2–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | | @ Houston | L 103–109 | Jim Spanarkel (19) | Five players (4) | Geoff Huston (6) | The Summit<br>6,123 | 2–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | | @ Utah | L 122–144 | Geoff Huston (24) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Darrell Allums (4) | Salt Palace<br>5,703 | 2–10

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | | San Diego | L 102–116 | Tom LaGarde (23) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Huston (5) | Reunion Arena<br>5,431 | 2–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | | @ Washington | L 95–116 | Terry Duerod (22) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Geoff Huston (8) | Capital Centre<br>6,295 | 2–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Los Angeles | L 102–126 | Duerod,<br>Huston (16) | Byrnes,<br>Lloyd (8) | Tom LaGarde (7) | Reunion Arena<br>17,481 | 2–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | | @ Detroit | L 73–101 | Huston,<br>Robinzine (14) | Tom LaGarde (10) | LaGarde,<br>Spanarkel (2) | Pontiac Silverdome<br>4,584 | 2–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | | Houston | L 94–105 | Bill Robinzine (18) | Tom LaGarde (13) | Terry Duerod (6) | Reunion Arena<br>5,472 | 2–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | | Portland | W 113–106 | Four players (19) | Tom LaGarde (14) | Geoff Huston (9) | Reunion Arena<br>6,103 | 3–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | <br>9:00p.m. CST | @ Los Angeles | L 102–110 | Huston<br>Spanarkel (28) | Lloyd,<br>Spanarkel (8) | Scott Lloyd (10) | The Forum<br>10,893 | 3–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | | Phoenix | L 91–102 | Geoff Huston (19) | Scott Lloyd (13) | Geoff Huston (6) | Reunion Arena<br>6,015 | 3–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | | Seattle | L 91–101 | Geoff Huston (20) | LaGarde,<br>Robinzine (9) | Tom LaGarde (6) | Reunion Arena<br>6,514 | 3–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | | @ Portland | L 96–116 | Geoff Huston (23) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Huston,<br>Jeelani (5) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 3–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | | Philadelphia | L 92–108 | Jim Spanarkel (20) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Jim Spanarkel (5) | Reunion Arena<br>13,527 | 3–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Denver | L 117–119 (OT) | Tom LaGarde (22) | Scott Lloyd (16) | Geoff Huston (9) | Reunion Arena<br>7,713 | 3–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | | @ Houston | L 90–115 | Abdul Jeelani (24) | Scott Lloyd (9) | Jeelani,<br>LaGarde (5) | The Summit<br>8,123 | 3–22

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | | Cleveland | L 102–109 | Robinzine,<br>Spanarkel (18) | Tom LaGarde (13) | Geoff Huston (7) | Reunion Arena<br>5,117 | 3–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | <br>6:30p.m. CST | @ Boston | L 87–97 | Bill Robinzine (24) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Geoff Huston (7) | Boston Garden<br>14,351 | 3–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | | @ Atlanta | L 104–110 | Tom LaGarde (26) | Tom LaGarde (8) | LaGarde,<br>Spanarkel (4) | Omni Coliseum<br>7,347 | 3–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Los Angeles | L 92–103 | Geoff Huston (19) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Huston,<br>Spanarkel (5) | Reunion Arena<br>9,313 | 3–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 | <br>8:35p.m. CST | @ Denver | L 107–116 | Geoff Huston (27) | LaGarde,<br>Robinzine (11) | Brad Davis (9) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>7,768 | 3–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | | San Diego | W 112–109 (OT) | Jim Spanarkel (22) | Tom LaGarde (10) | Brad Davis (6) | Reunion Arena<br>6,457 | 4–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | | @ Kansas City | L 107–114 | Tom LaGarde (22) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Huston,<br>Spanarkel (5) | Kemper Arena<br>5,578 | 4–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | | San Antonio | L 83–89 | Geoff Huston (17) | Bill Robinzine (12) | Geoff Huston (8) | Reunion Arena<br>6,140 | 4–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | | @ Phoenix | L 102–115 | Jim Spanarkel (25) | Jim Spanarkel (8) | Jim Spanarkel (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,247 | 4–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | | @ San Diego | L 92–102 | Bill Robinzine (23) | Bill Robinzine (13) | Davis,<br>Huston (5) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>7,167 | 4–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | | Golden State | L 98–101 | Geoff Huston (20) | LaGarde,<br>Robinzine (10) | Davis (7) | Reunion Arena<br>5,848 | 4–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | | Utah | L 96–101 | Bill Robinzine (23) | Scott Lloyd (11) | Brad Davis (10) | Reunion Arena<br>5,736 | 4–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Denver | W 119–111 | Abdul Jeelani (20) | Scott Lloyd (16) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena<br>8,293 | 5–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | | @ Milwaukee | L 96–112 | Bill Robinzine (16) | LaGarde,<br>Robinzine (6) | Brad Davis (8) | MECCA Arena<br>11,052 | 5–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | | @ Cleveland | L 100–112 | Bill Robinzine (23) | Bill Robinzine (14) | Geoff Huston (6) | Coliseum at Richfield<br>3,884 | 5–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | | @ New York | L 98–100 | Jim Spanarkel (26) | Tom LaGarde (17) | Brad Davis (6) | Madison Square Garden<br>10,559 | 5–36

