After the Dallas Chaparrals left the city and became the San Antonio Spurs in 1973, Dallas was left without a professional basketball team.  Don Carter and Norm Sonju looked to fix this problem in 1979 and the NBA voted to allow a new team in 1980.  The name Maverick was chosen by fans based on the popular television western.

On this day, October 11th, in 1980, the Dallas Mavericks opened their first season in the NBA.  The Mavericks’ first game was played against the San Antonio Spurs at home.  The Mavericks won a close game with a final score of 87-85.

Unlike most expansion teams, the Dallas Mavericks had notable success in their early years.  The Mavericks made the playoffs six times between 1980 and 1990, winning the Midwest Division in 1986 and reaching the Western Conference Finals in 1988.