A brief retrospective of the Mavericks in Christmas day games
The NBA staked a claim to playing games on Christmas day beginning with their second season, way back in the late 1940’s. Other than the lockout shortened 1998-99 season, they’ve virtually never missed a beat.
Although the Dallas Mavericks have been in the league since the 1980-81 season, they’ve not featured all that frequently on Christmas. It makes sense that they didn’t have many appearances as a new franchise in the 1980’s (despite a couple of deep Playoff runs) and 1990’s (when the franchise struggled perennially). What does come as some surprise is that they only got the call twice in the 2000’s despite being the second winningest team in the entire NBA during that stretch. In the 2010’s they made fewer appearances still, with their single opportunity coming on the heels of their Championship win. Adding one of the most dynamic players the league has ever seen in Luka Doncic has certainly changed things, as the Mavs are on the cusp of playing in their fifth straight holiday game since 2020-21.
With their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves just a day away, let’s take a look at how much coal the Mavs have given and received over the years on Christmas day games.
2003-04: Dallas 111 @ Sacramento 103
Starting Five: Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki, Antoine Walker
For those that may not remember, this was the “Twan” era where the Mavs were rolling out both Jamison and Walker, the latter starting at center and playing a Don Nelson favorite “point forward.” Yes, there is quite a bit to unpack here. The Mavs were nearly impossible to cover (at least on paper) though not the most defensive-savvy. Walker was the highly coveted big that could initiate the offense (imagine Don Nelson being twenty years ahead of the “positionless basketball” curve). The O.G. “Big 3” were still a thing for at least a little while longer.
As for the game itself, this was the Christmas comeback. The Mavs were down 16 at Halftime before flipping the script to secure an 8-point win in their Christmas debut. The Kings came in with a 20-6 record while the Mavs were 15-12, so it was a big road win for Dallas. Led by Nowitzki’s 31 points and 14 rebounds, Walker’s 23 and 12, and Jamison’s 22 and 9, the Mavs demonstrated their potent offense in this one. All five starters played 35 minutes or more, with Nowitzki logging a ridiculous 47:33 of game time.
2008-09: Dallas 102 @ Portland 94
Starting Five: Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Devean George, Dirk Nowitzki, Erick Dampier
Dirk led all players with 30 points, building something of a 30-point trend in Christmas games. He was joined by Howard (15) and Jason Terry (19) as the only double-digit scorers for the Mavs. Kidd missed a triple-double largely because he decided not to shoot (or connect) all that much. He was 1-for-4 for 6 points, but had 12 boards and 10 assists. A young guy by the name of J.J. Barea came off the bench for 8 points on a poor shooting night, but managed to pull down 8 rebounds, which was one more than starting center Erick Dampier gobbled in 24 minutes.
The Mavs got the win by out-scoring or tying Portland in three of four quarters, only having gotten outscored in a sluggish third quarter. This was another nice road win which brought the Mavs to 17-11 on the season, pulling within a game of Portland who dropped to 18-12.
2011-12: Miami 105 @ Dallas 94
Starting Five: Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Haywood
In the first game of the 2011-12 season due to a lockout, the Mavs left much to be desired. After winning the Championship six months prior against this same Heat team, the Mavs rolled out a slightly new lineup, with the most notable absence being Tyson Chandler and the most notable addition being Lamar Odom. Odom came off the bench with a poor shooting night for 4 points while Dirk’s 30 point effort on Christmas Day came to an end with a 21 point outing. Jason Terry led all Mavs off the bench with 23 points. The game was a fat lump of coal for Mavs’ fans, as they basically got smacked right from the get and entered the fourth quarter down by 32, before holding the Heat to 8 points in the fourth to make the game look way more presentable than it actually was.
2020-21: Dallas 115 @ Los Angeles Lakers 138
Starting Five: Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell
Ironically, after nearly a decade-long absence from Christmas Day games, the Mavs returned in another shorted season, this time due to the COVID pandemic. Despite six players in double-figures, including all five starters, the Mavs once again had a rough go. They shot nearly 50% from the floor and 41% from three, but got obliterated on the boards, with the Lakers snatching almost twice as many (53 to 27 for a -26 differential). It was basically another throw away, as the Mavs trailed at the end of each quarter and lost by 23.
A couple of young players in Jalen Brunson and Josh Green got limited time off the bench in this one, with the former basically playing third string behind Trey Burke who scored 17 to join the starters in double-figures.
2021-22: Dallas 116 @ Utah 120
Starting Five: Jalen Brunson, Frank Ntilikina, Sterling Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Dwight Powell
After two straight Christmas Day stinkers, the Mavs made this one competitive despite playing without Luka Doncic. At this point in the season, the Mavs were mediocre (15-16) and the Jazz were not (22-9), so credit for effort while fielding a strange starting lineup against a top team. Brunson and Porzingis each dropped 27 points, but it wasn’t enough to get the W in this one.
Compared to the prior season’s Christmas game, this one demonstrated the meteoric rise Jalen Brunson went on in a short period of time and perhaps foreshadowed his pending effectiveness against Utah in the Playoffs.
2022-23: Los Angeles Lakers 115 @ Dallas 124
Starting Five: Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Reggie Bullock, Christian Wood
In their only repeat matchup yet, the Mavericks were able to get a measure of revenge against the Lakers for their loss in the 2020-21 Christmas Day game. The Mavs trailed by 11 at the half, but blew the game open in the third by outscoring the Lakers by a staggering 51 to 21 margin. Luka had 32, Hardaway, Jr. 26 and Christian Wood 30. A largely meaningless fourth quarter saw the final margin cut to 9, but the third quarter blitz effectively ended this one after 36 minutes.
The Mavs also won the rebounding battle in this one, 38 to 35, while shooting over 50% from the floor and 41% from three.
2023-24: Dallas 128 @ Phoenix 114
Starting Five: Luka Doncic, Dante Exum, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Derrick Jones, Jr., Dereck Lively
This was every Mavs’ fans dream Christmas Day basketball game. The Mavs and Suns had developed their rivalry at this point, and despite no Kyrie Irving, the Mavs came out on top. Luka Doncic scored an amazing 50 points, hitting 15-for-25 from the floor, 8-for-16 on threes, and 12-for-12 on free throws to go with 15 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks. It was an absolutely ridiculous stat line and a big statement for the Mavs just two months prior to some trades that propelled the team all the way to the NBA finals.
Despite Luka’s onslaught, there was plenty of scoring to go around, as Hardaway, Jr., Jones, Jr. and Lively each scored 18 or more in perhaps the best Christmas Day effort the franchise has yet produced.
To date, the Mavericks have a winning record at 4-3 on Christmas Day. Hopefully Dallas will play the role of a generous Santa Claus this year and give their fans another one in the win column!