Mavericks Top-5 Games of the Year: Honorable Mention

Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Despite handing out numerous amounts of heart-stoppers and tear-jerkers, the Dallas Mavericks were an exciting team to watch during the 2013-14 season. With the addition of some key names, starting with Monta Ellis, the 49-win Mavericks were a more fun team to watch than Mark Cuban’s one-year experiment that exploded just a year prior.

Led once again by Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks had some notables to back him up. After Ellis, you had Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, DeJuan Blair and the return of one, Devin Harris.

The season came to a bittersweet end when the No. 8 Mavs forced the NBA-best Spurs to seven games, falling just short four games to three.

We take a look back at the top-5 games of the Mavericks’ season…starting with some that JUST missed the cut.

HONORABLE MENTION

Feb. 24: Mavericks 110, Knicks 108 FINAL. Already in the spotlight from playing inside the legendary Madison Square Garden, the Mavs got off to a fast start with a 10-point advantage after the opening quarter. Nowitzki had one of his less-efficient games of the season by scoring a mere 15 points, but two of them made the difference. Carmelo Anthony dropped 44 and helped the Knicks get within one going into halftime. Ellis and Vince Carter led three players with 20 or more points with 23 while Jose Calderon added 20. Dallas took a two-point lead into the fourth. A couple of lead changes started the final frame before the Mavs were up six near the 7:30 mark. Melo would answer with a pair of treys, including the game-tying one with 50 seconds remaining. It was electric at MSG, the crowd was loud and Spike Lee was his usual self on the sideline. Both teams would miss its next shot before Dallas got the ball back with 10 ticks left. New York knew that even though Nowitzki hadn’t scored much, Dallas would be looking for its go-to-man. What ensued was just another example of why he’s a first-ballot hall-of-famer. Nowitzki got the ball just beyond the free-throw line. He was being heavily guarded, by no less, Melo (it was the best defense I had seen from Anthony in a LONG time). Melo desperately tried to swipe the ball out of Dirk’s hand and possibly force overtime. Dirk took one dribble and hoisted up a rainbow fadeaway, an ugly one, which bounced off the back of the rim. The crowd and Knicks, for a split second, thought overtime, but the ball bounced straight into the air and came back down with a swish. Game over, Mavs won. Dirk later said that it was “the ugliest game winner he ever had.” You can’t blame him, but sometimes great shooters get the bounce.

OTHERS

Oct. 30: Mavericks 118, Hawks 109 (Ellis scores 32 in first game with Dallas, Mavs start off season with win)

Nov. 27: Mavericks 103, Warriors 99 (Ellis dishes out 10 assists in win over Curry and Warriors)

Dec. 30: Mavericks 100, T’Wolves 98 (Dallas ends 2013 with lucky win over Love and T’Wolves)

Jan. 11: Mavericks 110, Pelicans 107 (Dirk drops 40 in win over New Orleans)

Feb. 12: Mavericks 81, Pacers 73 (Mavericks go into break with defensive performance in Indiana)

April 3: Mavericks 113, Clippers 107 (Dallas finally hangs on to a fourth-quarter 10-point lead vs LAC)

IN LOSING EFFORT

Dec. 11: Warriors 95, Mavericks 93 

Jan. 15: Clippers 129, Mavericks 127

Jan. 29: Rockets 117, Mavericks 115 (Dirk- 38 points, 17 rebounds)

March 19: T’Wolves 123, Mavericks 122 OT

April 1: Warriors 122, Mavericks 120 OT

April 16: Grizzlies 106, Mavericks 105 OT 

STAY TUNED FOR THE #5 BEST GAME IN THE DALLAS MAVERICKS SEASON……