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 | | Houston | L 120–124 (OT) | Geoff Huston] (29) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Geoff Huston (11) | Reunion Arena<br>7,872 | 5–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | | @ Seattle | L 89–103 | Geoff Huston (21) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Geoff Huston (6) | Seattle Kingdome<br>12,210 | 5–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | | @ Golden State | W 111–109 | Geoff Huston (24) | Bill Robinzine (14) | Geoff Huston (8) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>7,246 | 6–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | | @ Utah | L 97–99 | Tom LaGarde (24) | Bill Robinzine (12) | Brad Davis (6) | Salt Palace<br>7,239 | 6–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | | Washington | L 94–106 | Huston,<br>Spanarkel (20) | Bill Robinzine (18) | Geoff Huston (5) | Reunion Arena<br>8,021 | 6–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | | Chicago | W 112–106 | Bill Robinzine (26) | Bill Robinzine (8) | Brad Davis (9) | Reunion Arena<br>5,771 | 7–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | | New York | W 118–110 | Geoff Huston (24) | Bill Robinzine (12) | Geoff Huston (7) | Reunion Arena<br>10,473 | 8–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | | @ San Diego | L 109–115 | Tom LaGarde (18) | Scott Lloyd (11) | Geoff Huston (8) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>3,980 | 8–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | | Kansas City | L 91–104 | Bill Robinzine (25) | Tom LaGarde (16) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena<br>5,899 | 8–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | | @ Chicago | L 98–106 | Oliver Mack (22) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Geoff Huston (6) | Chicago Stadium<br>7,836 | 8–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | | @ Indiana | L 89–107 | Tom LaGarde (15) | Three players (6) | Bill Robinzine (6) | Market Square Arena<br>12,636 | 8–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 | | New Jersey | L 100–112 | Tom LaGarde (22) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Oliver Mack (7) | Reunion Arena<br>5,727 | 8–45

