DIRK NOWITZKI

The Philadelphia 76ers were up 3-0 in their series against the Toronto Raptors just a few days ago.

The Dallas Mavericks are buying time to get Luka Doncic involved in their first-round series against Utah after winning Game 2 at home without their star.

LeBron James highlight the 2010s all-decade team for the NBA, as voted on by AP Sports staffers directly engaged with the NBA At 75 season-long series.

Antawn Jamison knows what it's like to play basketball with Michael Jordan in a pickup game while in college — and what it's like to go up against MJ in the NBA, too.

Michael Jordan gave way to LeBron James in the NBA of the 2000s, just as traditional forms of communication began to yield to the birth and growth of new media.

Karl-Anthony Towns gave big men everywhere something to shoot for.

Mavericks Nowitzki Number Basketball Former Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki, left, and his wife Jessica Olsson watch a banner being raised during a number retirement ceremony for Nowitzki after an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. 41 rose slowly above the court not far from the podium where the franchise icon for the Dallas Mavericks had held it together through a 20-minute speech until it was time to thank the fans. MVP!” just about every time they saw him, live or on the video boards above the court, all night. The 2007 NBA MVP and 2011 Finals MVP is the fourth Dallas player to have his number retired after Brad Davis, Rolando Blackman and Derek Harper. International players used to be something different in this league.”___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Warriors Mavericks Basketball Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Nemanja Bjelica (8) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (LM Otero)DALLAS — (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the Dallas Mavericks celebrated before a ceremony to retire Dirk Nowitzki's number by beating cold-shooting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 99-82 on Wednesday night. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points for Golden State. Golden State offered its tribute to Nowitzki in a video during a third-quarter timeout. Golden State is 3-2 on the second night of back-to-backs.

Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the Dallas Mavericks celebrated before a ceremony to retire Dirk Nowitzki’s number by beating cold-shooting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Mavericks Nowitzki Number Basketball People stand in line to buy memorabilia of former Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki before an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. The Mavericks are retiring Nowitzki's number in a ceremony after the game. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (LM Otero)DALLAS — (AP) — The concourse of Dirk Nowitzki's old home arena displayed memorabilia from the franchise icon's career as the Dallas Mavericks prepared for a ceremony to retire his No. “I guess the best way to put it is sometimes when you end your career, you're always looking for signs of, 'If I'm doing it right.' ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

The Dallas Mavericks have retired the No. 41 of franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki.

For the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, 75 players weren’t enough.

Adam Silver, the basketball fan, would prefer to see Kyrie Irving on the court again with the Brooklyn Nets as soon as possible.

Luka Doncic has signed the richest contract in the history of the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic is set to sign a $207 million supermax extension with the Dallas Mavericks.

Jason Kidd is coming back to Dallas again, this time to replace the coach he won a championship with as the point guard of the Mavericks 10 years ago.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson, instrumental in the club's acquisitions of Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic, is leaving the organization after 24 seasons. A few months later, the Mavericks moved up in the draft to get Nowitzki in a trade with Milwaukee. With the Nowitzki era drawing to a close, the Mavericks made another draft-day deal for a young European in Doncic in 2018. Dallas moved up two spots to the No. Nowitzki and the teenager from Slovenia played together one season before Nowitzki retired.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson, instrumental in the club’s acquisitions of Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic, is leaving the organization after 24 seasons.

Nikola Jokic was revealed Tuesday as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for 2020-21, making him by far the lowest draft pick ever to win the award.

Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points, Paul George added 29 and the Los Angeles Clippers spoiled Luka Doncic’s home playoff debut, beating the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 to get back in the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic scored 24 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 113-109 to finish a season sweep.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Luka Doncic had 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, Kristaps Porzingis played a nearly flawless second half and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Orlando Magic 130-124 on Monday night. Jalen Brunson scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half as the Mavericks broke open a close game. Nikola Vucevic had 29 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Magic, who dropped their fourth straight. “I just thought we’d be better defensively, and that was the difference in the game,” Magic coach Steve Clifford said. AdTIP INSMavericks: Doncic led Dallas in points, rebounds and assists for the 11th time this season.

Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) shoots against Brooklyn Nets forward Jeff Green (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)NEW YORK – Luka Doncic scored 27 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 18 in his return from injury and the Dallas Mavericks snapped the Brooklyn Nets' eight-game winning streak with a 115-98 victory Saturday night. James Harden had 29 points for the Nets, but only four after halftime while playing as Brooklyn's solo superstar. Kevin Durant missed his seventh straight game with a left hamstring strain and Kyrie Irving rested his surgically repaired right shoulder. Dallas put it away with 12 straight points early in the fourth, making it 106-84 and soon after Harden was removed for good.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) goes for a layup in front of Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. Lillard hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer in the final minute after a big Dallas rally, and the Trail Blazers held off Doncic and the Mavericks for a 121-118 victory Sunday night. Lillard connected on the go-ahead 3 after Doncic assisted on a tying 3-pointer from Dorian Finney-Smith after the Mavericks trailed by 13 midway through the fourth quarter. Mavericks: Doncic shared the previous club record of 13 straight games with at least 25 points with Mark Aguirre (1983-84) and Dirk Nowitzki (2005-06). The Mavericks and Pistons met just once during the coronavirus-interrupted season, with Dallas winning in Mexico City behind 41 points from Doncic.

Doncic scored a career-high 46 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 36 and the Mavericks overcame Williamson's career-best 36 points in a 143-130 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The Mavericks matched their season best with a fourth consecutive victory and beat the Pelicans for the fifth straight time. The Pelicans gave up a franchise-record 25 3-pointers for the second consecutive game. Mavericks: Dallas finished above 50% shooting for the third consecutive game while improving to 7-0 when scoring at least 120 points. AdMORE HISTORY FOR DONCICDoncic tied a franchise record shared by Mark Aguirre (1983-84) and Dirk Nowitzki (2005-06) with his 13th consecutive game of at least 25 points.

(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)NEW DELHI — Authorities in India are reporting 36,470 newly confirmed coronavirus infections — that’s the lowest one-day tally in more than three months in a continuing downward trend. The case number reported Tuesday is the lowest since India had 35,065 newly confirmed infections on July 17. ___MADRID — Spain has reported 52,188 new coronavirus cases and 279 new confirmed deaths since Friday. ___ROME — Italy registered slightly more than 17,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday. Italy’s total of known coronavirus infections during the pandemic now stands at 542,789.

Draisaitl has won the Hart Trophy as MVP after leading the NHL in scoring. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)EDMONTON, AB – The Stanley Cup Final is in Edmonton, and Oilers star Leon Draisaitl made history Monday night. Draisaitl became the first German player to win the Hart Trophy as MVP after leading the league in scoring with 110 points in 71 games. Draisaitl is the second Oilers player to win the Hart in the past four years following Connor McDavid, who is widely considered the best hockey player in the world. “But there’s nothing that comes ahead of the Stanley Cup.

The Dallas Mavericks were without forward/center Kristaps Porzingis for Game 4 against the Los Angeles Clippers because he has right knee soreness. The last-minute scratch occurred after the Mavericks learned that guard Luka Doncic would play Sunday despite a left ankle sprain. It wasn’t the same knee that sidelined Porzingis for the 2018-19 season. Porzingis is averaging 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in the Western Conference first-round series. He is coming off a Game 3 performance in which he had 34 points and 13 rebounds.

For the first time since 1990, the Dallas Mavericks are going to the playoffs without Dirk Nowitzki on the roster. The German great retired after last season, officially passing the torch as leader of the Mavs to Doncic the Slovene who nearly averaged a 30-point triple-double in just his second NBA season. So, no, he hasnt seen what the NBA playoffs are like. Behind Doncic, they only assembled the greatest year in NBA history in terms of offensive efficiency. He can make those incredible plays.And now Doncic gets the chance to make those plays on the NBAs best stage: The playoffs.