The Mavs are still a relatively young franchise, opening up shop in 1980, but there’s some solid Mavs gold in the NBA’s archive, and this Sunday we get to see some of it.
The NBA has been celebrating a #TeamDay on Twitter for each franchise over the last few weeks, and this Sunday, Aug. 26, is the Mavs’ turn in the spotlight. Accompanying the day of shared photos and highlights is a ton of programming on NBA TV which, depending on the team, stretches back as far as you can imagine. Starting Sunday at 6 a.m. through Monday morning at 6 a.m., the station will air some games that are nearest and dearest to our hearts.
Click to see the full-size images, or check out the list below for full programming.
The day will start off with a trip through time back to 1995, when young Jason Kidd and Jamal Mashburn combined to score 80 points in a 156-147 double-overtime win against Clyde Drexler and the eventual champion Houston Rockets. Kidd recorded one of his 107 triple-doubles that day, as well, and would soon after win NBA co-Rookie of the Year honors. We’ll then fast-forward to Game 3 of the 2003 second-round series against the Sacramento Kings, when Nick the Quick Van Exel went off for 40 points and Walt the Wizard Williams sank a few key clutch buckets in a 141-137 win in double-OT. (Dirk Nowitzki chipped in a measly 25 points and 20 rebounds.)
Then we get to watch Dirk’s legendary and-1 against Manu Ginobili and the Spurs in Game 7 of the 2006 Western semis, a night when Nowitzki and Tim Duncan combined for 78 points and 30 rebounds.
Some of the coolest games we get to see, though, are ones that happened back in the 1980s. First up is Game 3 of the 1986 Western semis against the Los Angeles Lakers, a game which featured a Derek Harper shot for the ages. Later that night is the epic Moody Madness, Game 5 against the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1984 first round. Footage of this game is extremely rare and honestly I’m not sure you can find a reliable copy of the full thing anywhere, unless you still have a functioning VCR and happened to be a Mavs season ticket holder back in the day.
Of course, there’s a lot from the 2011 championship run, and we all remember those games: big comebacks, legendary Dirk performances, plenty of drama. That includes, for my money, the best game of basketball ever played in American Airlines Center, in Game 5 of the 2011 NBA Finals against Miami. Those were the days. Hopefully the next time the NBA celebrates Team Day, we can add even more good memories to the playlist. Schedule your DVR accordingly and enjoy.
Mavs Team Day Schedule: Sunday Aug. 26-Monday Aug. 27 (all times Eastern)
6 a.m. – Mavericks/Rockets, 4/11/95
8:00 – Mavericks/Kings, 2003 Western semis Game 3
10:00 – Mavericks/Spurs, 2006 Western semis Game 7
12 p.m. – Mavericks/Trail Blazers, 2011 first round Game 6
1:00 – Mavericks/Lakers, 1986 Western semis Game 3
3:00 – Mavericks/Thunder, 2011 Western Finals Game 4
4:00 – Mavericks/Thunder, 2011 Western Finals Game 5
5:00 – Mavericks/Heat, 2011 Finals Game 2
6:00 – Mavericks/Heat, 2011 Finals Game 5
7:00 – Mavericks/Heat, 2011 Finals Game 6
8:00 – NBA Stories: Nash & Nowitzki
8:30 – Mavericks/Clippers, 11/11/15
10:00 – Mavericks/Rockets, 4/11/95
12 a.m. (Monday) – Mavericks/Sonics, 1984 first round Game 5, “Moody Madness”
2:00 – Mavericks/Spurs, 2006 Western semis Game 7
4:00 – Mavericks/Heat, 2011 Finals Game 5
5:00 – Mavericks/Heat, 2011 Finals Game 6
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