Editing Dallas Mavericks (section)

====2019–2021: Return to playoff contention and Dončić's rise====
[[File:Luka Doncic (51177372745).jpg|right|thumb|[[Luka Dončić]] in 2021]]
On January 31, 2019, the Mavericks sent [[Dennis Smith Jr.]], DeAndre Jordan, [[Wesley Matthews]], and two future first-round draft picks to the [[New York Knicks]] in exchange for [[Kristaps Porziņģis]], [[Tim Hardaway Jr.]], [[Courtney Lee]], and [[Trey Burke]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Knicks trade Kristaps Porzingis to Mavericks |url=https://www.nba.com/news/kristaps-porzingis-dallas-mavericks-trade |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=December 15, 2019 |date=February 1, 2019 |archive-date=March 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305003333/https://www.nba.com/news/kristaps-porzingis-dallas-mavericks-trade |url-status=live}}</ref> At the quarter-mark of the 2019–20 season, the Mavericks began with a 15–6 record through their first 21 games. With Luka Dončić averaging a near 30-point [[Triple double|triple-double]], leading the Mavericks in points, rebounds, and assists and entering [[NBA Most Valuable Player|MVP]] contention, he led the Mavericks to the top-rated offense in the league.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://theathletic.com/1389930/2019/11/19/the-mavericks-offense-has-risen-from-average-to-elite-heres-how-theyve-done-it/ |title=The Mavericks offense has risen from average to elite. |last=Kemp |first=Jake |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 15, 2019 |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212012529/https://theathletic.com/1389930/2019/11/19/the-mavericks-offense-has-risen-from-average-to-elite-heres-how-theyve-done-it/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On December 12, 2019, the Mavericks won against the [[Detroit Pistons]] in [[Mexico City]], due to the NBA's efforts to expand internationally.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/article/2019/12/12/nba-g-league-expands-mexico-city-official-release |title=NBA G League expands to Mexico City with a landmark partnership with Capitanes |last=release |first=Official |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=December 15, 2019 |archive-date=December 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216043307/https://www.nba.com/article/2019/12/12/nba-g-league-expands-mexico-city-official-release |url-status=live}}</ref> During that game, Luka Dončić tallied 41 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, becoming the first player in NBA history to record multiple 40-point triple-doubles before turning 21-years-old. Dončić was later selected to his first [[2020 NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star Game]] as a Western Conference starter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Sekou |title=Captains LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo headline starters for NBA All-Star 2020 |url=http://www.nba.com/article/2020/01/23/2020-all-star-starters-and-captains-announced |access-date=August 10, 2020 |publisher=National Basketball Association |language=en |archive-date=January 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125122735/https://www.nba.com/article/2020/01/23/2020-all-star-starters-and-captains-announced |url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the [[suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season]], the Mavericks were one of the 22 teams invited to the [[2020 NBA Bubble|NBA Bubble]] to participate in the regular season's final eight games. They resumed play on July 31, with a 153–149 loss against the [[Houston Rockets]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rockets vs. Mavericks – Game Recap – July 31, 2020 – ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401224713 |access-date=August 10, 2020 |publisher=ESPN |language=en |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811124849/https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401224713 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On August 2, after the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] lost against the [[San Antonio Spurs]], the Mavericks clinched a spot in the [[2020 NBA playoffs]] no worse than the seventh seed, marking their first trip since 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 3, 2020 |title=Mavericks clinch a playoff spot, despite frosty shooting in the loss to Phoenix |url=https://www.mavs.com/mavericks-clinch/ |access-date=August 10, 2020 |website=The Official Home of the Dallas Mavericks |language=en-US |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806151503/https://www.mavs.com/mavericks-clinch/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Dončić was announced as one of the three finalists for the NBA Most Improved Player Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 NBA Awards: Complete list of finalists |url=http://www.nba.com/nbaawards/2020 |access-date=August 10, 2020 |publisher=National Basketball Association |language=en |archive-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818115021/https://www.nba.com/nbaawards/2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the first round against the [[Los Angeles Clippers]], which was the first time the two teams ever faced off in the playoffs, the Mavericks lost 4–2, despite historically great performances by Dončić.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2020 |title=Luka Doncic got the Mavs back to the playoffs. Now he has 'no other goal' but to win a championship. |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2020/08/30/clippers-eliminate-mavericks-in-game-6-as-2nd-quarter-deep-freeze-dooms-dallas/ |access-date=September 9, 2020 |website=Dallas News |language=en |archive-date=August 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831091315/https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2020/08/30/clippers-eliminate-mavericks-in-game-6-as-2nd-quarter-deep-freeze-dooms-dallas/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Dončić later was selected to the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA First Team]].

The 2020–21 season saw Dallas have players miss 41 games to COVID-19 protocols,<ref>{{cite web |title=has the Mavs season been unfair? stats show COVID-19 has impated Dallas most in the NBA. |date=March 3, 2021 |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2021/03/02/has-the-mavs-season-been-unfair-stats-show-covid-19-has-impacted-dallas-most-in-the-nbas-first-half/ |access-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023213231/https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2021/03/02/has-the-mavs-season-been-unfair-stats-show-covid-19-has-impacted-dallas-most-in-the-nbas-first-half/ |url-status=live}}</ref> with [[Maxi Kleber]], [[Jalen Brunson]], [[Josh Richardson]] and [[Dorian Finney-Smith]] missing most of those 41 games. Additionally the start of the season saw forward Kristaps Porziņģis missing the first 9 games as he recovered from off-season meniscus surgery. At one point Dallas dropped to 14th in the Western conference largely in part due to missing key pieces of their rotation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dallas Mavericks season recap |date=June 12, 2021 |url=https://primetimesportstalk.com/2021/06/12/dallas-mavericks-season-recap/ |access-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023213234/https://primetimesportstalk.com/2021/06/12/dallas-mavericks-season-recap/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this, Dallas improved on their previous season record and finished the season 42–30. The Mavericks clinched the Southwest division for the first time since the [[2009–10 Dallas Mavericks season|2009–10 season]] following a 110–90 victory over the [[2020-21 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] on May 7, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mavs beat the Cavs |url=https://www.mavs.com/mavsclinchdivision/ |website=The Official Home of the Dallas Mavericks |access-date=July 6, 2021 |date=May 8, 2021 |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512152206/https://www.mavs.com/mavsclinchdivision/ |url-status=live}}</ref> However the Mavericks lost in the first round to the [[2020-21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] for the second consecutive season in seven games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Clippers win Game 7, eliminate Mavericks despite Luka Doncic's 46 points |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2021-06-06/clippers-win-game-7-mavericks-luka-doncic-kawhi-leonard |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=July 6, 2021 |date=June 6, 2021 |archive-date=June 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620090345/https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2021-06-06/clippers-win-game-7-mavericks-luka-doncic-kawhi-leonard |url-status=live}}</ref>