Dallas Mavericks · Franchise era 4 of 5
The late-Dirk bridge: the Dallas Mavericks story
Franchise era
2011–12—2017–18
The late-Dirk bridge
Dallas Mavericks
The story in one sentence
Dallas cycled through short-term casts around Nowitzki while protecting the continuity of his record-setting career.
01
Keeping a legend competitive
02
Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis and Harrison Barnes gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for the luka era.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2011–12
What came before
Nowitzki became an MVP and perennial contender, then completed one of the sport's great redemption runs with the 2011 championship.
2014
Western Conference First Round: Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs
2015
Western Conference First Round: Dallas Mavericks vs Houston Rockets
2016
Western Conference First Round: Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder
After 2017–18
What came next
Dončić immediately became an offensive engine, leading Dallas to the 2024 Finals before the franchise made another dramatic change of direction.
The core