Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki 4 Points Away From Passing Wilt Chamberlain For 6th All-Time In Scoring
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki is four points away from claiming the sixth spot on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
Nowitzki scored 14 points in almost 30 minutes during Saturday's win against the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Center as he looks to pass legend Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419 points.
The 7-foot German will have his chance to pass Chamberlain on the list in the team's upcoming Monday night game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Mavericks also ended a seven-game losing streak and won for just the second time in 14 games.
Nowitzki entered the fourth with just four points, but hit a turnaround jumper, a 3-pointer, two free throws and then another from long range with 7:15 left in the game.
With the crowd buzzing on every Mavericks possession in the final minutes, Nowitzki missed his next two shots and then came out with 5:12 remaining. He came back two minutes later and missed three more times before coming out for good to a standing ovation in the final seconds.
With leading scorer Luka Doncic out with a right knee contusion, Hardaway led a balanced Dallas attack with seven Mavs scoring in double figures. Maxi Kleber had 18, and Jalen Brunson and Dwight Powell 16 apiece.
Collin Sexton scored 28 for the Cavaliers, the rookie's fifth straight game above 20. Kevin Love and Cedi Osman each had 22 for Cleveland, which has lost three in a row.
Trey Burke hit a 3-pointer and a driving layup as part of a 7-0 run early in the second quarter to give Dallas a 43-30 lead. Burke's college teammate Hardaway hit a turnaround jumper and Dorian Finney-Smith dunked to extend the Mavericks' lead to 55-35. Dallas hadn't led by that many points in a game since Jan. 30.
The Cavaliers closed the half on an 18-6 run to cut it to 66-57.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)