The 2000âÂÂ01 Dallas Mavericks season was the 21st season for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. The Mavericks received the twelfth overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, and selected power forward Etan Thomas out of Syracuse University. However, before the start of the regular season, Thomas suffered a toe injury, and would never play for the Mavericks.
The Mavericks also made several trades on draft day; the team acquired shooting guard, and first-round draft pick Courtney Alexander out of Fresno State University from the Orlando Magic, power forward, and first-round draft pick Donnell Harvey out of the University of Florida from the New York Knicks, and power forward, and second-round draft pick Eduardo Nájera out of the University of Oklahoma from the Houston Rockets. During the off-season, the team acquired Christian Laettner and Loy Vaught from the Detroit Pistons in two separate trades, and acquired Howard Eisley from the Utah Jazz in a four-team trade.
After ten seasons of struggling, the Mavericks showed improvement by winning ten of their first fifteen games of the regular season, and played above .500 in winning percentage for the entire season, as the team held a 31âÂÂ19 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the Mavericks traded Laettner, Thomas, Vaught, Alexander and Hubert Davis to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Juwan Howard, second-year center Calvin Booth, and second-year forward Obinna Ekezie. The team also signed free agent Vernon Maxwell, who was previously released by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Mavericks finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a 53âÂÂ29 record, earned the fifth seed in the Western Conference, and qualified for the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 1989âÂÂ90 season, ending a ten-year playoff drought.
Dirk Nowitzki averaged 21.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, led the Mavericks with 151 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Michael Finley averaged 21.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and Howard provided the team with 17.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in 27 games after the trade. In addition, Steve Nash showed improvement averaging 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game, while Eisley contributed 9.0 points and 3.6 assists per game, along with 107 three-point field goals, and Shawn Bradley provided with 7.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., Finley was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his second and final All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, Nowitzki and Nash both participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout; it was the second consecutive year that Nowitzki participated in the Three-Point Shootout. Nash also finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting, while Nowitzki finished tied in fifth place, and head coach Don Nelson finished in third place in Coach of the Year voting.
In the Western Conference First Round of the 2001 NBA playoffs, the Mavericks faced off against the 4thâÂÂseeded Utah Jazz, a team that featured All-Star forward Karl Malone, Donyell Marshall, Bryon Russell, and All-Star guard John Stockton. The Jazz took a 2âÂÂ0 series lead, but the Mavericks managed to win the next two games at home, which included a Game 4 win over the Jazz at the Reunion Arena, 107âÂÂ77 to even the series. The Mavericks won Game 5 over the Jazz on the road, 84âÂÂ83 at the Delta Center to win in a hard-fought five-game series, as the team won their first NBA playoff series since the 1987âÂÂ88 season.
In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the topâÂÂseeded, and Midwest Division champion San Antonio Spurs, who were led by All-Star forward Tim Duncan, All-Star center David Robinson, and Derek Anderson. The Spurs took a 3âÂÂ0 series lead, but the Mavericks managed to win Game 4 at home, 112âÂÂ108 at the Reunion Arena. However, the Mavericks lost Game 5 to the Spurs on the road, 105âÂÂ87 at the Alamodome, thus losing the series in five games.
The Mavericks finished 14th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 680,238 at the Reunion Arena during the regular season; it was also the team's final season playing at the Reunion Arena. Following the season, Eisley was traded to the New York Knicks in a three-team trade, while Gary Trent signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Booth signed with the Seattle SuperSonics, Ekezie was released to free agency, and Maxwell retired.
