In 16 of the last 17 seasons, the Mavericks have featured a 20-point-per-game scorer. Heck, a couple of those years featured two 20-point-per-game scorers.
Between Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley, Dallas has not lacked a clear go-to scorer.
That’s about to change – at least if Mavericks owner Cuban gets his wish.
Cuban, via Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News:
“I’m not expecting anybody on our team to be a 20-point scorer,” the owner said as the Mavericks introduced six new players at a news conference. “Not Dirk. I don’t want him to be a 20-point scorer. Seriously. Monta (Ellis) has that capability. Chandler (Parsons) has that capability. Dirk has that capability. Richard Jefferson’s got that capability. Jameer (Nelson could score) 15. Raymond (Felton) could do 15, if that was the focus, but that’s not our focus.
“That’s the cool thing. There are going to be times when we overpass. And that will be the challenge.”
Since the 2000-01 season, of the 70 teams with top-five offenses each season – and that’s the type of potential these Mavericks have – 62 have produced a 20-point-per-game scorer:
(Click here to view a larger, interactive, version of the chart)
| Season | Team | Offensive rating rank | Offensive rating | Scoring leader | Points per game |
| 2013-14 | LAC | 1 | 112.1 | Blake Griffin | 24.1 |
| 2013-14 | POR | 2 | 111.5 | LaMarcus Aldridge | 23.2 |
| 2013-14 | DAL | 3 | 111.2 | Dirk Nowitzki | 21.7 |
| 2013-14 | HOU | 4 | 111 | James Harden | 25.4 |
| 2013-14 | MIA | 5 | 110.9 | LeBron James | 27.1 |
| 2012-13 | OKC | 1 | 112.4 | Kevin Durant | 28.1 |
| 2012-13 | MIA | 2 | 112.3 | LeBron James | 26.8 |
| 2012-13 | NYK | 3 | 111.1 | Carmelo Anthony | 28.7 |
| 2012-13 | LAC | 4 | 110.6 | Blake Griffin | 18 |
| 2012-13 | DEN | 5 | 110.4 | Ty Lawson | 16.7 |
| 12/1/2011 | SAS | 1 | 110.9 | Tony Parker | 18.3 |
| 12/1/2011 | OKC | 2 | 109.8 | Kevin Durant | 28 |
| 12/1/2011 | DEN | 3 | 109.2 | Ty Lawson | 16.4 |
| 12/1/2011 | LAC | 4 | 108.5 | Blake Griffin | 20.7 |
| 12/1/2011 | CHI | 5 | 107.4 | Derrick Rose | 21.8 |
| 11/1/2010 | DEN | 1 | 112.3 | Carmelo Anthony | 25.2 |
| 11/1/2010 | SAS | 2 | 111.8 | Tony Parker | 17.5 |
| 11/1/2010 | MIA | 3 | 111.7 | LeBron James | 26.7 |
| 11/1/2010 | HOU | 4 | 111.3 | Kevin Martin | 23.5 |
| 11/1/2010 | OKC | 5 | 111.2 | Kevin Durant | 27.7 |
| 10/1/2009 | PHO | 1 | 115.3 | Amar’e Stoudemire | 23.1 |
| 10/1/2009 | ATL | 2 | 111.9 | Joe Johnson | 21.3 |
| 10/1/2009 | DEN | 3 | 111.8 | Carmelo Anthony | 28.2 |
| 10/1/2009 | ORL | 4 | 111.4 | Dwight Howard | 18.3 |
