The 1987–88 Dallas Mavericks season was the eighth season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Mavericks finished second in the Midwest Division with a 53–29 record. They defeated the Houston Rockets four games in the first round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs, then defeated the 2nd-seeded Denver Nuggets six games in the semifinals. The Mavs made their first appearance in the Western Conference finals, where they pushed the eventual-champion Los Angeles Lakers to seven games. The Mavs were coached by John MacLeod and played their home games at Reunion Arena.
Mark Aguirre and James Donaldson were both selected to play in the 1988 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. This was Donaldson's only All-Star Game appearance in his career.
NBA draft
Roster
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | November 6, 19887:30p.m. CST | Utah | W 95–93 | | | | Reunion Arena17,007 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | November 7, 1987 | @ San Antonio | L 106–130 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 10, 1987 | @ Seattle | W 117–101 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 11, 19878:30p.m. CST | @ Utah | L 92–121 | | | | Salt Palace12,212 | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 13, 1987 | Seattle | L 95–103 | | | | Reunion Arena | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 14, 1987 | Portland | W 127–116 | | | | Reunion Arena | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 18, 1987 | L.A. Clippers | W 97–87 | | | | Reunion Arena | 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 20, 19879:30p.m. CST | @ L.A. Lakers | L 116–119 | Aguirre (35) | Blackman (7) | Davis (8) | The Forum17,505 | 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 21, 1987 | @ Sacramento | W 103–96 | | | | ARCO Arena | 5–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 25, 19877:30p.m. CST | Detroit | W 113–107 | Blackman (30) | Perkins (12) | Harper (10) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 6–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 27, 19877:00p.m. CST | Chicago | W 94–93 | | | | Reunion Arena17,007 | 7–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 28, 19878:30p.m. CST | @ Denver | L 98–106 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena13,400 | 7–5
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | December 4, 1987 | Golden State | W 116–95 | | | | Reunion Arena | 8–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | December 5, 19877:30p.m. CST | Denver | W 109–96 | | | | Reunion Arena17,007 | 9–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 9, 1987 | Sacramento | W 125–98 | | | | Reunion Arena | 10–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | December 11, 1987 | Phoenix | W 108–104 | | | | Reunion Arena | 11–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 13, 19877:30p.m. CST | @ Milwaukee | W 113–99 | | | | MECCA Arena11,052 | 12–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 15, 19876:30p.m. CST | @ Cleveland | L 93–106 | | | | Richfield Coliseum6,852 | 12–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 16, 1987 | @ New Jersey | W 109–105 (OT) | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 13–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 18, 19876:30p.m. CST | @ Detroit | L 112–117 | Aguirre (35) | Donaldson (12) | Harper (7) | Pontiac Silverdome19,426 | 13–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 19, 1987 | @ Philadelphia | L 90–95 | | | | The Spectrum | 13–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | December 22, 19877:00p.m. CST | @ Chicago | W 111–100 | | | | Chicago Stadium18,103 | 14–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 23, 1987 | @ Indiana | W 110–109 | | | | Market Square Arena | 15–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 26, 1987 | Houston | W 105–100 | | | | Reunion Arena | 16–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 29, 1987 | Sacramento | W 126–117 | | | | Reunion Arena | 17–8