The Dallas Mavericks may be in a rebuilding stage and are no longer a perennial 50-win team, but that doesn't mean they can't lay a smack down on an opponent every once in a while.
Take Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, for instance.
The Mavericks routed the Hornets on the road by a score of 122-84, marking their second-largest win away from home during the Dirk Nowitzki era:
The 38-point win vs. Hornets is the second largest road win for the Mavs in the Dirk Nowitzki era.#Mavs #MFFL #NBA #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/20gvVqlVX7
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 3, 2019
Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic seemed particularly happy with the victory:
🏀 FINAL SCORE THREAD 🏀
Luka Doncic (18 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST) and Dennis Smith Jr. (18 PTS, 7 AST) help the @dallasmavs earn the road victory in Charlotte!#MFFL 122#Hornets30 84
Harrison Barnes: 17 PTS pic.twitter.com/e7ibRcjTBM
— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2019
For reference, the Nowitzki era spans all the way back to the 1998-99 campaign, so this is the second-biggest road win for Dallas over the last two decades.




Additionally, this is the Mavs' most substantial road victory in terms of margin since 2010.
With the win, the Mavs improved to a respectable 18-19 on the year and remain on the outskirts of the Western Conference playoff picture, which is something that not many outside of Dallas expected heading into this season.
Doncic and Dennis Smith Jr. scored 18 points apiece to lead the Mavs, with Doncic also adding 10 rebounds. Harrison Barnes chipped in with 17 points, while Dwight Powell scored 15 off the bench.
Dallas used a 42-point first quarter to instantly begin the rout, nailing a franchise-record 10 3-pointers during the period. By halftime, the Mavs led 65-41 and continued to pour it on during the final 24 minutes, outscoring the Hornets 57-43.
Dallas has missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, marking the first time that has happened since 1999. Aside from the 2012-13 campaign, the Mavs made the postseason every year from 2000 through 2016.