Few days throughout the NBA calendar are as special as day one. There is no dread of a lost season or any regret of games that got away. There is only excitement and hope, which are amplified when you experience game one in person. I have been going to games my whole life, as my dad has had season tickets for the Dallas Mavericks since 1984. I am fortunate to have experienced so much, but inherently the volume of games I have been to takes away from the allure of any single one. Despite this, the first game I go to every year is always a special feeling, and having it be the first game of the Mavericks’ season this year, I wanted to document the experience to look back on.
Before even walking in, the buzz around the stadium was clear. They rolled out the blue carpet and player cutouts on Victory Plaza, and there was not a road within two miles not being traversed by fans. The lines to get in were long well before tip and the excitement was palpable. Once you got inside, the colors and smells of the concession stands helped bring about a sense of deja vu. Public address announcer Sean Heath’s voice crept through the hallways leading to the seats like your mother calling you down for dinner. In an ever-changing world, so much of American Airlines Center was the same, which gives the returning fan a sense of home.
Seeing the players warm up is always a treat, as you gain a new appreciation for just how big they are. This was especially true on Thursday night when Victor Wembanyama towered over 20-plus NBA athletes. He truly felt larger than life. The lights went down and the National Anthem was sung and the lights came back on for a minute while the Spurs’ starting lineup was announced. The arena went dark again, and the Mavericks were ready to be recognized for the first time this year. The announcement of the players was goosebump-inducing. From the confusion of Brandon Williams’ name coming first to the roar for Klay Thompson to the ambiance of Eminence Front by The Who playing during the pregame video (which has been their hype song for as long as I can remember), there was not an aspect of the before-game antics that did not increase your readiness for the game. The only thing left before tipoff was Heath telling the fans to be “rowdy, loud, and proud” from “the opening tip to the final buzzer”. He said his peace and the game was underway.
The tradition (originating from something the Thunder do) of standing until Dallas scores continued, and the fans were able to sit down when Daniel Gafford threw in a hook shot for their first points of 2024-25. The verbal relief of sitting down paled in comparison to the cheer of the next made basket when Klay Thompson’s first field goal as a Maverick went around, up, and down just over a minute later. The rest of the first half was fairly uneventful as Dallas shot poorly and trailed by two. After waiting out the halftime bathroom lines, it was time to get seated for the second half.
The third quarter was far more reminiscent of last year’s team. Every Luka Doncic three felt familiar and exciting, and when Dereck Lively dunked the arena felt the vibrations. Their 40-point third-quarter outburst had the crowd rocking like a playoff game. The fourth quarter had a nervous anxiety to it after Dallas went up by 21 points and Jason Kidd left Luka Doncic and Lively in the game. Many people stayed to the end to hear Heath end the night with his signature “Mavs win! Mavs win!”. As the exits were flooded with happy Mavericks supporters, the drum line could be heard echoing through the concourse. It was a great feeling to be back and an even better one with a Mavericks win.
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