| 10/1/2009 | TOR | 5 | 111.3 | Chris Bosh | 24 |
| 9/1/2008 | POR | 1 | 113.9 | Brandon Roy | 22.6 |
| 9/1/2008 | PHO | 2 | 113.6 | Amar’e Stoudemire | 21.4 |
| 9/1/2008 | LAL | 3 | 112.8 | Kobe Bryant | 26.8 |
| 9/1/2008 | CLE | 4 | 112.4 | LeBron James | 28.4 |
| 9/1/2008 | DAL | 5 | 110.5 | Dirk Nowitzki | 25.9 |
| 8/1/2007 | UTA | 1 | 113.8 | Carlos Boozer | 21.1 |
| 8/1/2007 | PHO | 2 | 113.3 | Amar’e Stoudemire | 25.2 |
| 8/1/2007 | LAL | 3 | 113 | Kobe Bryant | 28.3 |
| 8/1/2007 | GSW | 4 | 111.8 | Baron Davis | 21.8 |
| 8/1/2007 | NOH | 5 | 111.5 | Chris Paul | 21.1 |
| 7/1/2006 | PHO | 1 | 113.9 | Amar’e Stoudemire | 20.4 |
| 7/1/2006 | DAL | 2 | 111.3 | Dirk Nowitzki | 24.6 |
| 7/1/2006 | WAS | 3 | 110.1 | Gilbert Arenas | 28.4 |
| 7/1/2006 | UTA | 4 | 110.1 | Carlos Boozer | 20.9 |
| 7/1/2006 | SAS | 5 | 109.2 | Tim Duncan | 19.99 |
| 6/1/2005 | DAL | 1 | 111.8 | Dirk Nowitzki | 26.6 |
| 6/1/2005 | PHO | 2 | 111.5 | Shawn Marion | 21.8 |
| 6/1/2005 | SEA | 3 | 111.1 | Ray Allen | 25.1 |
| 6/1/2005 | DET | 4 | 110.8 | Richard Hamilton | 20.1 |
| 6/1/2005 | TOR | 5 | 109.5 | Chris Bosh | 22.5 |
| 5/1/2004 | PHO | 1 | 114.5 | Amar’e Stoudemire | 26 |
| 5/1/2004 | SEA | 2 | 112.2 | Ray Allen | 23.9 |
| 5/1/2004 | SAC | 3 | 110.5 | Peja Stojakovic | 20.1 |
| 5/1/2004 | DAL | 4 | 110.3 | Dirk Nowitzki | 26.1 |
| 5/1/2004 | MIA | 5 | 110.2 | Dwyane Wade | 24.1 |
| 4/1/2003 | DAL | 1 | 112.1 | Dirk Nowitzki | 21.8 |
| 4/1/2003 | SAC | 2 | 110.3 | Peja Stojakovic | 24.2 |
| 4/1/2003 | SEA | 3 | 107.3 | Ray Allen | 23 |
| 4/1/2003 | MIL | 4 | 106.5 | Michael Redd | 21.7 |
| 4/1/2003 | MIN | 5 | 105.9 | Kevin Garnett | 24.2 |
| 3/1/2002 | DAL | 1 | 110.7 | Dirk Nowitzki | 25.1 |
| 3/1/2002 | MIL | 2 | 108.8 | Ray Allen | 21.3 |
| 3/1/2002 | GSW | 3 | 108.3 | Antawn Jamison | 22.2 |
| 3/1/2002 | LAL | 4 | 107.2 | Kobe Bryant | 30 |
| 3/1/2002 | MIN | 5 | 106.1 | Kevin Garnett | 23 |
| 2/1/2001 | DAL | 1 | 112.2 | Dirk Nowitzki | 23.4 |
| 2/1/2001 | LAL | 2 | 109.4 | Shaquille O’Neal | 27.2 |
| 2/1/2001 | SAC | 3 | 109 | Chris Webber | 24.5 |
| 2/1/2001 | MIN | 4 | 109 | Kevin Garnett | 21.2 |
| 2/1/2001 | SEA | 5 | 108.9 | Gary Payton | 22.1 |
| 1/1/2000 | MIL | 1 | 108.8 | Ray Allen | 22 |
| 1/1/2000 | LAL | 2 | 108.4 | Shaquille O’Neal | 28.7 |
| 1/1/2000 | UTA | 3 | 107.6 | Karl Malone | 23.2 |
| 1/1/2000 | DAL | 4 | 107.1 | Dirk Nowitzki | 21.8 |
| 1/1/2000 | HOU | 5 | 106.7 | Steve Francis | 19.9 |
Unsurprisingly, a plurality of the exceptions are Spurs teams. Gregg Popovich’s squads move the ball, spreading the scoring.