PHOENIX — Billionaire Mark Cuban had plenty of reasons to be smiling during a visit to Phoenix on Monday.
The Dallas Mavericks, the team Cuban owns, is facing off against the Phoenix Suns for the Western Conference semi-finals.
It’s the first time his team has advanced through the first round of the playoffs since winning an NBA Championship in 2011 against the Miami Heat.
The team bested the Utah Jazz in six games to earn a trip to Phoenix.
Cuban was spotted on video holding a baby and taking selfies with fans at the Footprint Center for Game 1 of the series.
Watch below:
Behind Slovenian star Luka Doncic, the Mavs earned a 53-30 record on the way to the #4 seed in the West.
Doncic is poised to give the #1 seed Suns a tough series, and the victor will face either the Golden State Warriors or Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals.
Doncic and Suns star Devin Booker are both healthy after missing some time in the first round due to injury.
Tip-off for Game 1 is at 7 p.m.
Sports
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
