The 1998–99 NBA season was the 19th season for the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50. The Mavericks received the sixth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected power forward Robert Traylor from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, but soon traded him to the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

in exchange for their top draft pick, power forward and German basketball star

Dirk Nowitzki Dirk Werner Nowitzki (; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the great ...

. During the off-season, the team acquired Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns, signed free agents Gary Trent, and Hot Rod Williams, and released Khalid Reeves to free agency later on during the regular season, as he later on signed with the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

. However, the young Mavericks still struggled losing eight of their first nine games of the regular season, but began to show promise by posting their first winning record at home in nine years at 15–10. However, with Cedric Ceballos only playing just 13 games due to a wrist injury, the team finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 19–31 record, missing the

NBA playoffs The NBA playoffs is the annual Playoffs, postseason Tournament#Knockout tournaments, tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA) held to determine the league champion. Since 1949, the four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held afte ...

for the ninth consecutive year. 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, Shawn Bradley averaged 8.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, while Hubert Davis contributed 9.1 points per game, Robert Pack averaged 8.9 points and 3.2 assists per game in only just 25 games due to injury, Nowitzki provided with 8.2 points per game, and Nash contributed 7.9 points and 5.5 assists per game. Trent also finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting. Following the season, A.C. Green was traded back to his former team, the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

, while

Samaki Walker Samaki Ijuma Walker (born February 25, 1976) is an American retired professional basketball power forward and center (basketball), center. Walker played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball, Louisville Cardinals and wa ...

signed as a free agent with the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

, and second-year center

Chris Anstey Christopher John Anstey (born 1 January 1975) is an Australian former professional basketball player. His career included stints in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers i ...

was traded to the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

Offseason

Draft picks

Robert Traylor was traded to the

for Pat Garrity and

Roster

Roster Notes

* Center Shawn Bradley holds both American and German citizenship. * Rookie small forward Ansu Sesay was on the

injured reserve list The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in t ...

due to a broken right foot, missed the entire regular season, and never played for the Mavericks.

Regular season

Season standings

:z - clinched division title :y - clinched division title :x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Game log

, -style="background:#fcc;" , 1 , February 5 , @

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, , Cedric Ceballos (16) , A.C. Green (11) , Nash, Finley (5) , KeyArena
17,072 , 0–1 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 2 , February 7 , @ Golden State , , Cedric Ceballos (26) ,

(12) , Steve Nash (12) , The Arena in Oakland
12,039 , 1–1 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 3 , February 9 ,

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

, , Cedric Ceballos (19) , Dirk Nowitzki (9) , Steve Nash (4) , Reunion Arena
17,070 , 1–2 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 4 , February 11 ,

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, , Robert Pack (31) , Shawn Bradley (8) , Michael Finley (4) , Reunion Arena
18,121 , 1–3 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 5 , February 12 , @

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, , Michael Finley (28) , A.C. Green (8) , Steve Nash (9) ,

McNichols Sports Arena McNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado, United States. Located adjacent to Mile High Stadium and completed in 1975, at a cost of $16 million, it seated 16,061 for hockey games and 17,171 for basketball games. Sp ...

10,012 , 1–4 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 6 , February 14 , @

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

, , Steve Nash (18) , Shawn Bradley (10) , Steve Nash (9) , General Motors Place
16,059 , 1–5 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 7 , February 15 , @ Portland , , Michael Finley (21) ,

(6) , Steve Nash (4) , Rose Garden
18,231 , 1–6 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 8 , February 17 , @ L.A. Lakers , , Gary Trent (15) , Cedric Ceballos (8) , Robert Pack (7) ,

Great Western Forum The Kia Forum, also known as Los Angeles Forum and formerly Great Western Forum, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Inglewood, California, United States, adjacent to Los Angeles. Located on West Manchester Boulevard, with Laffit Pincay Jr., P ...

13,492 , 1–7 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 9 , February 19 , @ Golden State , , Michael Finley (19) , Shawn Bradley (11) , Finley, Nash (4) , The Arena in Oakland
11,432 , 1–8 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 10 , February 20 , @ L.A. Clippers , , Michael Finley (31) , Cedric Ceballos (11) , Steve Nash (6) , Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
10,946 , 2–8 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 11 , February 22 , @ Phoenix , , Cedric Ceballos (21) , Shawn Bradley (7) , Robert Pack (5) , America West Arena
18,596 , 2–9 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 12 , February 23 ,

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, , Michael Finley (22) , Gary Trent (10) , Robert Pack (8) , Reunion Arena
13,387 , 3–9 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 13 , February 25 , Denver , , Finley, Ceballos (20) , Cedric Ceballos (13) , Steve Nash (5) , Reunion Arena
13,203 , 4–9 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 14 , February 26 , @ Utah , , Robert Pack (18) , Samaki Walker (8) , Michael Finley (3) , Delta Center
19,911 , 4–10 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 15 , February 27 ,

Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...

