2008 First Round Series vs San Antonio Spurs

Lore & Background

The Mavericks–Spurs rivalry is relatively new, emerging in the 2000s and early 2010s, but very fierce. It features two teams with Dallas roots—the Spurs began their life in the ABA as the Dallas Chaparrals and did not move to San Antonio until 1973. On October 11, 1980, the Mavs made their NBA debut by defeating the Spurs 103–92. The teams have met numerous times in the playoffs, with the Spurs defeating the Mavericks in 2001, 2003, 2010, and 2014, while the Mavericks defeated the Spurs in 2006 and 2009.

The Spurs have won five championships and six conference titles, while the Mavericks have won one championship and three conference titles. The Spurs have won 15 division titles, while the Mavericks have won 3. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks have 3 60-win seasons, with the Mavericks having 3 60-win seasons during the 2000s while the Spurs have 2 60-win seasons during the 2000s and 1 60-win season during the 2010s.

Reader's Guide

The two teams met in the playoffs during the 2000–2001 season with the Spurs winning in five games. The two teams met again in 2003 in the Western Conference Finals. During the 2006 playoffs, the two rivals met again. In the 2009 NBA Playoffs, the Mavericks and Spurs squared off again in the first round. In 2010, the Dallas Mavericks matched up against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs. In the 2013–14 season, the Mavericks faced the Spurs once again in the 2014 NBA playoffs, where the Mavs would be the eighth seed and San Antonio the first.