The Dallas Mavericks showed out on “Seats for Soldiers Night” in a 117-111 win over the Portland Trail Blazers at the American Airlines Center on Thursday evening. Jaden Hardy was the Mavericks’ leading scorer with 25 points and two assists, while Shaedon Sharpe was the Trail Blazers’ leading scorer with 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Anfernee Simons wasn’t far behind Sharpe with 22 points, one rebound, and four assists.
MavsTV broadcaster Mark Followill officially declared “seats for soldiers magic” on-air during Thursday night’s game after Washington hit a corner three-pointer and helped the Mavericks snatch a 112-109 lead with less than two minutes in regulation. Washington’s corner three also helped the Mavericks erase an 11-point deficit minutes earlier. Read on for further details surrounding “Seats for Soldiers Night” at the AAC.
Basics Of ‘ Seats for Soldiers Night’
Followill’s enthusiasm for the Dallas Mavericks’ momentum swing was unmatched in Thursday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the American Airlines Center. Followill’s enthusiasm was equally matched by the United States military heroes who occupied 100+ courtside seats as part of the Dallas Mavericks’ 18th annual “Seats for Soldiers Night.”
Despite the winter weather, this year’s planning committee explored all the options from option A to option Z. The Mavericks plowed through all the obstacles to host “Seats for Soldiers Night” for the United States military heroes from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex’s Purple Heart Chapter 1513, Wounded Warrior Project, and Merging Players and Vets.
The Dallas Mavericks edged the Trail Blazers 117-111 in regulation, improving their overall record to 22-16 and their “Seats for Soldiers Night” record to 16-2. “Seats for Soldiers Night” was established in 2004. The Dallas Mavericks and the Mavs Foundation have received generous courtside seat donations from several partners, such as American Airlines, Nick & Sam’s, and Club Maverick Members, to host the night year after year for 20 years.
During an interview with MavsTV’s Jeff “Skin” Wade, Dereck Lively II said, “We’re here with the vets, and we just got to put on a show … We’re grateful for them coming out, we’re grateful for what they do for our country, and we just love it when they show us support.” Lively II spoke his words, just minutes after achieving a 21-point, 15-rebound game in downtown Dallas.
More on ‘Seats for Soldiers Night’
“Seats for Soldiers Night” was more than just a way for the Dallas Mavericks to honor the United States military heroes in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. For the U.S. military heroes, Thursday night’s game between the Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers started with the home team welcoming them to the American Airlines Center with a VIP pregame reception. It included messages of gratitude from Lively II, Luka Doncic, Daniel Gafford, and newly-appointed CEO Rick Welts.
Welts told Mavs.com, “One thing I think I’ve learned in my first week here at the Mavericks is just what this event means to everybody associated with the team, from ownership to every single person in the office, who were buzzing about this event … There’s such a sense of pride that every year we get to do Seats for Soldiers and just get to take a moment to say thank you to the men and women who are serving us in ways that we can never truly thank them for.”
Lisa Holmes Lunkwicz, a Gold Star spouse and an associate member of Purple Heart Chapter 1513, told Mavs.com, “They stand a little taller, their shoulders go back, there’s pride again— it instills a sense of ‘I’m home, and I’m still loved’ … They don’t want recognition, they’re a little bit shy of it, but the Mavericks have made them feel so welcome and so at home that for them, it’s everything.” Holmes Lunkwicz added, “I’m so proud that we can work with the Mavericks… In the past, we tried and tried, and here we are on the night my husband [Sergeant John Lunkwicz, PH] died four years ago today— it happened.”
Aside from sitting in the courtside seats and meeting with Mavericks players, “Seats for Soldiers Night” weaved the United States military into the game from start to finish, starting with the singing of the National Anthem and encouraging the participation of on-court promotions, such as the Hot Hands Solo Stove bean bag toss.
Dallas Mavericks’ Next Game
The Dallas Mavericks’ next game will be played against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, January 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Central. The Mavericks vs. Nuggets game won’t be “Seats for Soldiers Night,” but the home game will be important as the Dallas Mavericks would like a three-game winning streak. The Mavericks can do just that with a home win over the Nuggets at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. The Nuggets previously hosted the Brooklyn Nets at Ball Arena in downtown Denver on Friday night before traveling to Dallas.
