With a tug from Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and others, the Dallas Mavericks unveiled their championship banner minutes before opening this season against the team they knocked off in the NBA finals, LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
The ceremony was supposed to have been held Nov. 1, but the lockout pushed it back. So after waiting until their 31st season to become champions for the first time, the Mavericks and their fans waited another 54 days.
The Heat were in their locker room while clips of last year's postseason were shown, followed by brief comments from NBA Commissioner David Stern, owner Mark Cuban, coach Rick Carlisle, Terry and Nowitzki.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
