10 Most heartbreaking moments in Dallas Mavericks history

Since the Dallas Mavericks' existence dating back to the 1980-81 season, it goes without saying that the Mavericks have had a lot of bad moments in franchise history, just like any other team.

The franchise has only won one NBA Finals in 2011 to show for it.

They've had plenty of great moments too, and are climbing the mountain to hopefully win another NBA Finals too, but there have been rough patches along the way as well.

10 Most heartbreaking moments in Dallas Mavericks history

But, which rough moments are the most heartbreaking?

Dallas, just like any other team, has had stretches where it feels like they're on top of the world, and others where they're at the bottom of the league.

10. The 1990s become the lost decade

While the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars saw success in the 1990s as the Cowboys won three Super Bowls and the Stars won the 1999 Stanley Cup, the same couldn't be said for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks made the 1990 NBA Playoffs but were swept by the Trail Blazers in three games in the opening round. After getting swept, the team seemingly had a dark cloud over them.

The Mavericks missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons from 1991-2000. During that stretch, the Mavs had six different head coaches.

The worst of the 1990s stretch came in the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons as in those two seasons, the Mavs would combine for a 24-140 record; Dallas won 11 games in the 1992-93 season.

If there was one positive moment that came out of the lost decade it came in the 1994-95 season as current Mavs head coach Jason Kidd won Rookie of the Year.

The 1990s were the toughest and worst stretch for the Mavericks franchise as the team missed the Playoffs for a decade. No Mavs fan ever wants the 1990s to repeat itself again. This was a heartbreaking stretch for fans, but better days were ahead.

9. 2011 Lamar Odom trade and disaster title defense

The Dallas Mavericks won their first and only championship in franchise history over the Miami Heat in 2011. The team had high expectations entering the 2011-12 season to repeat or at least be in the hunt to make another deep run.

Despite losing fan favorite Tyson Chandler in free agency to the New York Knicks, the Mavs made a trade for Lamar Odom in December 2011 from the Los Angeles Lakers. Odom was a two-time NBA champion and a key starter on the Lakers. In the 2010-11 season, Odom was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year. Unfortunately, the 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks season with Odom was quite a forgettable one.

The Mavs went from a third seed in 2011 to a seventh seed in 2012. The Mavs finished with a 36-30 record in the 2011-12 lockout season. Odom played in 50 games out of 66, and started only four. Odom averaged 6.6 points per game, which was the lowest in his career at the time. The Mavs were swept in the opening round of the 2012 Playoffs by the young OKC Thunder in one of the worst title defenses in NBA history.

After the season, Odom was out of Dallas and joined the LA Clippers. On March 26, 2013, the Clippers and Odom played a game in Dallas. When Odom checked into the game, Mavs fans gave him a warm welcome of boos for his wasted season in Dallas.

When Odom was in Dallas, it was clear he turned his back on the team, and Mavs fans have never forgiven him. Odom to Dallas will go down as one of the worst trades in team history, and the Mavs' title defense wasn't pretty either.

The 2011-12 season was heartbreaking for Mavs fans considering what they did in the season prior, and the Odom trade made everything worse.

8. No. 7 seed Spurs upset Mavs in 2010 Playoffs

The 2009-10 Dallas Mavericks had a strong regular season, clinching the Western Conference's second seed and Southwest Division title with a 55-27 record.

Dirk Nowitzki averaged an impressive 25 points per game to make another All-Star Game, and Jason Kidd was also an All-Star.

The Mavs concluded the regular season hot winning their last five games. The fifth win came against the Spurs who they would get to play in the opening round of the 2010 Playoffs.

With being a second seed, some thought this could be Nowitzki's time to silence the doubters about not winning the big game. The series started with the Mavs taking a 1-0 series lead. Then, it got ugly.

The Mavs lost the next three games of the series to find themselves trailing 3-1 going home. Both losses in San Antonio were hard to take. The Mavs lost Game 3 by a final of 94-90, and Game 4 by a final of 92-89.

The Mavs would win Game 5 to force a Game 6, but Game 6 would be the final game of the series. The Mavs fell 97-87 to lose the series. Dallas' trips down south to battle its in-state rival would haunt them.

The pressure and criticism of Nowitzki not winning when it mattered most continued with him following the 2010 defeat. The Mavs would waste a 55-win season and a second seed in the playoffs to be upset by the seventh-seed Spurs, and this was a heartbreaking way for the season to end.

7. Letting Steve Nash walk in 2004 free agency

NBA hall of famer Steve Nash began his NBA career with the Suns for the first two seasons after he entered the league. In 1998, Nash was traded to Dallas where he played the next six seasons of his career.

