DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks made a triumphant return home Monday, cheered by hundreds of fans celebrating the franchise’s first NBA title and the first professional championship of any kind in the area in more than a decade.
After the team charter passed under a water cannon salute after it landed, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, a cigar in his mouth, walked off the plane at Love Field carrying the championship trophy he was handed after Sunday’s Game 6 victory over the Miami Heat.
Next came forward Dirk Nowitzki with hardware of his own: the NBA Finals MVP trophy that was awarded after he overcame a finger injury, illness and smothering defense from the Heat to power fourth-quarter comeback wins.
They then went across the runway to a security fence, touching off a celebration that lasted about 30 minutes and allowing fans who spent hours waiting in 90-degree heat to get a taste of the title.
Cuban eventually handed off the championship trophy to members of the team, who walked along the fence as fans held cellphones high to take photos.
Cuban will keep the party going at least through Thursday morning, the date set for the team’s victory parade through the streets of downtown Dallas. And the Dallas billionaire repeated Monday he will personally pay for the celebration.
“We’ll do it,” Cuban said. “All I told them was — Terdema Ussery, our president — you plan the parade. I’ll pay for it because I don’t think it’s right for the city to have to pay for it. And let’s just have some fun.”
The championship, the first in the 31-year history of the Mavericks, represents a breakthrough. The franchise was once one of the worst in the NBA and, even after Cuban’s infusion of cash and energy, had a reputation of failing to win big games — including a loss to Miami in the 2006 Finals after leading the series 2-0.
While agreeing to foot the bill for the parade, Cuban hinted he might not present championship rings to his players.
“I might not get rings,” he said. “Rings are old school. You’ve seen it before: There’s guys who pick up the sweats and towels and they have these big, blingy rings. I’m like, ‘Rings are done. It’s time to take it to the next level.’ “
The title is the city’s first since the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999.
TV ratings up.
The Mavericks’ victory Sunday earned the highest preliminary television viewership for a Game 6 in 11 years, drawing a 15.0 overnight rating. That’s the best for a Game 6 since 2000, when the Los Angeles Lakers clinched a title over the Indiana Pacers. There had been five series since that went at least six games.
The rating was up 35 percent from Game 6 of the 2006 Finals between the same teams, when the Heat clinched a championship. It was up 22 percent from last year’s Game 6, when the Lakers routed the Boston Cel- tics to force Game 7.
