DALLAS - Powerful storms struck Texas yesterday, temporarily preventing planes from heading into Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
American Airlines flight 2754 was among those delayed by the ravages of mother nature, triggering a 3-hour, 35-minute wait before the Boeing 737 that carried me and a couple hundred other increasingly cantankerous passengers safely landed.
After that travel hiccup, though, everything else was a blast of basketball heaven in a city that adores its Mavericks.
Built in 2001, the American Airlines Center or AAC as it's fondly called here is home to the Mavericks of the NBA and the Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hosting concerts and other live entertainment acts, the AAC welcomes 2.3 million attendees annually.
But Tuesday night was all about Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals where a partisan crowd of 20,477 braved the downtown traffic and post-storm inconveniences to rally behind Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and a cast full of overachievers.
The hope was for their tickets - as high as $10,000 courtside and as low as $189 in the bleachers - would be rewarded with the priceless joy of a sweep and a Dallas trip to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011.
COLUMN: KAT back on the prowl as T-Wolves stand defiant
Too bad, Karl Anthony-Towns tore through a shooting slump the way Clark Kent rips his shirt to reveal the "S '' logo. His 25 points, with three 3s in the fourth quarter, powered Minnesota to a 105-100 victory.
Hours after the game, a beer and burger joint outside the arena named Black Tap, was still inundated with forlorn, Mavs-jerseys wearing fans. Alcohol won't wash their sorrows away but it will hold it off until Game 5.
MEDIA CHATTER.
In my years of covering the NBA, ESPN's Brian Windhorst has been a fixture in the playoffs, and this Dallas swing was no exception.
A two-time New York Times best-selling author and host of the extremely popular The Hoop Collective podcast, Brian said he'd like to go back to the Philippines someday.
He was in Manila last September for the FIBA World Cup 2023, a work visit that included a guest appearance at the Power and Play Show with Noli Eala, one that he immensely enjoyed.
Next time, though, he'd like to be just a tourist and explore everything the Philippines has to offer.
IMMORTALIZED.
Lit in Mavericks' shade of deep blue, a color shimmers on a dark night, the bronze statue of Dirk Nowitzki frozen in his signature one-legged jump shot is a centerpiece attraction at PNC Plaza in front of the AAC.
After joining the franchise as a 20-year old in 1998, the now 45-year old German has grown into one of Dallas' most revered athletes, who played all 21 playing years in a city where he delivered a title in 2011.
The franchise leader in points (31,560), free throws (7240) and 3-point shots made (1982). Nowitzki currently works as a special advisor for the team.
PBA CONNECTION.
I ran into former PBA import Dell Demps, who is now VP of the Timberwolves after a stint as GM of the Pelicans.
"They (Mavericks) made some tough shots," he said of their 0-3 hole. But at shootaround prior to Game Four, Dell predicted a Minnesota turnaround.
Demps revealed that he and his wife were just on a wonderful three-week trip throughout Asia, a trek that included stops in Singapore, Vietnam and Cebu.
Sweet.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