In Dallas, Nash showed potential of a superstar in the making. Nash was a two-time All-Star in 2002 and 2003. But, as the 2003-04 season concluded, Nash struggled as his points per game and 3-point shooting dropped. Nash's turnovers were also up from 2003, and Nash wasn't an All-Star in 2004.

The Mavs were in a tough position whether or not to re-sign him. Instead of re-signing in Dallas, Nash would sign with the Suns and go back to the team where his career began on a six-year deal.

So how did Nash turn out playing back in Phoenix? Nash would win back-to-back MVPs and finished second in 2007. Nash would also lead the league in assists in five of the next seven NBA seasons.

Not re-signing Nash would turn out to be a mistake for the Mavs as his superstar play was reached in Phoenix. If Nash was in Dallas, maybe he would've been the piece the Mavs needed to get over the hump from the frustrating 2005-2010 period.

It has to be frustrating for the Mavs knowing that they decided to bring a player back and he would turn out to win back-to-back MVPs the first two seasons after leaving, and it's heartbreaking to think about the potential he and Dirk Nowitzki would have had if they played together longer.

6. Mavs fall to Lakers in 1988 Western Conference Finals

In the first three seasons of the Mavericks' existence, the franchise failed to reach the playoffs. In 1984, the Mavs made the playoffs for the first time, and fans saw them as a team that could win in the future.

The 1987-88 season was the Mavs' first big season. The Mavs finished with a 53-29 record, and Roy Tarpley was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year. Mark Aguirre led the Mavs in scoring with 25.1 points per game.

In the 1988 Playoffs, the Mavs eliminated the Rockets and Nuggets to make the Western Conference Finals against the defending NBA champion Lakers. The Mavs fell to the Lakers in the 1984 and 1986 playoffs, so the Mavs hoped the third time would be the charm.

The Lakers dominated the first two games at home, but the Mavs won the next two in Dallas to even the series at two. The Mavs lost Game 5 in Los Angeles, but forced a Game 7 after a 105-103 win in Game 6 at home.

The Mavs would end of losing Game 7 by 15 and wouldn't be able to get over the hump of beating the Lakers. To make it worse for the Mavs, the Lakers ended up winning the 1988 NBA Finals against the Pistons. "It could've been us" is what Mavs fans, players and coaches had to of thought when the Lakers won.

The Mavs' four losses on the road came by an average of 17.3 points, and this series was as close as they come.

5. Selecting Sam Perkins over Charles Barkley at 1984 Draft

Entering the 1984 NBA Draft, the Mavs were just coming off their first playoff appearance, losing to the Lakers in the second round. Even with the series loss, there was still optimism for the team as it seemed like they were heading in the right direction.

The Mavs held the fourth overall pick in the draft. Unfortunately for the Mavs, two Hall of Famers were selected beforehand. Hakeem Olajuwon was taken first overall by the Rockets, and Michael Jordan was taken third overall by the Bulls.

With guards Brad Davis and Rolando Blackmon, and small forward Mark Aguirre on the team, the team probably felt like their need for a power forward was pressing. The Mavs selected Sam Perkins fourth overall, who was Jordan's teammate at North Carolina. Perkins made the All-Rookie Team in 1985, but never averaged more than 16 points per game in his six seasons in Dallas.

Who was taken with the next pick in the draft by the 76ers? Charles Barkley. How did Sir Charles' NBA career turn out?

Barkley was an 11-time All-Star and All-NBA team member, won the 1993 MVP, averaged over 10 rebounds per game in 15 of his 16 NBA seasons, is part of the NBA 75th anniversary team, and is a Hall of Famer.

The Mavs fumbled their selection at the 1984 Draft where they could've taken a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest power forwards to play the game, and this is heartbreaking as a fan to think about considering how good they would have been with Barkley on the roster.

4. Losing the 2024 NBA Finals to the Celtics

The Dallas Mavericks entered the 2024 NBA Playoffs as underdogs to even make the NBA Finals. But, that didn't stop the Mavs from proving the doubters wrong.

Without having home-court advantage as a fifth seed, the Mavs reached the NBA Finals by defeating the Clippers, Thunder, and Timberwolves. Luka Doncic and the Mavs' run to the Finals caught a lot of people by surprise.

Unfortunately for the Mavs, they met the best team in the NBA, the Boston Celtics. The Finals had bad blood to be settled for Kyrie Irving who was a former Celtic, and Kristaps Porzingis who was a former Maverick.

Prior to the Finals starting, Derrick Jones Jr. made a bold statement and said "I don't think that anybody can beat us in a seven-game series." Jones Jr. and everyone around him were confident, but it didn't end up working out in Dallas' favor.

