Top 10 bench players in Dallas Mavericks history

8. Roy Tarpley

Roy Tarpley was the first player to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award for the Dallas Mavericks.

During the 1987-88 season, Tarpley came off the bench in 72 games for the Mavericks. He also averaged 13.5 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field.

Tarpley played a pivotal role in helping the Mavs reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history. He averaged a double-double against the Los Angeles Lakers with 15.9 points and 13 rebounds per game.

His production would continue to rise each season. In his junior year, he averaged 17.3 points per game, and two seasons later, he improved his points per game production to 20.

The problem was he only had five good seasons with Dallas before he got into some trouble.

Tarpley was suspended by the league during the 1989-90 season for a DWI and resisting arrest. He would draw two more violations before being banned.

He returned to the Mavs in 1994 before getting in trouble once again..

However, nothing will ever beat his first four years with the team.

Tarpley was a gifted player who couldn't stay out of trouble. While his time was short, his production helped Dallas become a dominant force in the 80s.