DALLAS — Dereck Lively II of the Dallas Mavericks responded to a reporter’s question about why fans shout “Stars” during the national anthem at home games with a curious reply.
“You tell me why,” Lively said, leading to an explanation that fans of the Dallas NBA team show support for the NHL’s Stars, who have a tradition of shouting their nickname during the anthem.
“I had a feeling, but I didn’t want to assume,” said the 20-year-old from Duke. “That’s what I suspected.”
Both the Mavericks and the Stars made it to the Western Conference finals in their leagues this spring, marking the first time in 31 years since the NHL franchise moved to Dallas from Minnesota.
Lively, along with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, have led the Mavs to the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years, with Game 1 scheduled in Boston next week. Meanwhile, the Stars are competing against Edmonton for a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.
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The American Airlines Center is buzzing with activity as workers prepare the arena for both NBA and NHL playoffs. The arena can switch from ice to hardwood flooring in a matter of hours and has hosted about 25 postseason games by the end of this spring.
This is only the sixth time NBA and NHL teams sharing an arena have reached the conference finals together, with the last instance being in New Jersey in 2003.
“There’s going to be a lot of excitement in this stadium,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd. “A lot of beverages will be sold, so it’s going to be bustling in Dallas. It’s going to be a busy downtown.”
Players from other sports, like NFL stars Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, are also showing their support for the teams by attending games.
The success of the Rangers, Mavericks, and Stars has energized the sports scene in Dallas, with fans and players alike excited about the possibility of a “Dallas double” championship.
Overall, the DFW area is experiencing a surge of championship aspirations across different sports, bringing the community together in support of their local teams.
