Mavs counting on an assist from their fans

DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks have a message of their fans.

Be rowdy, loud and proud -- an old Mavs' slogan -- when the Mavs take the court Thursday at 8:30 p.m. to play the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Mavs watched with much interest during Games 1 and 2 of their best-of-seven series with Oklahoma City when the Thunder fans at Chesapeake Energy Arena were extremely loud for most of the game. The Mavs want that same noise to consume American Airlines Center during Games 3 and 4 of this series.

"We've got a great crowd,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. "We need them to really bring it.

"We're playing a really good team, we just had two tough games in a building that was really loud and we need them to reciprocate. That's something that can help our energy, and we need them.''

Forward Dirk Nowitzki believes the Mavs' crowd can match the Thunder's crowd -- scream for scream.

"I think we had an amazing run last year and the crowd was as loud as it gets here, so we definitely need some more of that,'' Nowitzki said. "But usually our play has to get them going.

"It's not like they're going to walk in the building and they're already jumping around. We've got to make them excited with our play, and with our hard play like we did in Game 1 and Game 2.''

-- Dwain Price

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Comments

[Yo]

Those fans in OKC are idiots...they cheer when someone dribbles the ball down the court. That's what happens when you bring a NBA team to a boring city and state.