Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is a first-hand witness of how amazing an Oracle Arena crowd can get.
The 14-time All-Star reminisced on one of the most disappointing moments in his NBA career, when his first-seeded Mavs side was upset by a highly-motivated underdog Golden State Warriors team in a memorable first-round matchup back in 2007.
“Crazy atmosphere,” Dirk said of the Oracle Arena crowd during Game 6 of the series, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Crazy. One of the loudest buildings I’ve been in. The fans were so in it, any run they had.”
The Warriors took Game 1 in Dallas, and were able to secure back-to-back victories in Games 3 and 4 in their home floor. The series went back to Oakland for a pivotal Game 6 after the Mavs won Game 5 at home.
Aside from the actual game — which the Warriors convincingly won 111-86 to win the series 4-2 — Dirk could not forget about the pregame tailgates that proved that the Golden State faithful were all in on their support for their team.
“It doesn’t happen much in basketball,” Dirk Nowitzki said. “Happens more in football, when the fans cookout before. But that was the case when we drove up to the arena two-and-a-half hours, three hours before tip.
“Fans were out there flipping us off, mooning us on our way in. It was crazy. As a competitor, fun to play, but it kind of pushed them to another level. The fans were a big part of that.”
Despite a disappointing end to that season, Nowitzki still cannot help but speak fondly of Warriors supporters, which obviously left quite an impression on him.
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