The Mavs would end up losing the Finals to the Celtics in five games. Irving was heckled and booed by Celtic fans the entire series. Both Irving and Doncic would underperform in the Finals too.

The Mavericks got big underperforming play from Tim Hardaway Jr. in the four losses of the series, and he was traded later that summer.

Most would say that the Mavs just met the better team which was the Celtics. But, losing a Finals in any fashion will be a heartbreaking moment.

This was Doncic's first taste of the NBA Finals, and he'll come back stronger than ever.

3. Passing on Kobe Bryant at 1996 NBA Draft

In the 1990s, one common thing was normal for the Mavericks.

Losing.

As the Mavericks entered the 1996 NBA Draft, the team was in a six-year playoff drought. The Mavs were looking for a dynamic player to help get them out of the drought.

The Mavs held the ninth pick in the draft and selected Louisville big man Samaki Walker. Four selections later, Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Hornets. Not drafting a dynamic guard fresh out of Lower Merion High School to pair with 1995 Rookie of the Year Jason Kidd in the backcourt was a risky move.

How did Walker's career turn out in Dallas?

Walker spent three seasons in Dallas where he failed to average nine points a game in a season. The Mavs failed to make the playoffs with Walker on the team. Walker would go on to play for five more teams after leaving Dallas and was out of the NBA after the 2005-06 season.

How did Bryant's career turn out? Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA team member, 2008 MVP, five-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, and a two-time scoring champion. Bryant retired with the third most points in NBA history with 33,643.

Not drafting Bryant will be the biggest draft mistake in the Mavericks' history. Passing on a big NBA legend like Bryant would go on to haunt the Mavericks for years and is heartbreaking to think about.

2. Blowing a 2-0 lead in the 2006 Finals to Heat

The Dallas Mavericks concluded the 2005-06 NBA season with winning 60 games. The Spurs won the Southwest Division with 63 wins to secure the top seed in the West. So, the Mavs entered the 2006 Playoffs as the fourth seed.

Despite being a fourth seed in the Western Conference, the Mavs knocked off the Grizzlies, Spurs, and Suns to make the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Mavs were set to take on the Heat led by Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal in the Finals. Despite being a lower seed, the Mavs earned home-court advantage with the Heat winning 52 games in the 2005-06 season.

The Mavs won the first two games by double-digits before heading to Miami. In Game 3, the Heat outscored the Mavs by 11 in the fourth quarter to cut the series lead to 2-1. The Heat won Game 4 by 24 to even the series. Game 5 needed overtime, and the Heat prevailed with a 101-100 win. The Mavs headed back to Dallas trailing 3-2, but the Mavs had to have been confident after winning the first two games of the series at home.

Trailing 95-92 with 9.1 seconds left, the Mavs would shoot to tie the game. Jason Terry missed a 3-pointer to tie the game and the Heat would celebrate on the Mavericks home court. Some Mavs fans will be bitter that some thought Gary Payton held Terry's jersey and a foul should've been called.

Conspiracy has always been out the the officiating was in favor of the Heat and Wade. Losing the 2006 Finals at home when trailing 2-0 will always sting in Mavericks history, but the team made up for it in 2011 and they got their revenge against the Heat.

1. "We believe" Warriors upset Mavs in 2007

The Dallas Mavericks used losing the 2006 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat for motivation entering the 2006-07 season. The Mavs would dominate the 2006-07 season.

The Mavs won a team record 67 games. Dirk Nowitzki won his first MVP in his career, and Josh Howard would elevate his game to All-Star level. The Mavs would be set to play the eighth seed Golden State Warriors in the opening round of the 2007 Playoffs. The Warriors won 42 games in the 2006-07 season. Dallas entered the series as huge favorites.

The Mavs and Warriors split the first two games in Dallas before heading to Oakland for the next two games. The Warriors won both games at home to take a 3-1 series lead. The Mavericks won Game 5 to force a Game 6 back in Oakland. Long story short, Game 6 was ugly for the Mavericks.

The Mavs fell by 25 in Game 6 to lose the series. The Warriors' series win will go down as one of the biggest upsets in sports history. The Mavericks would waste a 67-win season to lose in the first round of the playoffs against a team they had 25 more wins than.

Nowitzki's MVP season is one of the most forgotten MVP seasons of all time due to the Mavs losing in the first round of the playoffs.

Losing to the Warriors in the 2007 Playoffs will go down as the worst and most heartbreaking moments in Dallas Mavericks history, but Nowitzki and the Mavs' run to the 2011 NBA Finals seemingly helped fans forget about the tough moments they endured before that.