Before the game, Cirque du Soleil put on a performance that included some basketball. At one point, one of the performers spun around over and over while they held a giant basketball. Most of it was was a beautiful mix of colors, which performers leaping into the sky and disappearing a second later. At one point, the giant screen they used for illusions became a basketball court but then the screen became an endless stream of temporary doors.
The performance ended with a short montage of NBA plays and soundbites, including a remix of Shaq saying "Can you dig it?"
And it ended with the slogan "This is why we play." Given what we just saw, we're a little lost. But we'll take your word for it. Regardless, the performance by Cirque du Soleil was a wonderful spectacle.