Dallas Mavericks: 5 best Mavs moments of the last decade

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Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki. Photo: Philipp Hülsmann/dpa (Photo by Philipp Hülsmann/picture alliance via Getty Images) /

2. Dirk’s final home game

I was fortunate enough to be able to fly to Dallas and attend Dirk’s final two games. I have truly never been in an atmosphere quite like the one at American Airlines Center on April 9th, 2019.

At the risk of sounding corny, it truly felt like one gigantic family. Everyone was there to celebrate one man and everything he has meant to a city, community, and fan base. The big German certainly did not disappoint.

He started the game hot by scoring the team’s first 10 points. Fans could feel the palpable energy emanating from the building. It was almost indescribable.

One of the most memorable moments of the night was when they played a video featuring all of Dirk’s charitable work with children in the Dallas area. I’m not sure there was a dry in the building after it finished. Nowitzki too could be seen tearing up on the court.

He finished the game with an impressive 30 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. One last iconic performance for the city he always called home.

Then came the postgame tribute. Carlisle and Cuban took turns thanking Dirk for everything he had done. In a very touching moment, Carlisle’s daughter instinctively ran up to Nowitzki and gave him a huge hug.

They surprised Dirk with five of his biggest heroes. Shawn Kemp, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen and Detlef Schrempf were all on the court. They each took turns sharing their gratitude for the kind of player and person Dirk Nowitzki had proven to be.

Finally, the Mavericks GOAT took the microphone and said a few words of his own. To the delight of fans, he said, “I left Germany over 20 years ago and I became a Texan.” Dirk dedicated over half of his life to the DFW area both on and off the court. His name is synonymous with the city at this point.

There has never been an athlete more important to the city of Dallas than the man from Wurzburg, Germany. We are all excited for him as he starts this next chapter of his life.

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