The 1996–97 NBA season was the Mavericks' 17th season in the National Basketball Association .[1] The Mavericks had the ninth pick in the 1996 NBA draft , and selected Samaki Walker out of Louisville .[2] In the off-season, the team signed free agents Chris Gatling ,[3] Oliver Miller ,[4] and former Mavs guard Derek Harper ,[5] [6] and acquired Eric Montross from the Boston Celtics ,[7] and signed undrafted rookie guard Erick Strickland . With new head coach Jim Cleamons , the Mavericks struggles continued with a 4–10 start in November. With the team not showing any improvement, they traded All-Star guard Jason Kidd to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for second-year star Michael Finley , Sam Cassell and A.C. Green in late December.[8] [9] [10]
Gatling played a sixth man role, averaging 19.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game off the bench during the first half of the season, and was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game .[11] [12] At midseason, he was traded along with Cassell, Montross, Jim Jackson and George McCloud to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Shawn Bradley , Robert Pack , Khalid Reeves and second-year forward Ed O'Bannon ,[13] [14] while Jamal Mashburn was dealt to the Miami Heat in exchange for second-year guard Sasha Danilovic , second-year forward Kurt Thomas , and rookie forward Martin Muursepp ,[15] [16] and Miller was released to free agency, and re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Toronto Raptors .[17] In February, former Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson became the team's General Manager.[18] The Mavericks suffered an 11-game losing streak between March and April, which included an 87–80 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on April 6, where the Mavs scored just two points in the third quarter. It was the fewest points scored in a quarter of a game in NBA history.[19] [20] The Mavericks lost 16 of their final 18 games, finishing fourth in the Midwest Division with a 24–58 record.[21]
For the players who were acquired in trades during the season, Finley averaged 15.6 points per game in 56 games with the Mavericks, while Bradley averaged 14.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game in 32 games, Pack contributed 11.5 points, 6.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game in 20 games, and Green contributed 7.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in 56 games. In addition, for the players who spent the entire season with the Mavericks this season, Harper provided with 10.0 points and 4.3 assists per game, and Strickland contributed 10.6 points per game in only just 28 games.[11] Following the season, Harper and O'Bannon were both traded to the Orlando Magic , who released O'Bannon to free agency,[22] [23] and Danilovic was released after just two seasons in the NBA.
Offseason
Draft picks
Roster
1996–97 Dallas Mavericks roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)
From
C
44
Bradley, Shawn
7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1972–03–22
BYU
G
5
Danilovic, Sasha
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
1970–02–26
Serbia
C
50
Dreiling, Greg
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
1962–11–07
Kansas
F
4
Finley, Michael
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1973–03–06
Wisconsin
F
45
Green, A. C.
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1963–10–04
Oregon State
G
12
Harper, Derek
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1961–10–13
Illinois
C
33
King, Stacey
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1967–01–29
Oklahoma
F
13
Muursepp, Martin
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1974–09–26
Estonia
F
31
O'Bannon, Ed
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
222 lb (101 kg)
1972–08–14
UCLA
G
14
Pack, Robert
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
1969–02–03
USC
G
6
Reeves, Khalid
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
199 lb (90 kg)
1972–07–15
Arizona
G
20
Strickland, Erick
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1973–11–25
Nebraska
F/C
40
Thomas, Kurt (IN)
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1972–10–04
TCU
F
52
Walker, Samaki
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
1976–02–25
Louisville
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended(IN) Inactive Injured
Roster Last transaction: April 15, 1997
Roster Notes
Center Shawn Bradley holds both American and German citizenship.
Power forward Kurt Thomas was acquired from the Miami Heat at midseason, but did not play with the Mavericks this season due to an ankle injury.
