Dirk Nowitzki: Performance Breakdown of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals (Part 1)
After qualifying for the NBA playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference, Dallas Mavericks took on the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. After winning the first two games, the Mavs were struck with a juggernaut
in the form of Brandon Roy. However, after Roy scorched the Mavericks at Portland to square the series at 2-all, Dirk Nowitzki stepped up the ante and led his team to two straight win and paved way for the Mavs into the next round.
Here is a brief recap of Nowitzki’s performances in the first round of playoffs.
Game-1: Dallas Mavericks 89 – Portland Trail Blazers 81
Dirk Nowitzki scored a game-high 28 points and aided the Dallas Mavericks to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 89-81 on April 16 at the American Airlines Centre, Dallas.
Besides, his 28 points Nowitzki clutched 10 rebounds and dished out two assists, during his 39 minutes stay on court. Nowitzki hit seven of his field goals out 20 attempts which was below his standards, but from the free throw
line Nowitzki was 100 percent, hitting 13 of 13.
In the first three quarters of the game, Nowitzki shot just 5 of 16 and committed six turnovers. However, the 32 year old veteran gained the momentum in the final 12 minutes of the game, as he punched 12 successive Dallas points
that flipped the 72-68 shortfall into an 80-76 lead.
Out of his 28 points, Nowitzki hit 18 in the final quarter. After the game Nowitzki said, "Just really kept on plugging. I've got to keep going. The team told me to keep attacking and things will start happening."
Game-2: Dallas Mavericks 101 – Portland Trail Blazers 89
Dirk Nowitzki was once again at the top of his game, as he marshalled the Dallas Mavericks in game-2. The Mavs after giving away the first quarter got themselves together from the second frame and dominated the Portland Trail Blazers
to clinch the 101-89, their second straight win in the first round series of the playoffs.
Nowitzki tallied game-high 33 points along with seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. During his 38 minutes on the court, Nowitzki went 15 of 17 from the free throw line.
After the dominating performance he said, "This series is far from over. They play well at home, they make shots, and they play tough D, so we've got to be prepared for a tough game on Thursday."
The All Star led all Dallas scorers in the final quarter by scoring 14 points that included the last 11 points for the Mavs. Portland
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