Today is Election Day, which means we’ve finally arrived at the day when our next President will be decided. The two have been duking it out now for more than a year, but, finally, after all the debating, campaigning, posturing, and fact-checking, we’ll have a winner.
It’s been exhausting, but we’ve finally made it. If it were up to the Mavs, however, maybe we’d have an Election Day more often.
Dallas is 4-2 all-time in Election Day games, sporting a terrific 66.7 percent win percentage. If that was a poll number, it would be a landslide. The Mavs’ most recent game voting day showdown came on Nov. 4, 2008, when Americans elected Barack Obama to the highest office in the land. Dallas beat the Spurs that night, 98-81, behind 30 points from Dirk Nowitzki and 29 from Jason Terry.
Tonight the Mavericks will be in Los Angeles to take on the young, up-and-coming Lakers, and tip-off is at 9:30 p.m. Central. By then, there’s a good chance we’ll know who the next President will be, although the players probably won’t, as their focus will be on the game itself. Obviously it’s untrue to say the Mavericks play better because there’s an election going on, but history shows Dallas has a good chance to win tonight — though the Lakers also won their most recent Election Day contest, 89-78, against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 2, 2004.
Here are all the Mavs’ performances on Election Day in the franchise’s 36-year history.
| Date | Opponent | Game Result | Mavs Leading Scorer | Election Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 4, 2008 | San Antonio Spurs | W, 98-81 | Dirk Nowitzki (30) | Barack Obama |
| Nov. 2, 2004 | Sacramento Kings | W, 107-98 | Dirk Nowitzki (33) | George W. Bush |
| Nov. 5, 1996 | Toronto Raptors | L, 100-96 | Chris Gatling (22) | Bill Clinton |
| Nov. 8, 1988 | Miami Heat | W, 92-88 | Rolando Blackman (20) | George H.W. Bush |
| Nov. 6, 1984 | New York Knicks | W, 107-104 | Jay Vincent (33) | Ronald Reagan |
| Nov. 4, 1980 | San Diego Clippers | L, 116-102 | Tom LaGarde (23) | Ronald Reagan |
If you’re keeping score at home, the Mavs are 3-1 when Americans elect a Republican, and 1-1 when a Democrat prevails. Dallas went 1-1 in nights when Ronald Reagan was elected President. If you remember, the Mavs’ first NBA season began in 1980, an election year, so the team has always maintained a very loose connection to the political process.
This is an important day for our nation, just as every Election Day is. A lot is on the line for the candidates, their parties, and for the American people. There aren’t many comparisons to be made between a political race and a basketball team, but tonight’s contest is important for the Mavericks, too. So keep up with the evening election coverage, but also be sure to flip over to the Mavs game, which tips at 9:30 Central.
History might not tell us much about which candidate will win tonight, but the odds have favored the Mavs in the past, at least.
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