The 1995–96 Dallas Mavericks season was the 16th season for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association.
Season summary
Off-season The Mavericks received the twelfth overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected center Cherokee Parks out of Duke University, and also selected center Loren Meyer out of Iowa State University with the 24th overall pick.
Regular season The Mavericks got off to a fast start by winning their first four games of the regular season. However, after a 5–1 start to the season, the team struggled losing 21 of their next 24 games, as Jamal Mashburn suffered a season-ending knee injury after only playing just 18 games, averaging 23.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Mashburn, second-year star Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson all had trouble getting along as teammates, as Mashburn and Jackson both feuded with each other, and Jackson and Kidd both feuded with each other; there were rumors that R&B singer Toni Braxton was involved in Kidd and Jackson's feud. The team's troubles continued as sixth man Roy Tarpley was banned from the NBA for violating the league's anti-drug policy. After holding a 16–30 record at the All-Star break, the Mavericks suffered an 11-game losing streak in March, and finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 26–56 record, missing the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
Kidd averaged 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game, and also contributed 133 three-point field goals, while Jackson averaged 19.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, along with 121 three-point field goals. In addition, George McCloud showed improvement, stepping up in Mashburn's absence as the team's starting small forward, averaging 18.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, while finishing second in the league with 257 three-point field goals. Meanwhile, Popeye Jones provided the team with 11.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, while off the bench, second-year guard Tony Dumas contributed 11.6 points per game, Lucious Harris contributed 7.9 points per game, Meyer provided with 5.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, and starting defensive center Lorenzo Williams averaged 3.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Kidd was selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his first ever All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, McCloud participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout, and also finished in second place in Most Improved Player voting, behind Gheorghe Mureșan of the Washington Bullets. The Mavericks finished 15th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 684,138 at the Reunion Arena during the regular season.
Aftermath In May, Ross Perot, Jr. purchased the team from founder Don Carter. Following the season, Jones was traded to the Toronto Raptors, while Harris signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Williams signed with the Washington Bullets. Meanwhile, Parks was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Scott Brooks signed with the New York Knicks, Terry Davis was released to free agency, and Dick Motta was fired as head coach, and re-assigned to serve as a consultant for the Mavericks.
Offseason
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 12 Cherokee Parks C/PF Duke 1 24 Loren Meyer C/PF Iowa State
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot
Game log
Player statistics
Ragular season PlayerSG82 82 2,820 410 235 47 22 1,604 34.4 5.0 2.9 .6 .3 19.6PG 81 81 3,034 553 783 175 26 1,348 37.5 6.8 9.7 2.2 .3 16.6SF 79 63 2,846 379 212 113 38 1,497 36.0 4.8 2.7 1.4 .5 18.9C 72 21 1,266 319 57 20 32 363 17.6 4.4 .8 .3 .4 5.0PG 69 0 716 41 100 42 3 352 10.4 .6 1.4 .6 .0 5.1PF 68 68 2,322 737 132 54 27 770 34.1 10.8 1.9 .8 .4 11.3SG 67 12 1,284 115 99 42 13 776 19.2 1.7 1.5 .6 .2 11.6C 65 61 1,806 521 85 48 122 198 27.8 8.0 1.3 .7 1.9 3.0C 64 3 869 216 29 25 32 250 13.6 3.4 .5 .4 .5 3.9SG 61 1 1,016 122 79 35 3 481 16.7 2.0 1.3 .6 .0 7.9†PF 37 0 642 133 27 16 9 182 17.4 3.6 .7 .4 .2 4.9PF 28 0 501 117 21 10 4 137 17.9 4.2 .8 .4 .1 4.9SF 18 18 669 97 50 14 3 422 37.2 5.4 2.8 .8 .2 23.4†C 13 0 113 22 4 1 8 18 8.7 1.7 .3 .1 .6 1.4†PF 3 0 26 5 0 0 0 11 8.7 1.7 .0 .0 .0 3.7
Awards and records Jason Kidd, NBA All-Star Game
Transactions Free agents
SubtractionsPlayerDate signedNew teamDoug SmithExpansion Draft June 24, 1995Toronto Raptors
References
See also 1995-96 NBA season