WASHINGTON –  Congresswoman Diana DeGette of Denver, CO, and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas, TX, today made a friendly wager on the upcoming Denver-Dallas Western Conference Semifinals series in the NBA Playoffs.

Congresswoman Johnson is backing the Dallas Mavericks, while Congresswoman DeGette supports her local team, the Denver Nuggets.  If the Dallas Mavericks win, Congresswoman DeGette will give Congresswoman Johnson tamales, a Denver specialty.  If the Denver Nuggets win, Congresswoman Johnson will give Congresswoman DeGette five bottles of her famous Texas-style hot sauce.

“The Denver Nuggets are on fire this year – they are as hot as the Texas-style sauce my friend, Eddie Bernice, is betting,” said Congresswoman DeGette. “I am so confident the Denver Nuggets will prevail, I am willing to bet our famous tamales. With this being the best Denver Nuggets team in history, I am looking forward to adding some hot sauce to my tamales.”

“The Mavericks boast Dirk Nowitzki, the NBA’s MVP in the 2006-2007 season, and Jason Kidd, one of the best players of his generation,” Congresswoman Johnson said.  “Jason Terry is one of the best guards in the NBA and won the sixth man award this year.  He leads a deep bench on a team with a lot of playoff experience.  We’ll draw on that experience in this series.  I think we’re going to surprise everyone and show them what happens when a hard-working team pulls together.”

The Dallas Mavericks best of seven series with the Denver Nuggets begins Sunday, May 3 at 3:30 PM EST.