I'm still on cloud nine!!!
As a kid I can remember going to Reunion Arena and watching the Dick Motta 1980's Mav's get so close in both 86 and 88 only to lose out to the Showtime Lakers in the Western Conderence Finals. Those Mavs teams had some good players--Blackman, Aguirre, Davis. Just never could get over the hump.
In about 1990 the Mavs entered the basketball wasteland, the Tarpley issues, some bad personal moves and bad coaching seemed to be setting the course for the Mavs to become the Clippers of Texas. What else made it frustratign was the Spurs and Rockets were rolling. Houston with the back to back in 94 and 95 and SA rollin in the mid 1990's and their first title in 99. It seemed like the Mavs were destined to be cellar dwellers forever!!!
However, in 1997 when Nelson was hired as coach and GM things started to turn. In 98 they drafted Tractor Traylor and were able to trade him to the Bucks for a young German kid...Dirk. This laid the foundation for the franchise to rise from the depths. When Cuban bought the franchise in Jan of 2000 he pumped the money and desire to win into the franchise. It took many years and dissappointments for the Mavs to get to the mountain top. I am happy for the current Mavs but also happy for all the fans that have been their for all the disappointments of 86, 88, 03, and 06.
We FINALLY are the champs...nobody can change that fact and Dallas earned the trophy. No shortcuts...just hard work!!!
Go Mavs Go!!!!