Dirk Nowitzki joined elite company tonight as he passed the 28,000-point threshold, becoming just the seventh player in NBA history to reach that mark. He’s now slotted behind (in order) Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring list. He trails Shaq by a little more than 600 points and could ostensibly pass him to overtake the sixth spot sometime next season.
Oh yeah, he also recorded his 10,000th rebound. He finished with 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists, and perhaps even more important, his Dallas Mavericks edged out the Oklahoma City Thunder 135-131, despite yet another Russell Westbrook triple double.
The Mavs are relatively secure with the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoff race, while the Thunder are clinging to a two-game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans for the eighth and final spot.
Going into Wednesday’s game, Nowitzki needed just 14 points to cross the 28,000-point milestone, and he got there on a three-pointer with an assist from Monta Ellis toward the end of the third quarter.
A true one-of-a-kind, the sharp-shooting forward is a 12-time All Star, an NBA Champion and Finals MVP, a regular season MVP, and almost certainly a first ballot Hall-of-Famer.
(video via NBA)
