The 2011 Dallas Mavericks had one of the most improbable playoffs runs in NBA history. Dallas was the number three seed in the Western Conference that season with a 57-25 record.

It was not a surprise that the Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs that season, but it was a major shock when they swept the defending back-to-back champions the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs. Dallas beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals that season. After that, the Mavericks stunned the world by beating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in six games that season. 

Dallas Mavericks 2011 Team Ranked 19 By CBS Sports 

James Herbert, Sam Quinn, and Brad Botkin of CBSSports.com all ranked the NBA Champions over the last 25 years. With Dallas being more of an improbable run to the title, they were ranked lower on the list at number 19. Rick Carlisle was the head coach of this Mavericks team. Herbert said about the 2011 Dallas squad,

“In retrospect, it makes sense: Dallas surrounded Dirk Nowitzki with top-tier rim protection, reliable wing defenders and playmakers who complemented him perfectly. At the time, though, the Mavericks’ title run was a total shock. Even though they’d won 31 of their last 42 regular-season games (including 18 of 19 in a six-week stretch), they were considered much more likely to lose to the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs than go all the way.

Following a superhuman performance by Portland’s Brandon Roy in Game 4, that series was tied 2-2. Then Dallas won Games 5 and 6 against the Blazers, swept the Lakers, ousted the Thunder in five games and shocked the Heat — and the world — in six. 

Nothing about the Mavericks’ road to the title was easy. They had a knack for erasing big deficits and they were one of the most clutch teams in NBA history. They were old, they were kind of weird and they were dismantled in the offseason that followed, but they will be remembered as the overachievers that stymied LeBron James in the Finals, cementing their superstar’s legacy and forcing a superteam to evolve.”

Dallas had a 16-5 record during the 2011 NBA playoffs. Nowitzki was the finals MVP that year and he carried the team on his back. In the NBA Finals, he averaged 26.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 0.7 APG. 

Some of the other key players on that roster were Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler, and Peja Stojakovic. The Mavericks also had a deep bench during the 2010-2011 season. It is not a surprise that this Mavericks team was ranked low in the NBA Champions over the last 25 years list. Dallas was a major underdog in the NBA Finals against Miami, and it was one of the biggest shocks in NBA history.  

More NBA News:

Mark Cuban just called out Mavericks GM Nico Harrison in the most craziest way | Sporting News