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 31 | Milwaukee | | Michael Finley (26) | Greg Buckner (11) | Michael Finley (8) | Reunion Arena<br>16,600 | 1âÂÂ0
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | November 2 | Indiana | | Steve Nash (18) | Shawn Bradley (7) | Steve Nash (5) | Reunion Arena<br>11,750 | 2âÂÂ0 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 3 | November 4 | Utah | | Steve Nash (24) | Shawn Bradley (14) | Steve Nash (12) | Reunion Arena<br>16,500 | 2âÂÂ1 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 4 | November 6 | @ Denver | | Michael Finley (26) | Finley, Nowitzki (6) | Howard Eisley (8) | Pepsi Center<br>11,190 | 3âÂÂ1 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | November 8 | Vancouver | | Christian Laettner (17) | Shawn Bradley (9) | Howard Eisley (5) | Reunion Arena<br>11,500 | 3âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | November 10 | San Antonio | | Michael Finley (20) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>17,296 | 4âÂÂ2 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 7 | November 12 | @ Sacramento | | Dirk Nowitzki (16) | Loy Vaught (8) | Steve Nash (4) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 4âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | November 13 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Shawn Bradley (22) | Shawn Bradley (8) | Michael Finley (5) | Staples Center<br>9,340 | 5âÂÂ3 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 9 | November 15 | @ Phoenix | | Steve Nash (19) | Greg Buckner (10) | Steve Nash (6) | America West Arena<br>16,652 | 5âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | November 17 | @ Seattle | | Michael Finley (26) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (9) | KeyArena<br>12,285 | 6âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 18 | @ Vancouver | | Nowitzki, Davis (20) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (4) | General Motors Place<br>13,301 | 7âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 12 | November 20 | @ Utah | | Michael Finley (29) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (17) | Delta Center<br>18,869 | 8âÂÂ4 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 13 | November 21 | Seattle | | Hubert Davis (32) | Shawn Bradley (8) | Steve Nash (12) | Reunion Arena<br>15,100 | 8âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 14 | November 25 | Denver | | Dirk Nowitzki (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (13) | Finley, Eisley (6) | Reunion Arena<br>16,234 | 9âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 15 | November 28 | Toronto | | Michael Finley (32) | Bradley, Vaught (7) | Steve Nash (10) | Reunion Arena<br>16,016 | 10âÂÂ5 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 16 | November 30 | @ Portland | | Courtney Alexander (20) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Christian Laettner (5) | Rose Garden Arena<br>19,980 | 10âÂÂ6
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 17 | December 2 | @ Golden State | | Dirk Nowitzki (24) | Shawn Bradley (14) | Michael Finley (10) | The Arena in Oakland<br>12,187 | 11âÂÂ6 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 18 | December 3 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Dirk Nowitzki (25) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | Howard Eisley (10) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 11âÂÂ7 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 19 | December 5 | @ Houston | | Dirk Nowitzki (35) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Howard Eisley (7) | Compaq Center<br>11,426 | 11âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | December 6 | New York | | Michael Finley (21) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (6) | Reunion Arena<br>14,551 | 12âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 21 | December 8 | Chicago | | Steve Nash (22) | three players tied (7) | Steve Nash (5) | Reunion Arena<br>16,600 | 13âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | December 10 | @ New Jersey | | Dirk Nowitzki (31) | Dirk Nowitzki (8) | Eisley, Nash (6) | Continental Airlines Arena<br>10,654 | 14âÂÂ8 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 23 | December 12 | @ Cleveland | | Steve Nash (21) | Michael Finley (7) | Steve Nash (8) | Gund Arena<br>12,577 | 14âÂÂ9 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 24 | December 13 | @ Indiana | | Howard Eisley (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (7) | Steve Nash (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br>16,740 | 14âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | December 15 | @ Philadelphia | | Dirk Nowitzki (36) | Laettner, Davis (8) | Steve Nash (13) | First Union Center<br>18,563 | 15âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 17 | @ Detroit | | Dirk Nowitzki (25) | Dirk Nowitzki (7) | Steve Nash (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>11,389 | 16âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 27 | December 18 | @ Boston | | Dirk Nowitzki (31) | Shawn Bradley (6) | Steve Nash (14) | FleetCenter<br>11,327 | 17âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 28 | December 20 | Portland | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Nowitzki, Bradley (12) | Steve Nash (8) | Reunion Arena<br>17,750 | 18âÂÂ10 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 29 | December 22 | L.A. Lakers | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Finley, Nash (8) | Reunion Arena<br>18,201 | 18âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | December 26 | Seattle | | Michael Finley (38) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | three players tied (8) | Reunion Arena<br>13,755 | 19âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | December 28 | L.A. Clippers | | Michael Finley (25) | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Steve Nash (8) | Reunion Arena<br>14,260 | 20âÂÂ11 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 32 | December 30 | Houston | | Michael Finley (32) | Michael Finley (9) | Steve Nash (6) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 20âÂÂ12
