Least Profitable: 6. Dallas Mavericks

Forbes.com: The Most and Least Profitable NBA Teams

5-year Average Loss: -$8.9 million

The defending NBA champions have not made a profit since the 2001-02 season. The biggest reason for their losses is the luxury tax, which forced them to pay an additional $18.9 million last year. (AP Photos)

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The Most And Lea... The NBA's biggest financial winners and losers highlight the value of playing in a major market. The five most profitable teams are from some of the most populated metro areas in the country. The Dallas Mavericks are an exception to the rule: the team ranks among the league's biggest losers despite playing in the fourth-largest metro area.

These teams are the most and least profitable NBA teams over the past five seasons. The top five teams averaged a profit of $37 million over the past five years, and the bottom five lost an average $10 million. The league average during the same period was $8 million in profit. (Getty Images)

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Most Profitable:... 5-year Average Profit: $55 million

The Bulls' average profit dwarfs other NBA teams thanks to the league's best home game attendance in three of the last five years. Chicago, however, was out-earned the last two seasons by the New York Knicks.

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2. Los Angeles L... 5-year Average Profit: $38 million

Los Angeles' profit margin has been shrinking over the past few seasons thanks to increased player costs, but the team was still one of the five most profitable in the league last year. (Getty Images)

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3. Detroit Pisto... 5-year Average Profit: $34 million

Detroit was a top earner several seasons ago, but its operating income has fallen greatly in recent years because of diminishing home game attendance numbers. They are dead last in attendance this season, and last year's operating income of $10 million is barely above the league average. (AP Photo)

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The Highest-Paid Athletes

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4. New York Knic... 5-year Average Profit: $30 million

The Knicks were losing money as recently as 2007 due to a bloated payroll, but have turned things around in a major way. Acquiring Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony last year helped sell out season tickets for the first time since 2001, and New York was the NBA's most profitable team last season. (Getty Images)

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The NBA's Billionaire Owners
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The Highest-Paid Athletes

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5. Houston Rocke... 5-year Average Profit: $29 million

The Rockets saw their operating income fall by 50% in 2010-11, largely because of attendance woes: the team was ranked No. 20 in the league last year and is second-worst this season behind Detroit. (Getty Images)

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The NBA's Billionaire Owners
College Basketball's Most Valuable Teams
The Highest-Paid Athletes

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Least Profitable... 5-year Average Loss: -$8.9 million

The defending NBA champions have not made a profit since the 2001-02 season. The biggest reason for their losses is the luxury tax, which forced them to pay an additional $18.9 million last year. (AP Photos)

More From Forbes:
The NBA's Billionaire Owners
College Basketball's Most Valuable Teams
The Highest-Paid Athletes

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
7. Memphis Grizz... 5-year Average Loss: -$9.7 million

The Grizzlies lost $25 million last season, the second-biggest loss in the league. High player costs paid off, though, as Memphis went to the postseason for the first time since 2006 and won its first ever playoff game. (AP Photo)

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8. New Jersey Ne... 5-year Average Loss: -$10 million

New Jersey hasn't turned a profit since 2001-02, and they join Charlotte and Memphis as the three biggest losers last season. The Nets move to Brooklyn next year, which will help the team generate additional revenue. (Getty Images)

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The NBA's Billionaire Owners
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The Highest-Paid Athletes

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9. Indiana Pacer... 5-year Average Loss: -$10.2 million

The Pacers had the worst home game attendance in the league last year, but they are likely to draw more fans if they can improve on a very strong start this season. (Getty Images)

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10. Charlotte Bo... 5-year Average Loss: -$12 million

Charlotte has lost more than $15 million in each of the last three seasons, and the team had a league-worst $26 million lost last year. (Getty Images)

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The NBA's Billionaire Owners
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The Highest-Paid Athletes

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
More from Forbes... Click here to see the highest paid players in the NBA.