, , Gary Trent (29) , Gary Trent (16) , Robert Pack (6) , Reunion Arena
15,009 , 5–10 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 16 , March 2 , L.A. Clippers , , Michael Finley (20) , A.C. Green (12) , Michael Finley (9) , Reunion Arena
13,492 , 6–10 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 17 , March 4 ,

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

, , Gary Trent (14) ,

(6) , Michael Finley (6) , Reunion Arena
14,719 , 6–11 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 18 , March 5 , @

, , Michael Finley (29) , Finley, Trent (8) , Gary Trent (5) , Delta Center
19,539 , 6–12 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 19 , March 7 , @

, , Trent, Finley (18) , Gary Trent (14) , Steve Nash (7) , ARCO Arena
14,715 , 6–13 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 20 , March 9 , Phoenix , , Michael Finley (22) , Shawn Bradley (14) , Michael Finley (12) , Reunion Arena
12,714 , 6–14 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 21 , March 11 , Orlando , , Gary Trent (21) , A.C. Green (11) , Steve Nash (11) , Reunion Arena
14,553 , 7–14 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 22 , March 13 ,

, , Michael Finley (21) , Shawn Bradley (10) , Steve Nash (10) , Reunion Arena
14,184 , 8–14 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 23 , March 15 , Portland , , Michael Finley (21) , A.C. Green (8) , Michael Finley (6) , Reunion Arena
14,046 , 8–15 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 24 , March 17 , @

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, , Finley, Trent (21) , Gary Trent (16) , Finley, Nash (4) , Continental Airlines Arena
14,976 , 8–16 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 25 , March 19 , @

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, , Michael Finley (18) , Finley, Strickland (6) , Michael Finley (8) , The Palace of Auburn Hills
18,152 , 8–17 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 26 , March 20 , Sacramento , , Nash, Finley, Trent (22) , Gary Trent (11) , Michael Finley (9) , Reunion Arena
16,161 , 9–17 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 27 , March 22 , L.A. Lakers , , Michael Finley (23) , A.C. Green (10) , Michael Finley (8) , Reunion Arena
18,121 , 9–18 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 28 , March 24 ,

, , Shawn Bradley (20) , Shawn Bradley (13) , Michael Finley (8) , Reunion Arena
15,111 , 9–19 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 29 , March 26 ,

, , Michael Finley (27) , Shawn Bradley (8) , Erick Strickland (4) , Reunion Arena
13,096 , 10–19 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 30 , March 27 , @ San Antonio , , Michael Finley (17) , Shawn Bradley (12) , Steve Nash (5) , Alamodome
25,921 , 10–20 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 31 , March 29 ,

, , Gary Trent (20) ,

(13) , Erick Strickland (7) , Reunion Arena
13,311 , 10–21 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 32 , March 30 , @

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, , Gary Trent (16) , Gary Trent (11) , Steve Nash (10) , Target Center
15,609 , 10–22 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 33 , April 1 , L.A. Clippers , , Michael Finley (22) , Shawn Bradley (13) , Steve Nash (9) , Reunion Arena
13,336 , 11–22 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 34 , April 5 , @

, , Gary Trent (26) , Gary Trent (8) , Steve Nash (7) , Target Center
14,107 , 11–23 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 35 , April 7 , @

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, , Gary Trent (27) , Gary Trent (13) , Steve Nash (5) , Miami Arena
15,200 , 11–24 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 36 , April 10 , Golden State , , Gary Trent (33) , Shawn Bradley (13) , Michael Finley (6) , Reunion Arena
14,218 , 11–25 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 37 , April 13 ,

, , Michael Finley (25) , Shawn Bradley (12) , Steve Nash (12) , Reunion Arena
13,142 , 12–25 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 38 , April 15 ,

, , Michael Finley (34) , Gary Trent (7) , Steve Nash (6) , Reunion Arena
13,034 , 13–25 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 39 , April 16 , @ Phoenix , ,

(29) , Dirk Nowitzki (8) , Robert Pack (7) , America West Arena
18,623 , 13–26 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 40 , April 17 , Portland , , Finley, Trent (24) , Gary Trent (10) , Michael Finley (5) , Reunion Arena
13,358 , 13–27 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 41 , April 20 , Phoenix , , Michael Finley (36) , Finley, Bradley (10) , Finley, Davis, Nowitzki (4) , Reunion Arena
18,121 , 14–27 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 42 , April 21 , @

, , Michael Finley (27) , Trent, Bradley (10) , Michael Finley (11) , Compaq Center
16,285 , 15–27 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 43 , April 22 , @ San Antonio , , Michael Finley (20) ,

(10) , Davis, Finley, Trent, Strickland (2) , Alamodome
18,720 , 15–28 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 44 , April 24 , @

, , Gary Trent (32) , Gary Trent (14) , Michael Finley (8) , ARCO Arena
17,317 , 15–29 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 45 , April 26 ,

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, , Michael Finley (28) , Shawn Bradley (17) , Davis, Trent (5) , Reunion Arena
13,011 , 16–29 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 46 , April 27 ,

, , Gary Trent (20) , Shawn Bradley (12) , Finley, Trent (5) , Reunion Arena
12,650 , 17–29 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 47 , April 29 , @ Houston , , Finley, Nowitzki (22) , Shawn Bradley (11) , Hubert Davis (6) , Compaq Center
16,285 , 18–29 , -style="background:#cfc;" , 48 , May 1 , Golden State , , Michael Finley (31) , Shawn Bradley (15) , Davis, Strickland (6) , Reunion Arena
15,669 , 19–29 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 49 , May 3 , @ L.A. Lakers , , Michael Finley (24) ,

(7) , Erick Strickland (6) ,

17,505 , 19–30 , -style="background:#fcc;" , 50 , May 4 , @

, , Michael Finley (34) , Shawn Bradley (15) , Michael Finley (6) , KeyArena
17,072 , 19–31

Player statistics

Ragular season

Awards and records

Transactions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1998-99 Dallas Mavericks Season Dallas Mavericks seasons

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...