Dallas Mavericks

Record: 67-15

Overall ranking: 43^rd, 7.188 points above average

The 2006-2007 Dallas Mavericks looked like a clear candidate for post-NBA Finals disappointment hangover. Dallas lost the last four games of the 2005-2006 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat after holding a 2-0 series lead. The Mavericks then dropped the first four games of the 2006-2007 regular season.

Hangover? Nope. Dallas spent the rest of the 2006-2007 regular season giving headaches to the rest of the NBA.

The Mavericks bounced back from that 0-4 start with 12 consecutive victories. Dallas would become the first team in league history to produce three winning streaks of 12 games or more, including a franchise-record 17-game win streak during the second half of the season.

The victories added up to a 67-15 record, the best mark in the league and by far the most wins in franchise history. Dallas won its first outright division title since the 1986-1987 season. The Mavericks also earned home court advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time in team history.

Star forward Dirk Nowitzki averaged 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game to earn his first Most Valuable Player award. Versatile wing Josh Howard produced a career-best 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and made his first All-Star appearance.

Avery Johnson completed his second full season as Dallas’ coach with a dizzying 143-39 record. Johnson’s career winning percentage (.786) dwarfed that of legendary coaches like Phil Jackson (.700) and Red Auerbach (.662).

But Johnson failed to join Jackson and Auerbach on the list of NBA champion coaches. The Mavericks drew a less-than-ideal first round playoff matchup against the No. 8 seed Golden State Warriors. Golden State won all three of its matchups against Dallas during the regular season. Warriors coach Don Nelson presumably knew the Mavericks’ weaknesses better than anyone. Nelson assembled most of the Dallas roster during his time as the Mavericks’ coach and groomed Johnson as his successor.

Teacher schooled the pupil in the postseason. Dallas lost the home court advantage it worked all season to earn when Golden State pulled away for a 97-85 victory in Game 1. The Warriors proceeded to build a 3-1 lead in the series. The Mavericks hoped they reversed the momentum when they rallied to win Game 5 in Dallas after trailing by nine points late in the fourth quarter. Golden State responded with a resounding 111-86 home win in Game 6 that clinched the first victory for a No. 8 seed against a No. 1 seed in a best-of-seven first round series – and left the Mavericks and their fans feeling sick.