Swish 41 He had a quiet 21-5-3 as the Mavericks got back into the winning saddle beating Portland 103-98 last night.
However, on the season, he's playing as well as anyone in the league and the MVP rumblings are already starting.
His percentages:
56% FG - 40% 3PT - 85% FT
There's a good chance that Nowitzki works out the vaunted 50/40/90 season, which he pulled off in his previous MVP season in 2006-07.
Consider this, Nowitzki's shot 50 percent just one other time (2006-07). He's shot 40 percent from the three-point line just three other times.
All the while, he's still getting his eight rebounds, three assists and block.
Nowitzki is 32 years old and he's still peaking. He's not getting worse and he's only getting older.
I hope everyone's paying attention.
Notes:
1. Brendan Haywood: 10 minutes - 2 points - 1 rebound - 2 fouls
2. Ian Mahinmi: 3 minutes - 2 points - 1 rebound - 1 foul
3. It's not that Mahinmi is awesome or anything. It's about effort. Haywood is giving none and he's getting paid $6.5 million this season. Why aren't more people completely pissed about this?
4. Tyson Chandler's shooting a career-high 65 percent from the field. He's also hitting 80 percent of his free throws. He's a 61.9 percent career free-throw shooter.
5. Caron Butler with -- by a million miles -- his best game of the year: 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists.
6. Second-best start in franchise history at 20-5. This season his knocking me for a loop.
