Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo takes a shot during warm ups before an NBA basketball game between the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
DALLAS, TEXAS—Gary Harris scored 20 points and the Denver Nuggets beat Dallas 109-91 on Tuesday night with the Mavericks honoring retiring Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo as a ceremonial player.
With nothing at stake in a lost season that will be the worst for Dallas (32-49) since going 20-62 in 1997-98, the Mavericks followed through with an idea hatched in part by star Dirk Nowitzki weeks ago when it was clear Romo wasn’t returning to the Cowboys.
Romo was honored exactly a week after announcing he was leaving football to become the No. 1 NFL analyst at CBS.
The soon-to-be-37-year-old had the crowd on its feet in the final minute hoping he could play, but Romo wasn’t on the roster or under contract.
Mason Plumlee and Malik Beasley scored 16 apiece in the first game for the Nuggets (39-42) since getting eliminated from the postseason. Nowitzki scored 21 for Dallas.