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | | Kansas City | L 100–121 | Geoff Huston (23) | Tom LaGarde (13) | Oliver Mack (5) | Reunion Arena<br>5,335 | 8–46 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | | @ Houston | L 68–116 | Bill Robinzine (14) | LaGarde,<br>Robinzine (6) | Three players (5) | The Summit<br>8,353 | 8–47 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | | Atlanta | L 98–100 | Bill Robinzine (16) | Scott Lloyd (8) | Brad Davis (6) | Reunion Arena<br>6,882 | 8–48 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 | | @ San Antonio | L 98–102 | Three players (15) | Bill Robinzine (10) | Brad Davis (6) | HemisFair Arena<br>8,918 | 8–49 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | | Detroit | L 95–101 | Jim Spanarkel (23) | Bill Robinzine (15) | Brad Davis (9) | Reunion Arena<br>5,047 | 8–50 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | | @ Phoenix | L 97–119 | Tom LaGarde (20) | LaGarde,<br>Lloyd (7) | Tom LaGarde (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,357 | 8–51 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | | San Antonio | L 99–107 | Jim Spanarkel (22) | Scott Lloyd (7) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena<br>9,826 | 8–52 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | <br>4:00p.m. CST | @ Los Angeles | L 99–107 | Oliver Mack (19) | Clarence Kea (13) | Brad Davis (6) | The Forum<br>11,920 | 8–53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | | Milwaukee | L 106–114 | Brad Davis (24) | Oliver Mack (9) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena<br>7,068 | 8–54 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | | @ Philadelphia | L 109–117 | Oliver Mack (19) | Bill Robinzine (8) | Jim Spanarkel (4) | The Spectrum<br>10,642 | 8–55 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | | @ New Jersey | W 132–109 | Oliver Mack (28) | Scott Lloyd (11) | Brad Davis (7) | Rutgers Athletic Center<br>7,849 | 9–55 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | | Seattle | L 84–102 | Jim Spanarkel (15) | Tom LaGarde (14) | Brad Davis (7) | Reunion Arena<br>6,525 | 9–56 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | | @ Kansas City | L 102–105 | Clarence Kea (19) | Tom LaGarde (12) | Brad Davis (16) | Kemper Arena<br>8,701 | 9–57 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | | Indiana | L 111–118 | Oliver Mack (26) | Clarence Kea (10) | Brad Davis (8) | Reunion Arena<br>7,359 | 9–58

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 | | San Diego | W 99–91 | Oliver Mack (24) | Lloyd,<br>Mack (8) | Brad Davis (12) | Reunion Arena<br>4,858 | 10–58 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Boston | L 105–117 | Brad Davis (31) | Tom LaGarde (8) | Brad Davis (13) | Reunion Arena<br>15,593 | 10–59 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | | @ Golden State | L 109–115 | Tom LaGarde (22) | Bill Robinzine (9) | Brad Davis (9) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>8,694 | 10–60 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 | | @ San Antonio | L 108–133 | Clarence Kea (22) | Clarence Kea (10) | Brad Davis (6) | HemisFair Arena<br>8,251 | 10–61 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 | | Phoenix | W 107–103 | Jim Spanarkel (25) | Tom LaGarde (14) | Brad Davis (9) | Reunion Arena<br>6,469 | 11–61 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 | | Golden State | W 120–118 | Jim Spanarkel (26) | Bill Robinzine (11) | Brad Davis (14) | Reunion Arena<br>5,380 | 12–61 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | | @ Portland | L 110–135 | Abdul Jeelani (31) | Abdul Jeelani (6) | Brad Davis (9) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 12–62 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Los Angeles | L 109–114 | Bill Robinzine (26) | Tom LaGarde(15) | Brad Davis (16) | Reunion Arena<br>17,828 | 12–63 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 76 | | @ Utah | L 113–120 | Davis,<br>Byrnes (25) | Scott Lloyd (8) | Brad Davis (10) | Salt Palace<br>5,248 | 12–64 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 | <br>7:30p.m. CST | Denver | W 126–125 | Byrnes,<br>Robinzine (22) | Bill Robinzine (15) | Brad Davis (10) | Reunion Arena<br>6,359 | 13–64 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 | | Utah | W 105–95 | Davis,<br>Robinzine (20) | Bill Robinzine (13) | Brad Davis (12) | Reunion Arena<br>7,416 | 14–64 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | | Houston | L 111–114 OT | Davis,<br>LaGarde (19) | Tom LaGarde (11) | Brad Davis (14) | Reunion Arena<br>7,162 | 14–65 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 80 | <br>8:35p.m. CST | @ Denver | W 126–115 | Brad Davis (25) | Abdul Jeelani (11) | Brad Davis (10) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>14,035 | 15–65 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81 | | Portland | L 109–123 | Scott Lloyd (28) | Tom LaGarde (9) | Brad Davis (11) | Reunion Arena<br>11,203 | 15–66 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 82 | | @ Kansas City | L 104–113 | Marty Byrnes (24) | Bill Robinzine (6) | Brad Davis (8) | Kemper Arena<br>7,171 | 15–67

Player statistics

Regular season

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

See also

• 1980–81 NBA season

References