|-style="background:#fcc;" | 33 | January 3 | Detroit | | Michael Finley (35) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Steve Nash (9) | Reunion Arena<br>12,789 | 20âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 5 | @ Toronto | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Shawn Bradley (14) | Steve Nash (8) | Air Canada Centre<br>19,800 | 21âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 35 | January 6 | @ Washington | | Dirk Nowitzki (28) | Shawn Bradley (17) | Steve Nash (13) | MCI Center<br>12,741 | 22âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | January 8 | @ Chicago | | Michael Finley (30) | Finley, Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (8) | United Center<br>21,344 | 23âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | January 10 | @ Minnesota | | Dirk Nowitzki (28) | Laettner, Bradley (9) | Steve Nash (11) | Target Center<br>16,274 | 24âÂÂ13 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 38 | January 11 | @ Milwaukee | | Michael Finley (30) | Christian Laettner (12) | Howard Eisley (4) | Bradley Center<br>15,675 | 24âÂÂ14 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 39 | January 13 | Phoenix | | Michael Finley (27) | Shawn Bradley (13) | Michael Finley (6) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 24âÂÂ15 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 40 | January 15 | Sacramento | | Dirk Nowitzki (28) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | Howard Eisley (8) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 24âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 41 | January 17 | @ Charlotte | | Dirk Nowitzki (27) | Loy Vaught (10) | Howard Eisley (8) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>14,134 | 25âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 42 | January 18 | Orlando | | Dirk Nowitzki (38) | Dirk Nowitzki (17) | Howard Eisley (7) | Reunion Arena<br>13,355 | 26âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 43 | January 20 | Denver | | Dirk Nowitzki (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Howard Eisley (10) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 27âÂÂ16 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 44 | January 23 | Philadelphia | | Michael Finley (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Finley, Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 27âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | January 25 | Vancouver | | Steve Nash (21) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>12,690 | 28âÂÂ17 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 46 | January 27 | @ Denver | | Michael Finley (32) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Nowitzki, Finley (6) | Pepsi Center<br>19,099 | 28âÂÂ18
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 47 | February 1 | Miami | | Michael Finley (26) | Shawn Bradley (13) | Howard Eisley (4) | Reunion Arena<br>14,497 | 29âÂÂ18 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 48 | February 3 | Golden State | | Dirk Nowitzki (23) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Howard Eisley (8) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 30âÂÂ18 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 49 | February 5 | @ Atlanta | | Eisley, Nowitzki (22) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | Eisley, Laettner (4) | Philips Arena<br>10,771 | 31âÂÂ18 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 50 | February 7 | @ New York | | Michael Finley (21) | Christian Laettner (8) | Michael Finley (5) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 31âÂÂ19 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |-style="background:#fcc;" | 51 | February 13 | @ San Antonio | | Dirk Nowitzki (30) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Greg Buckner (3) | Alamodome<br>17,705 | 31âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 52 | February 15 | Cleveland | | Nowitzki, Finley (17) | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Howard Eisley (5) | Reunion Arena<br>14,265 | 32âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 53 | February 17 | Washington | | Michael Finley (26) | Dirk Nowitzki (10) | Steve Nash (9) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 33âÂÂ20 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 54 | February 20 | L.A. Lakers | | Steve Nash (31) | Dirk Nowitzki (8) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,287 | 33âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 55 | February 22 | Boston | | Dirk Nowitzki (23) | Eduardo Nájera (12) | Steve Nash (12) | Reunion Arena<br>17,470 | 34âÂÂ21 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 56 | February 24 | San Antonio | | Steve Nash (29) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Steve Nash (10) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 34âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 57 | February 26 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Michael Finley (23) | Shawn Bradley (10) | Steve Nash (11) | Staples Center<br>13,521 | 35âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 58 | February 27 | @ Vancouver | | Dirk Nowitzki (31) | Dirk Nowitzki (6) | Michael Finley (11) | General Motors Place<br>12,977 | 36âÂÂ22