Regular season
Season standings
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1996-97 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
TOR
UTA
VAN
WAS
Atlanta
—
3–1
1–3
1–3
3–1
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
1–2
4–0
2–0
3–1
1–3
3–1
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–1
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–1
Boston
1–3
—
0–4
0–4
1–2
1–1
1–1
0–4
1–1
0–2
1–2
0–2
1–1
0–4
1–3
0–2
0–4
0–4
0–4
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–1
0–2
0–2
0–4
Charlotte
3–1
4–0
—
0–4
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–2
2–2
2–0
4–0
3–1
1–2
4–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–2
0–2
2–0
3–1
Chicago
3–1
4–0
4–0
—
3–1
2–0
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
2–2
4–0
2–0
3–1
2–2
3–0
4–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–1
Cleveland
1–3
2–1
1–3
1–3
—
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–1
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
0–4
2–2
2–0
4–0
1–3
2–2
3–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
0–2
3–1
1–1
2–0
1–3
Dallas
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
—
3–1
0–2
0–4
0–4
1–1
2–2
0–4
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
0–2
1–3
3–1
0–2
Denver
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
—
0–2
1–3
1–3
0–2
1–3
0–4
0–2
1–1
0–4
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–2
0–4
2–2
2–2
0–4
1–1
0–4
3–1
1–1
Detroit
3–1
4–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–0
2–0
—
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
0–4
3–1
2–0
4–0
1–2
2–2
2–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
4–0
Golden State
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
4–0
3–1
0–2
—
0–4
1–1
1–3
0–4
0–2
1–1
1–3
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–0
0–4
2–2
1–3
4–0
0–4
2–0
0–4
3–1
0–2
Houston
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–0
4–0
3–1
1–1
4–0
—
1–1
3–1
3–1
0–2
1–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
3–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
2–0
Indiana
1–3
2–1
2–2
0–4
1–3
1–1
2–0
1–3
1–1
1–1
—
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
2–0
2–2
1–3
1–3
3–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
0–2
2–0
1–3
L.A. Clippers
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
3–1
0–2
3–1
1–3
0–2
—
2–2
0–2
2–0
1–3
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–2
0–4
2–2
4–0
1–3
2–0
1–3
4–0
0–2
L.A. Lakers
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
4–0
1–1
4–0
1–3
1–1
2–2
—
1–1
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
4–0
1–3
4–0
2–2
3–1
1–1
1–3
4–0
2–0
Miami
2–1
4–0
2–1
2–2
4–0
2–0
2–0
4–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
2–0
1–1
—
4–0
1–1
3–1
1–3
2–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
3–1
0–2
2–0
3–1
Milwaukee
0–4
3–1
2–2
0–4
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
2–2
0–2
0–2
0–4
—
0–2
2–1
1–2
2–2
3–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
1–3
Minnesota
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
0–2
3–1
4–0
0–2
3–1
0–4
0–2
3–1
1–3
1–1
2–0
—
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–2
0–4
4–0
0–4
1–1
1–3
4–0
1–1
New Jersey
1–3
4–0
0–4
1–3
0–4
1–1
1–1
0–4
0–2
0–2
2–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–2
0–2
—
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–3
0–2
2–0
1–3
New York
3–1
4–0
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–1
1–1
2–2
—
3–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
3–0
1–1
2–0
4–0
Orlando
1–3
4–0
2–1
0–3
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
2–0
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
3–1
1–3
—
2–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
0–2
1–1
1–3
Philadelphia
0–4
3–1
0–4
0–4
0–3
0–2
1–1
1–2
0–2
0–2
0–3
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–3
1–1
2–2
2–3
2–2
—
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
2–0
1–3
Phoenix
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–1
2–2
2–0
4–0
2–2
1–1
2–2
0–4
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
—
1–3
4–0
3–1
2–2
0–2
1–3
2–2
1–1
Portland
0–2
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
3–1
4–0
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
4–0
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–1
—
2–2
4–0
1–3
0–2
2–2
4–0
0–2
Sacramento
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–2
1–1
3–1
0–4
1–1
2–2
0–4
0–2
2–0
4–0
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
0–4
2–2
—
3–1
1–3
1–1
0–4
4–0
0–2
San Antonio
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–0
3–1
2–2
0–2
0–4
1–3
1–1
0–4
2–2
0–2
1–1
0–4
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–3
