DALLAS —When the Dallas Mavericks hit the hardwood for the first time 42 seasons ago, it was a pivotal moment for the city of Dallas and forever changed the sports landscape in the region.
The team debuted in 1980, but one of the first historic moments in franchise history took place four years later on April 26, 1984. The night they call “Moody Madness” is a permanent part of Dallas sports lore.
Reunion Arena was hosting a tennis tournament, forcing the young Mavs to play at SMU’s Moody Coliseum. The team wasn’t expected to make much noise, but Dallas somehow pulled off an upset victory against the then-Seattle SuperSonics and won the organization’s first-ever playoff series at home.