1998–99 Dallas Mavericks season

The 1998–99 Dallas Mavericks season was the 19th season for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association.^[1] Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.^[2] The Mavericks received the sixth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected power forward Robert Traylor from the University of Michigan, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for their top draft pick, rookie power forward and German basketball star Dirk Nowitzki.^[3][4][5] During the off-season, the team acquired Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns,^[3][6][7] signed free agents Gary Trent,^[8][9][10] and Hot Rod Williams.^[11][12]

Despite the addition of Trent, Nowitzki and Nash, the Mavericks continued to struggle losing eight of their first nine games of the regular season, which included a seven-game losing streak in February. After 13 games, Cedric Ceballos suffered a wrist injury and was out for the remainder of the season,^[13][14][15] while Khalid Reeves was released to free agency, and later on signed with the Detroit Pistons.^[16] The Mavericks finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 19–31 record, missing the NBA playoffs for the ninth consecutive year.^[17][1]

Michael Finley averaged 20.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while Trent averaged 16.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and Ceballos provided the team with 12.5 points per game. In addition, Hubert Davis contributed 9.1 points per game and led the Mavericks with 65 three-point field goals, while Shawn Bradley averaged 8.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, Robert Pack averaged 8.9 points and 3.2 assists per game in only just 25 games due to injury,^[18] Nowitzki provided with 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, and Nash contributed 7.9 points and 5.5 assists per game. Meanwhile, Erick Strickland contributed 7.5 points per game, Samaki Walker averaged 5.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, and A.C. Green provided with 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.^[19] Trent also finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting.^[20][21]

The Mavericks finished 24th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 362,837 at the Reunion Arena during the regular season.^[19][22] Following the season, Green was traded back to his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers,^[23][24][25] while Walker signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs,^[26][27] and second-year center Chris Anstey was traded to the Chicago Bulls.^[28]