List of Dallas Mavericks head coaches
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Mavericks
are an American professional basketball
team based in Dallas, Texas
. They play in the Southwest Division
of the Western Conference
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). The team joined the NBA in 1980 as an expansion team
, and won their first Western Conference championship in 2006. The Mavericks have played their home games at the American Airlines Center
since 2001. The Mavericks are owned by Mark Cuban
, and Donnie Nelson
is their general manager.
There have been nine head coach
es for the Mavericks franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Dick Motta
, who served for two non-consecutive stints, and coached for nine seasons with the Mavericks. Motta is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (738); Don Nelson
, Donnie Nelson's father, is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season game wins (339); Avery Johnson
is the franchise's all-time leader for the most playoff games coached (47), the most playoff-game wins (23), and the highest winning percentage
in the regular season (.735). Nelson is also named one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. Johnson led the Mavericks to the franchise's first Finals appearance in 2006
, only to lose to the Miami Heat
in six games. Johnson is also the only Mavericks coach to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
, having won it in the . Quinn Buckner
and Jim Cleamons
have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Mavericks. None of the Mavericks coaches have been elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. Rick Carlisle
has been the head coach of the Mavericks since 2008. Carlisle led the Mavericks to the franchise's first NBA Championship in its second Finals appearance, defeating the Miami Heat in six games in the 2011 NBA Finals
.
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Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
are an American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. They play in the Southwest Division
Southwest Division (NBA)
The Southwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). The team joined the NBA in 1980 as an expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
, and won their first Western Conference championship in 2006. The Mavericks have played their home games at the American Airlines Center
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.It is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and the Dallas Stars of the NHL....
since 2001. The Mavericks are owned by Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
, and Donnie Nelson
Donnie Nelson
Donnie Nelson is the General Manager and president of basketball operations for the NBA team the Dallas Mavericks. Donnie attended Worcester Academy for High School. He is the son of Don Nelson, the former head coach of the Golden State Warriors...
is their general manager.
There have been nine head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
es for the Mavericks franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Dick Motta
Dick Motta
John Richard "Dick" Motta is a former basketball coach whose career in the National Basketball Association spanned 25 years, and he continues to rank among the NBA's all-time top 10 in coaching victories....
, who served for two non-consecutive stints, and coached for nine seasons with the Mavericks. Motta is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (738); Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
, Donnie Nelson's father, is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season game wins (339); Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson is a former American professional basketball player and current head coach of the National Basketball Association team New Jersey Nets. He has also coached the Dallas Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance and four consecutive 50+ win seasons...
is the franchise's all-time leader for the most playoff games coached (47), the most playoff-game wins (23), and the highest winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
in the regular season (.735). Nelson is also named one of the top 10 coaches in NBA history. Johnson led the Mavericks to the franchise's first Finals appearance in 2006
2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
, only to lose to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in six games. Johnson is also the only Mavericks coach to have won the NBA Coach of the Year Award
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
, having won it in the . Quinn Buckner
Quinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
and Jim Cleamons
Jim Cleamons
James Mitchell "Jim" Cleamons is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. He played collegiately at The Ohio State University, and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 13th pick of the 1971 NBA Draft...
have spent their entire NBA coaching careers with the Mavericks. None of the Mavericks coaches have been elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
has been the head coach of the Mavericks since 2008. Carlisle led the Mavericks to the franchise's first NBA Championship in its second Finals appearance, defeating the Miami Heat in six games in the 2011 NBA Finals
2011 NBA Finals
The 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010–11 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, to win their first NBA title...
.
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Key
| GC | Games coached |
| W | Wins |
| L | Losses |
| Win% | Winning percentage Winning percentage In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win... |
| # | Number of coaches |
| * | Spent entire NBA head coaching career with the Mavericks |
Coaches
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the .| # | Name | Term | GC | W | L | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | Achievements | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
| 11 | – | 574 | 267 | 307 | .465 | 28 | 11 | 17 | .393 | |||
| 22 | – | 175 | 96 | 79 | .549 | 17 | 10 | 7 | .588 | |||
| 33 | – | 264 | 94 | 170 | .356 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | |||
| 44 | 53 | 9 | 44 | .170 | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 55 | * | 82 | 13 | 69 | .159 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 6— | – | 164 | 62 | 102 | .378 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 76 | * | – | 98 | 28 | 70 | .286 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 87 | – | 590 | 339 | 251 | .575 | 43 | 19 | 24 | .442 | One of the top 10 coaches in NBA history | ||
| 98 | – | 264 | 194 | 70 | .735 | 47 | 23 | 24 | .489 | NBA Coach of the Year NBA Coach of the Year Award The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966... 2005–06 Western Conference Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... championship 2006 NBA Playoffs The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals... |
||
| 109 | –present | 246 | 162 | 84 | .659 | 37 | 23 | 14 | .622 | 1 NBA Championship (2011 2011 NBA Finals The 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010–11 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, to win their first NBA title... ) |
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