Dirk Nowitzki ducked his head into a mob of teammates, with Dallas owner Mark Cuban clutching the side of his jersey before the Mavericks superstar found coach Rick Carlisle for a hug.
The celebration of 30,000 points came a lot faster than most would have imagined - except maybe the man who has watched from the bench for nine of Nowitzki's 19 seasons.
"Watching Dirk the last couple of days, there was no doubt this was going to happen tonight," Carlisle said.
Nowitzki scored the 20 points he needed for 30,000 in barely more than a quarter despite coming in with just five 20-point games this season, and the Mavericks celebrated with their second straight easy home win over the Los Angeles Lakers, a 122-111 victory on Tuesday night.
The 7-foot German became the sixth NBA player and the first international one to reach the milestone, joining four Hall of Famers and a future one in Kobe Bryant. Nowitzki is one of three to score all 30,000-plus with one team. The others are Karl Malone (Utah) and Bryant (Lakers).
Nowitzki scored Dallas' first eight points in slightly more than two minutes, matched the best first quarter of his career with 18 points and reached the hallowed mark on a 15-foot fadeaway jumper from the baseline over Larry Nance Jr. with 10:58 remaining in the second quarter.
The 38-year-old scored all of his 25 points - one shy of his season high - in the first half to send the Mavericks on their way to a 31-point lead in the third quarter.
"I made the first one and it was a two, and then I made the first three and thought, 'Why not?"' said Nowitzki, who made his first six shots and had 11 rebounds in 24 minutes. "I threw another one up and it went in, and then the next three came right after that and I was just trying to ride it from there."
Dallas extended a franchise record with its 14th straight win over the Lakers, who got 13 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists from Julius Randle in their eighth straight loss.
Nowitzki finished the night at 30,005 points and has said he plans to play a 20th season. If so, he could have a shot at fifth-place Wilt Chamberlain, who has 31,419. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the career leader at 38,387.
In the day's other matches Portland Trail Blazers edged Oklahoma City 126-121 despite a career-high 58 points from Thunder's Russell Westbrook.
Seven Trail Blazers scored in double figures led by Allen Crabbe, who posted 23 points.
Washington accounted for Phoenix 131-127 in a topsy-turvy game in which John Wall had 25 points and 14 assists for the Wizards and Eric Bledsoe had 30 points and Devin Booker 25 for the Suns.
Share
