The Sports Life

Basketball - Down and Nearly Out, Dallas Turns to Its Star

DALLAS ? The Dallas Mavericks were down by 9 points late Tuesday night, down by 3-1 in their series against the Golden State Warriors and down to their last breath. Anyone in the arena could see the situation was bleak. Except for Dirk Nowitzki.

?Bleak? What does that mean?? said Nowitzki, a nine-year veteran from Germany. ?I never heard that word.?

He was being literal. But then, Nowitzki is an unperturbed sort who rarely seems to recognize bleakness. For four taut playoff games, the Warriors denied Nowitzki any chance to shine, and the Mavericks any chance to control the series. Old questions about Nowitzki?s leadership and passion returned. Nowitzki was unmoved.

?He was the same,? Mavericks guard Devin Harris said after Nowitzki led Dallas to a 118-112 victory. ?He hadn?t changed. He was still fooling around in shoot-around, he?s still the same old Dirk. He?s not going to let it get to him.?

It was Nowitzki who had, to the frustration of his fans and his coach, said he would not force his game, that he would wait for an opening. He found it late Tuesday night, just in time to save the season and his team?s dignity.

Nowitzki hit a 3-pointer, blocked a layup by Matt Barnes and hit another 3-pointer, taking the deficit down to 112-109. With just under a minute left, Nowitzki charged hard to the basket and drew a foul. He made both free throws for a 113-112 lead, and Dallas never trailed again.

The Mavericks closed the game on a 15-0 kick, with Nowitzki scoring 12 of the points and providing all of the inspiration. He finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds, his best game of the series by far.

The Mavericks are still in a precarious spot, trailing the eighth-seeded Warriors by 3-2, with Game 6 in Oakland on Thursday. But no one has to wonder now when Nowitzki will join the fray.

?Dirk?s a stud,? said the Mavericks? owner, Mark Cuban. ?It never surprises me anything he does.?

Coach Avery Johnson worried enough that he had a conversation with Nowitzki before the game and said he reminded him: ?You?re one of the top players in the league. Just be yourself. He?s not a role player. So just be yourself. Just be more forceful, more aggressive. It?s not always about what the defense is giving you.?

Nowitzki credited Warriors Coach Don Nelson, the former Dallas coach, for a defensive scheme that kept him from finding a rhythm. He credited Johnson for telling him what he needed to hear.

?He?s trying to push me, obviously, to do more and help this team whenever I can,? Nowitzki said. ?I don?t know if it was his words, but obviously we can?t afford to lose one more time. So it?s really just leaving it all out there.?

Nowitzki showed a renewed aggression in Game 5, repeatedly driving to the rim and drawing contact. He took 15 free throws, making 14.

?That?s what we need out of him,? Harris said. ?The way he?s consistently getting to the basket sets up his jump shot and sets up everybody else.?

Despite Nowitzki?s struggles ? he shot only 40 percent in the first four games and looked nothing like a most valuable player candidate ? Cuban said his faith never wavered. Not even when the Mavericks trailed by 9 with 3 minutes 21 seconds to play.

?All I saw was the spinach was on the sidelines and Dirk popped the spinach,? said Cuban, who then hummed the ?Popeye? theme song and said he heard ?some guy saying, ?I am what I am,? and going out there and hitting some 3s.?

The doubts have again shifted toward the Warriors, who for the second time in this series lost their cool as they lost a game.

Stephen Jackson, the primary defender against Nowitzki, was ejected with 8.9 seconds left, for sarcastically clapping after a foul call. Nelson said he would fine Jackson, who was also ejected in the Warriors? Game 2 loss, ?a substantial amount.?

The N.B.A. has decided not to take any further action against Jackson, but is investigating an incident involving Jason Richardson. Late in the game, Richardson tangled with a fan after falling into the front-row seats. N.B.A. security officials interviewed witnesses, and the league was investigating the matter.

The Warriors thrive on their raw emotions, but it backfired again Tuesday night. The poised Mavericks and their placid most valuable player candidate may yet avoid disaster.

?Last year we fought our way all the way to the finals,? Nowitzki said. ?Look at Golden State, they?re probably the best eighth seed this league has ever seen. They got so many weapons and shooters, and they just keep coming. I think we realize by now, if we want to win the series, we got to take it. They?re not going to give it to us.?

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