PORTLAND, Ore. -- Dirk Nowitzki will play in his 46th game of the season Saturday night. He has missed none.
At age 39, any athlete will tell you the odds of that happening are incredibly slim.
Not winning the lottery slim. But even Nowitzki wouldn't have bet on it.
As it turns out, he has had some help from an unexpected place -- the NBA office. Adding more than a week to the season has meant more rest for the old-timer in his 20th season -- one of just seven players in history to last 20 years or more.