0–4
1–3
—
0–4
1–1
1–3
1–3
0–2
Seattle
1–1
2–0
0–2
0–2
2–0
3–1
4–0
1–1
4–0
1–3
1–1
3–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
4–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
2–2
3–1
3–1
4–0
—
2–0
1–3
4–0
2–0
Toronto
0–4
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–0
1–1
1–3
0–2
1–1
0–4
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–3
1–1
3–0
0–3
0–4
3–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–2
—
1–1
1–1
2–2
Utah
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
3–1
4–0
1–1
4–0
2–2
2–0
3–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
2–0
3–1
2–2
4–0
3–1
3–1
1–1
—
4–0
2–0
Vancouver
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–3
0–2
1–3
1–3
0–2
0–4
0–4
0–2
0–2
0–4
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–2
0–4
0–4
3–1
0–4
1–1
0–4
—
1–1
Washington
1–2
4–0
1–3
1–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
0–4
2–0
0–2
3–1
2–0
0–2
1–3
3–1
1–1
3–1
0–4
3–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–2
0–2
1–1
—
Game log
1996–97 game log Total: 24–58 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–0)
November: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
December: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
January: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
February: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
March: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
April: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
1996–97 schedule
Player statistics
[11]
Awards and records
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Transactions
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References
^ "1996-97 Dallas Mavericks" . Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2012-06-11 .
^ Cotton, Anthony (June 27, 1996). "For 76ers, Iverson Is No. 1 Choice" . The Washington Post . Retrieved July 25, 2021 .
^ "Mavericks Sign Gatling to 5-Year Deal" . United Press International . July 17, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022 .
^ "Mavericks Sign Miller to One-Year Deal" . United Press International . October 17, 1996. Retrieved June 30, 2022 .
^ Brown, Clifton (July 26, 1996). "BASKETBALL; Harper Appears Headed to Mavs" . The New York Times . Retrieved July 31, 2021 .
^ "Harper Returns to Mavericks" . United Press International . July 26, 1996. Retrieved October 10, 2022 .
^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Celtics Trade Montross to Mavericks" . The New York Times . June 22, 1996. Retrieved June 29, 2022 .
^ Press, Associated (December 27, 1996). "Kidd Traded to Suns in a Six-Player Deal" . The New York Times . Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ Press, Associated (December 27, 1996). "Kidd Is Traded to Suns for Cassell, Finley, Green" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 28, 2017 .
^ "Kidd Sent to Suns in 6-Player Deal" . The Washington Post . December 27, 1996. Retrieved July 11, 2022 .
^ a b c "1996–97 Dallas Mavericks Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021 .
^ "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved November 27, 2021 .
^ Roberts, Selena (February 18, 1997). "Nets and Mavericks Clean House and Start Over" . The New York Times . Retrieved July 3, 2021 .
^ Press, Associated (February 18, 1997). "Overhaul Ends for Mavericks" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 16, 2022 .
^ Brown, Clifton (February 15, 1997). "Miami Acquires Mashburn from Dallas to Bolster Its Firepower" . The New York Times . Retrieved September 16, 2022 .
^ Lester, Will (February 14, 1997). "Heat Gets Mavericks' Mashburn for Three Players" . Associated Press . Retrieved July 18, 2021 .
^ "Raptors Sign Center Oliver Miller" . Associated Press . November 28, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2022 .
^ Roberts, Selena (February 8, 1997). "All-Stars Are Tepid on Return of Nelson" . The New York Times . Retrieved May 16, 2022 .
^ Press, Associated (April 7, 1997). "Mavs Score Just 2 Points In a Quarter" . The New York Times . Retrieved February 28, 2017 .
^ "Lakers 87, Mavericks 80" . United Press International . April 7, 1997. Retrieved October 10, 2022 .
^ "1996–97 Dallas Mavericks Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021 .
^ Johnson, L.C. (September 25, 1997). "Trade Lets Magic Get Rid of Scott" . Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved September 23, 2022 .
^ "Mavericks Send Harper, O'Bannon to Magic for Scott, Cash" . Associated Press . September 25, 1997. Retrieved July 31, 2021 .
See also
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA Championships Rivalries Culture and lore
1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s