It’s 5 o’clock on a Tuesday night in the middle of November, but fans are already piling into the American Airlines Center to see their Dallas Mavericks take on the San Antonio Spurs.
The season isn’t even a month old and the home team is off to a miserable 2-12 start. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr.’s body is having issues adjusting to the physical intensity of the NBA. Dirk Nowitzki, the 39-year-old face of the franchise, is barely averaging double digits in scoring. And the team had already dropped several games to inferior opponents such as the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings (both home losses).