Dallas Mavericks: 15 best playoff moments in franchise history

Dallas Mavericks best playoff moment: 13. Vince Carter buzzer-beater 2014

In 2014, the Mavericks only player left from the 2011 championship run was Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas went 49-33, but they finished fourth in their division and eighth in the Western Conference. That meant a first-round date with the top-seeded Spurs.

San Antonio would win the championship in 2014, but Dallas pushed them to seven games in the opening round. Mavs fans will never forget game three. It will forever be known as “The Vince Carter Game”.

First, flashback to the 2001 playoffs when the Raptors faced off against the Sixers. Vince Carter was an up and coming star in the NBA trying to beat Allen Iverson in the playoffs. The Raptors ran almost the exact same play the Mavs would run for Carter 13 years later, but Vinsanity missed the shot in 2001.

Luckily for Mavs fans, in 2014 with roughly two seconds left down two against the Spurs things were different. Vince Carter peeled off a few screens and headed towards the corner. Jose Calderon faked a pass to the middle before inbounding the ball to Carter. With Manu Ginobili on his back, VC pump-faked and let Manu fly by him before rising up and banging in the game-winning three at the buzzer.

Carter’s shot is the only playoff game-winning buzzer-beater in franchise history.  Fans will never forget it.