Many of the Mavericks' 15,000 season tickets holders are "choosing to stay away" from American Airlines Center this season with the team currently holding a 6-18 record, and seats are "being given away to large groups or traded out with corporate partners," according to Eddie Sefko of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The Mavs' place at the bottom of the NBA standings has turned the arena "into a quiet place where opponents rarely have to put up with the raucous noise that has been a dependable ally" for years. However, the team's "sellout streak -- an NBA-record 608 consecutive games -- continues, despite the obvious eye test that shows wide expanses of empty seats in the upper deck." Mavs Owner Mark Cuban: "We bring in lots and lots and lots and lots of kids. Last week, we worked with the Dallas Police Department and brought in 1,000 kids to partner with police officers and sit with them and get to know them better and their families better. We're going to do it again next week. And every week we're short, you're going to see police officers, their families, kids, military, their families, kids, schools, their families, kids, nonprofits, their families, kids." Sefko noted it is "going to get tougher as the season extends into the dog days with no hope for a playoff push." The return of F Dirk Nowitzki from injury "should help," but this is the "first time in Cuban's ownership that he's had a team so far below .500." Cuban: "We don't have to move a lot of tickets on any given game. But like I said, we partner with the Dallas police. They can bring 2,000, like they are this week, we'll let them bring in 2,000. The only requirement is they show up" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/13).
