Dirk Nowitzki dropped 40 points, with 8 rebounds and four assists in a thrilling and much-needed overtime Mavericks win to beat the Trail Blazers. As it turns out, being left off the western all-star squad had some benefits.
“I guess the 10-day All-Star break was nice for me,” the 37-year-old said after scoring 40 in Sunday’s win over Portland. “Really, in the middle of the season, a seven-day beach break at my age was nice. I got to recover. I really started bad in Orlando after the break, but since then, I’ve been able to step into some shots and had some good grooves and some good rhythm. Hopefully, I can keep it up, knowing what time it is and knowing the playoffs are on the line. I’m just trying to make every game count.”
