May 3rd, 2001, is a day etched in history for Mavs fans: Calvin Booth sunk the winning basket to beat the Utah Jazz 84-83, clinching the first round NBA Western Conference playoff series. That shot vaporized a decade of frustration. Dallas officially broke the playoff seal after a brutal 10-straight seasons out of the dance, a drought that included a gut-wrenching near-miss in 1999-2000 with a 40-42 record. You could feel the hunger in the air, and it paid off big time this season.
The Long Road Back to the Postseason
After that 40-42 campaign, this Mavs squad was on a mission. They cranked up their win total by an incredible 13 games in 2000-2001, finishing 53-29 and leaving zero doubt they were back on the postseason scene. A plus-13 win total is sick in any year, but let’s talk context: the Western Conference was absolutely stacked. Literally, all but one of the eight West Playoff teams hit 50 wins, with the 8 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves still racking up 47. The 1 Seed San Antonio Spurs bagged 58 wins, but that was only five games better than a Mavericks team that had been an afterthought for so long. Their 53 wins slotted them as the 5 Seed, setting up a clash with the Utah Jazz. The Jazz, who still had NBA legends John Stockton and Karl Malone, were just a few years removed from back-to-back Finals appearances. The regular season matchups were tight, each team winning two of their four games. Both squads even went 14-10 against their (now defunct) Midwest Division rivals. But Utah edged them out with a better record against the rest of the Western Conference, snagging home court advantage in the best-of-five series.
Heartbreak, Socks, and a Reversal of Fortune
The Mavs, riding high on their playoff return, tried something different: nice blue socks to match their road uniforms, a kind of overt unity show. Maybe it was too much. Game one was a killer. Dallas took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, a spot where they were basically invincible during the regular season, holding a 46-2 record when leading after three quarters, including a ridiculous 21-1 road record. Yet, somehow, they found themselves down by a point in the final seconds. Dirk Nowitzki got stripped on a drive that would’ve given them the lead with roughly three seconds left. Utah hit a free throw, giving Dallas one last shot, but Michael Finley’s three-point attempt missed, and boom, down 0-1. Game two was a straight up beatdown, a 109-98 loss where Dallas got outscored in every quarter but the fourth. Down 0-2, staring elimination in the face, the Mavs got back to Dallas. First order of business? Ditching those “lucky” socks. And guess what? They found a reversal of fortune.
Now, with that series win under their belt, they’re not just celebrating, they’re advancing to the second round! This team just proved they can hang with the legends and come back from the brink. Bring on the next challenge!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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