Claiming they would have 'so much fun' and 'also get to meet some of my NBA friends,' Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki enthusiastically recommended playing in NBA games when chatting Monday with several friends who were planning a cross-country road trip. 'If you're going to be in downtown Phoenix, you absolutely have to drop in and play the Suns,' said Nowitzki, adding that in his opinion, there's no better way to kill time in the Southwestern city. 'And I think one of you said you were going to New York, right? Well, you gotta play professional basketball at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks while you're there. There's so much history in that place. Plus, New Jersey is really close, so you can get in a quick game with the Nets. Just don't try to do it all in one day.' Nowitzki added that if his friends were looking for a place to stay in Chicago, they could always crash with his buddy Joakim. 