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Terry’s ink tells a story by The Sports Network

Once upon a time tattoos used to be cool, an anti-social activity in the 1960s that grew to be a trendy fashion statement by the ’90s.

A taboo confined to sailors and Samoans, these days tattoos are routinely seen on everything from rock stars to movie stars but NBA players take the cake. To quote Liz Lemon on NBC’s brilliant comedy 30 Rock: “The tattoo situation in the NBA is out of control.”

Whether it’s Chris “Birdman” Andersen’s garish “Free Bird” neck tat, Jason Williams’ humorous “Whiteboy” knuckle ink or Brad Miller’s “Scrappy Doo” mistake, tattoos are a bigger part of The Association than Blake Griffin posterizations and Ray Allen threes.

One of the most compelling storylines to watch in these NBA Finals will be if DeShawn Stevenson, a solid perimeter defender, can at least slow down LeBron James a bit. Perhaps that is unlikely but his “Abraham Lincoln Five-Dollar Bill” neck ink can certainly rival The King’s “Chosen 1” back tat in the buyer’s remorse category.

Of all the tattoos you will be seeing at the NBA Finals, one seems apropos, however.

Mavericks guard Jason Terry got a tattoo of the NBA championship trophy on his right biceps before the start of the 2010-11 season.

“It symbolized the fact we had a realistic shot of getting there,” Terry told the Dallas Morning News. “If I didn’t think we had a chance, I definitely wouldn’t have put that on there.”

It also helps fuel “The Jet,” the NBA’s 2009 Sixth Man of the Year and the Mavs’ second best scoring option behind superstar Dirk Nowitzki.

“For me, it’s something I have to sleep with, something I wake up with.”

Conventional wisdom says you need two superstars to win in the NBA these days. Miami brings three to the dance in James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh while Dirk is the only certified All-Star in Dallas these days.

Terry, however, headlines a veteran supporting cast long on leadership and former All-Stars, including 38-year-old point guard Jason Kidd, former Phoenix star Shawn Marion and sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic.

“For us, right now, the journey we’re on, the mission we’re on, it doesn’t feel like anything more than what it is,” Terry said on Monday. “I think it’s important we continue to keep that mind frame and come out really focused in on Game 1. It’s a very important game for us.”

Terry also isn’t concerned that Miami has some-court advantage in the set.

“We love being on the road,” the Mavs’ sixth man said. “To be able to start on the road in a situation of this magnitude, it’s very fine for us. We have a veteran group here. Going in on the road, it’s not new to us. We love the atmosphere, the environment.”

The steady hand of Kidd, a 10-time All-Star that has been on this stage before with New Jersey, seems to give Terry and the rest of his teammates confidence to handle the energy of enemy buildings

“I think it comes from your veteran leadership,” Terry said of his team’s confidence. “Guys realizing that the opportunity is now, guys realizing that this opportunity doesn’t come very often. The team we put together this season has been a special group. We felt that from day one.”

Perhaps Terry felt it even before day one when he decided to use Stevenson’s personal tattoo artist to put the Larry O’Brien Trophy on his arm, something he has vowed to remove if he and the Mavericks fail to reach their ultimate goal

“I definitely know it’s going to hurt worse if I have to take this thing off,” Terry said. “[But] it means it was bad luck [if the Mavs lose}. I’m very superstitious.”

Superstitious enough to leave the trophy open so he could fill in the date of Dallas’ first championship.

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Written by Joseph D'Amico on May 31, 2011 at 5:07 pm