LOS ANGELES -- Dirk Nowitzki had no idea why LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers called a timeout with 9.4 seconds remaining and his team leading by nine points Monday night.
Rivers' reasoning became clear seconds later when he walked to the scorer's table, picked up the public address announcer's microphone and gave an impromptu tribute to Nowitzki, the legendary face of the Dallas Mavericks franchise who is in his 21st and perhaps final season.
"Dirk! Dirk!" Rivers hollered, gesturing to the Staples Center crowd to show its appreciation to the all-time great who was playing perhaps his last game in the arena, then pointing toward Nowitzki.