The huge billboards going up in downtown Dallas is starting to make Dallas look more like a city about to host the NBA All-Star game. Mavericks players are starting to get more and more excited as well about having the event come to their home town.
"First of all, if you see this shirt I'm holding, I am the official Jam Session spokesperson so I’ll be very involved," says Mavericks guard Jason Terry. "There are community events going around like the NBA Cares program to help improve our community, I'll be involved in the rookie sophomore game Friday night, and then I've gotten a suite for my family for Saturday and Sunday, so I’m very involved. The topper for me is a special party at Love Field with Dirk Nowitzki, Mary J. Blige and the rapper Common. That's big. It's open to the public."
Dirk Nowitzki will be the only Mavericks player to actually play in the game, so that leaves a lot of players around to just enjoy the event. A majority of the players in the NBA never get a chance participate in the All-Star game; much less even see the game. So naturally, when it comes to their home town, they want to see what the week is all about.
"I'm going to stay here. It's my first one. I have to see that, yeah. I will be there," says Mavericks guard Rodrigue Beaubois.
"Oh it’s perfect!" says guard J.J.Barea. "I stay in my house, stay in my town and I know where to go. I don't need anyone to take me around. It's going to be awesome,"
Cities that have hosted the NBA All star game rarely see their team win an NBA championship that same year. In the last 60-years, only four teams have been that lucky. The Lakers were the last team to do it 38 years ago in 1972. The Boston Celtics did it in 1964.
The St Louis Hawks did it in 1958 before moving to Atlanta. The first team to do it was Boston in 1957.
"Well, I guess that's a new challenge for us," forward Eduardo Najera says laughingly. But we don't worry about any of that stuff. Right now, we've got bigger problems."
"That's flawed negative thinking that only a television reporter would come up for a question," says head coach Rick Carlisle.
Good point, but it is a rare fact and the Mavericks are the only team with a chance to change that this year.
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