was necessary due to Howard's declining performance and apparent unhappiness with the Mavericks organization. Some NBA analysts thought that this was a good move, because not only did it remove a disgruntled Howard from the line-up, it simultaneously brought Dirk Nowitzki a quality supporting cast. Many believed that the Mavs could contend for a title after the trade went through. The trade worked because the new-look Mavericks came out of the all-star break with a vengeance. On January 24, 2010, the Dallas Mavericks routed The New York Knicks 128–78. This win was the third-largest margin of victory in NBA history. The previous largest margin of victory for the Mavericks was 45 points. After dropping the second-half opener to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Mavericks went on to win 13-straight games before losing to the New York Knicks. On April 10, the Mavericks clinched the Southwest division after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 83–77. The Mavericks finished the season with a 55–27 record, good enough for the Western Conference's second seed. The Mavericks then entered the post-season with quite a bit of optimism and an assurance that they could earnestly contend for a title. During the playoffs, though, this optimism proved to be short-lived. After winning game one 100–94, behind Nowitzki's 36-point performance, the Mavericks dropped the next three games to their in-state rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, before winning game five. Dallas would eventually lose against San Antonio in six games 97–87, leading to yet another off-season full of speculation, mostly centering on franchise player Dirk Nowitzki's pending free agent status. 2010–2011: Championship season After yet another first-round exit, the Mavericks began an unexpectedly early off-season. The first order of business for Mark Cuban and the Mavericks was to re-sign Dirk Nowitzki, and they did so on July 4, 2010, when the Mavericks and Nowitzki agreed to a four-year deal worth $80 million. On July 13, the Mavericks, after losing the opportunity to sign LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or Amar'e Stoudemire, acquired centers Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca from the Charlotte Bobcats for center Erick Dampier, forward Eduardo Nájera, and guard Matt Carroll. USA Today called this trade one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, saying Chandler "was the perfect fit during his first season with the Mavericks, anchoring their defense on the way to the franchise's first championship." The 2010–11 campaign saw the Mavericks fly out of