Mavericks fans have been through a lot in these 32 years, from always coming up a pick or two short in draft lotteries, to Moody Madness, to Derek Harper dribbling out the clock in a tie game and letting a chance to beat the Lakers and make the Finals in their first decade slip away, then to one of the worst decades an professional American sports franchise has endured.
↵Then has come their greatest decade that began with Mark Cuban taking over the team and Don Nelson finally building a winner with Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. They battled the Kings, Spurs and Suns, losing to each, then beating each and making their first NBA Finals in what felt like a coronation or victory lap but ended in the worst sporting heart break this area has experienced since the 70's and possibly the 60's Cowboys defeats on their way up.
↵Since that crushing - and I mean crushing - defeat and a 67-win 2007 season, Mavs fans have experienced the low of losing in the first round to an eight seed, losing in the first round in two of three subsequent seasons, and being summarily dismissed by the Nuggets the one season in which they did win a series. Despite 11 straight 50-win seasons, Mavs fans have become increasingly pessimistic and jaded.
↵Game 4 of their first round series with Portland saw them endure yet another disappointment, as the Mavericks let a 23-point lead slip away and with it a commanding series lead. Then, with many national analysts picking the Blazers even before the series started, Dallas handled Games 5 and 6 and crafted this shocking sweep of the Lakers. This is the most surprising series win in franchise history, but is it the all-time high point?
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