Some fans just can't wait to celebrate, or in this case, troll their opponents — especially when it comes to the playoffs.
Despite the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks being tied at two games apiece in their Western Conference first-round series, someone in L.A. decided now was a good time for some chirping.
Ahead of Game 5 on Wednesday in Clippers' territory, a billboard outside Crypto.com Arena was getting attention for it's very pointed messaging. The sign read "Dallas to Cancun."
For those unsure of the joke, it's a way of saying the Mavericks ought to book their off-season vacations because the series, and their pursuit of a championship, are about to end.
A little presumptuous of whoever put up the billboard considering the series is tied and the Clippers will be without All-Star Kawhi Leonard for Game 5. Los Angeles won Game 4 to even things up 2-2, but it was by the thinnest of margins after the Clippers blew a 31-point lead in the process.
Since it's a best-of-seven series, either team will still need two more victories before their opponent's have to pack any bags. And if history is any indication, the last time these two squads went at it in the post-season, it was Dallas that advanced after seven games.
The "Cancun" joke first came about in 1998 when former Lakers guard Nick Van Exel broke a team huddle with a "one, two, three, Cancun!" chant. Eluding to the fact that the Lakers were about to get swept by the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Finals.
It's unclear who was behind the billboard but one thing that is for certain is that the Clippers had no part in it. According to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, the sign is scheduled to be taken down before Game 5.
Los Angeles also made a statement per Youngmisuk, saying "the Billboard at L.A. Live is not owned or operated by the Clippers. We have the utmost respect for our opponents and in no way endorse this message."
The Mavericks will try and get the last laugh when they visit the Clippers on Wednesday night, looking to take a 3-2 series lead and pushing their opponents one step closer to Cancun.
