DALLAS — With 5:52 remaining in the first quarter, a familiar face rose up from the opposing bench, took off his Black History Month warmup t-shirt, and walked to the scorer’s table. Taking notice, the crowd made a mixed reaction. It soon grew to cheers as another rose, this time from the Mavericks’ bench. The two met in the middle. Forty seconds later, during a dead ball, Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki walked onto the court together.
In any other season, this event would mark another chapter in the long history the two future Hall-of-Famers share.