DALLAS — Although he admits that not being out on the court during crunch time for the Dallas Mavericks is something he’s yet to get accustom to, 13-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki has willingness sacrificed his playing time late in games to allow the team to develop its young contributors.
This season, Nowitzki is averaging just 12.2 points per game, which is his lowest total since his rookie year during the 1998-99 campaign. He’s also shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from beyond the three-point line. However, with his fourth-quarter playing time limited to allow the Mavericks’ young contributors to gain experience, Nowitzki has been rendered to being the team’s lead cheerleader late in games.