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 59 | March 3 | Houston | | Michael Finley (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (13) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 37âÂÂ22 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 60 | March 5 | @ Orlando | | Dirk Nowitzki (22) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (6) | TD Waterhouse Centre<br>13,636 | 37âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 61 | March 7 | @ Miami | | Dirk Nowitzki (29) | Howard, Bradley (14) | Steve Nash (7) | American Airlines Arena<br>15,864 | 38âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 62 | March 9 | Golden State | | Dirk Nowitzki (32) | Shawn Bradley (20) | Finley, Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 39âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 63 | March 11 | L.A. Clippers | | Dirk Nowitzki (22) | Shawn Bradley (11) | Michael Finley (8) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 40âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 64 | March 13 | New Jersey | | Juwan Howard (27) | Juwan Howard (9) | Steve Nash (11) | Reunion Arena<br>15,934 | 41âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 65 | March 15 | Minnesota | | Michael Finley (22) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>17,472 | 42âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 66 | March 17 | Phoenix | | Dirk Nowitzki (34) | Juwan Howard (14) | Michael Finley (11) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 43âÂÂ23 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 67 | March 20 | Portland | | Michael Finley (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (13) | Steve Nash (9) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 43âÂÂ24 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 68 | March 21 | @ Minnesota | | Dirk Nowitzki (30) | Shawn Bradley (7) | Howard Eisley (6) | Target Center<br>18,101 | 43âÂÂ25 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 69 | March 24 | Charlotte | | Michael Finley (31) | Shawn Bradley (12) | Michael Finley (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 44âÂÂ25 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 70 | March 26 | @ Utah | | Michael Finley (33) | Dirk Nowitzki (13) | Steve Nash (9) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 45âÂÂ25 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 71 | March 28 | @ Portland | | Juwan Howard (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (14) | Steve Nash (8) | Rose Garden Arena<br>20,580 | 46âÂÂ25 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 72 | March 30 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Dirk Nowitzki (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Howard Eisley (6) | Staples Center<br>18,997 | 46âÂÂ26
|-style="background:#cfc;" | 73 | April 1 | @ Sacramento | | Juwan Howard (32) | Juwan Howard (12) | Steve Nash (12) | ARCO Arena<br>17,317 | 47âÂÂ26 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 74 | April 3 | @ Houston | | Michael Finley (27) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Steve Nash (9) | Compaq Center<br>11,926 | 48âÂÂ26 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 75 | April 5 | Atlanta | | Juwan Howard (20) | Shawn Bradley (15) | Howard Eisley (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 49âÂÂ26 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 76 | April 7 | Utah | | Juwan Howard (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Steve Nash (11) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 49âÂÂ27 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 77 | April 10 | @ San Antonio | | Michael Finley (25) | Calvin Booth (11) | Steve Nash (5) | Alamodome<br>25,682 | 49âÂÂ28 |-style="background:#fcc;" | 78 | April 11 | @ Phoenix | | Michael Finley (34) | Dirk Nowitzki (11) | Steve Nash (5) | America West Arena<br>19,023 | 49âÂÂ29 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 79 | April 13 | Sacramento | | Michael Finley (31) | Shawn Bradley (15) | Steve Nash (5) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 50âÂÂ29 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 80 | April 15 | @ Seattle | | Michael Finley (26) | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Steve Nash (6) | KeyArena<br>15,194 | 51âÂÂ29 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 81 | April 16 | @ Golden State | | Juwan Howard (30) | Shawn Bradley (9) | Nash, Eisley (6) | The Arena in Oakland<br>13,393 | 52âÂÂ29 |-style="background:#cfc;" | 82 | April 18 | Minnesota | | Michael Finley (24) | Dirk Nowitzki (8) | Finley, Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 53âÂÂ29
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 21 | @ Utah | L 86âÂÂ88 | Michael Finley (26) | Dirk Nowitzki (12) | Steve Nash (7) | Delta Center<br>19,100 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 24 | @ Utah | L 98âÂÂ109 | Michael Finley (32) | Bradley, Finley (8) | Steve Nash (6) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 0âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | April 28 | Utah | W 94âÂÂ91 | Dirk Nowitzki (33) | Juwan Howard (11) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 1âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | May 1 | Utah | W 107âÂÂ77 | Dirk Nowitzki (33) | Michael Finley (12) | Steve Nash (7) | Reunion Arena<br>18,300 | 2âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | May 3 | @ Utah | W 84âÂÂ83 | Michael Finley (33) | Juwan Howard (8) | Steve Nash (7) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 3âÂÂ2 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | May 5 | @ San Antonio | L 78âÂÂ94 | Michael Finley (17) | Shawn Bradley (12) | Steve Nash (6) | Alamodome<br>32,798 | 0âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | May 7 | @ San Antonio | L 86âÂÂ100 | Michael Finley (24) | Juwan Howard (11) | Michael Finley (7) | Alamodome<br>27,690 | 0âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | May 9 | San Antonio | L 90âÂÂ104 | Dirk Nowitzki (15) | Greg Buckner (12) | Michael Finley (5) | Reunion Arena<br>18,237 | 0âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | May 12 | San Antonio | W 112âÂÂ108 | Dirk Nowitzki (30) | Dirk Nowitzki (9) | Steve Nash (14) | Reunion Arena<br>18,187 | 1âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | May 14 | @ San Antonio | L 87âÂÂ105 | Dirk Nowitzki (42) | Dirk Nowitzki (18) | Eisley, Finley (4) | Alamodome<br>25,853 | 1âÂÂ4 |-
Player Transactions Reference: