DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki was frustrated by his poor shooting performance in Dallas previous game. Devin Setoguchi Jersey . That disappointment, plus a little help from an old friend, turned into another big performance by the veteran forward. Nowitzki scored seven of his 32 points in overtime, leading the Mavericks to a 128-119 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. Nowitzki also had 10 rebounds and six assists. In Dallas loss to Brooklyn on Sunday, he was 2 for 12 from the field in his worst shooting performance of the season. "The last game was disappointing for me," Nowitzki said. "I was just hesitating too much, so I had to go back to having fun out there and just being me. "That was a heck of a game, and it was fun to be a part of." The 7-foot Nowitzki was 11 for 23 from the field and 8 for 8 at the line. "His emotion and his attitude carried the team," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "Hes a prideful guy. I think great players are great for a reason. They never let anything keep them down for long. Hes bounced back from every adversity hes ever had in his career, so this is no surprise." Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 43 points. He has scored at least 25 in 36 consecutive games in the longest such streak since Michael Jordans 40-game run during the 1986-87 season. Dallas had seven players score in double figures. Jose Calderon went 6 for 8 from 3-point range and finished with 22 points. Nowitzki said he spent time on Tuesday with Holger Geschwinder, his longtime basketball mentor from his home country of Germany. He said they got in a little shooting work. "I guess he was tired of watching my shooting percentage," Nowitzki said. "Its always good when hes there." Russell Westbrook scored 23 for Oklahoma City. All of his points came in regulation, when he played 31:50. He added another minute in overtime. Westbrook is limited to 30 to 32 minutes per game because of his oft-injured right knee. Oklahoma City was coming off a 117-96 victory over Denver on Monday night. The Thunder had won four in a row. "Im proud of our guys effort and energy, coming back from back-to-back games," coach Scott Brooks said. "I cant complain about anything we did tonight." "We didnt make the big play," said Durant, who has scored 40 points or more 13 times this season. "They made shots in overtime. You have to give them credit." The Mavericks scored the first five points of the extra period on two free throws by Nowitzki and a 3-pointer by Calderon. They never trailed again. The victory pushed Dallas into eighth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of idle Phoenix. The Mavericks improved to 3-2 on a franchise-long, eight-game homestand, with three of the games going to overtime. They began the homestand in seventh place, 1 1/2 ahead of the ninth-place Suns. Calderon returned to the starting lineup after being knocked out of Sunday nights game in the first minute. He was whacked in the face by Brooklyns Mason Plumlee, chipping a facial bone between his nose and mouth. Calderon said the injury only hurts when he talks or laughs. "And I dont have to laugh during games," he said. Another of Calderons 3s came with 26.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter and sent the game into overtime. "It felt good from the beginning," he said, "but you dont know until that ball goes through the rim." Dallas won 109-86 at Oklahoma City on March 16 in the Thunders worst loss of the season. Westbrook missed that game because the team wants to limit the activity for his surgically repaired knee, choosing to rest him in one part of back-to-back games. Westbrook was the catalyst of Oklahoma Citys second-quarter rally after the Thunder fell behind by 10. He scored 10 points in the period, including a foul shot that gave Oklahoma City a 57-48 lead with 1:25 to go. But the Mavericks answered with three consecutive 3-pointers - one from Calderon and two from Vince Carter - to tie it with 33.4 left in the half. Durant then hit a 3 to give Oklahoma City a 60-59 lead at the break. The Thunder hit 14 of 18 shots in the period and shot 57.1 per cent for the half. NOTES: Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins, sidelined since Feb. 20 with a groin strain, is hoping to return at Houston on April 4. ... If Dallas finishes among the leagues top-10 teams, Oklahoma City will get the Mavericks first-round draft choice next summer as a result of a series of trades. Travis Zajac Jersey . Algeria enters the match riding a wave of unexpected confidence after pummeling South Korea, 4-2, in Porto Alegre on Sunday. The Desert Foxes opened the scoring after 26 minutes as Carl Medjani sent a long ball over the top to the feet of striker Islam Slimani, who did well to split two South Korean defenders and touch it past goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong. Brandon Bollig Jersey .5 million, one-year contract. The 33-year-old right-hander agreed to the deal last week subject to a physical, and the contract was announced Wednesday.On this weeks Three Man Weave, Will Strickland and Duane Watson of TSN 1050s 1 On 1 With Will & Duane draft, NBA TV Canadas Mr. Everything and host of The Hangout, Akil Augustine (@akilaugustine). As the NBA playoffs go on and teams look to survive and advance, they evaluate the remaining series and summer tasks for the Toronto Raptors. Kyle Lowry is Masai Ujiris first order of business this summer, but who should his second be? Greivis Vasquez or Patrick Patterson? Strickland: No Brainer: Greivis Josue Vasquez Rodriguez. Quality back-ups at point guard are Loch Ness Monster-rare in The Association right now. When you have a guy like Kyle Lowry playing human bowling ball to help his team get wins, injuries are pre-destined. Vasquez stepped in admirably for Lowry in those times, as well as aiding to create a potent two point-guard backcourt with sure ballhandling, keen decision-making and absolutely zero fear of The Moment - all necessary variables to a winning equation. Project Pat Patterson, a handle hung on him by my #1On1 partner, Duane Watson, will be a priority to retain as well for Ujiri and the MLSE braintrust. I doubt he walks unless the offer to dance between the lines elsewhere with similar playing time is too great to pass.Augustine: Small forward! Not that I know what Masai should do... (#InMasaiWeTrust) but I would love to see an upgrade on the wing that would by some time for T-ROSS to blossom. Luol Deng anyone? Vince? Watson: It has to be The General Greivis Vasquez, a back-up guard who can play both positions and play alongside Kyle Lowry. Vasquez runs the pick-and-roll to perfection, but he also isnt scared to take the big shot. He got into a rhythm during the playoffs and was the most reliable player off the bench. His fire and passion are just the type of elements this team needs.Why does the Brooklyn Nets 4-0 regular season record against the Miami Heat mean nothing in the post-season?Strickland: The regular season is just that: regular. The second season, aka the playoffs, is where your legend is born. The Brooklyn Nets legend in the playoffs is rooted in being at full strength and still losing last year to the Nate Robinson-led, grossly undermanned, but infinitely tougher Chicago Bulls. Oh, lets not forget what should not have happened this season with the Nets edging the young Toronto Raptors. The two-time defending world champion Heat are built for the playoffs and are showing their pedigree in winning fashion with a commanding 2-0 lead over Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference semis. If the Nets lose Game 3 at home, itd be a safe better for them to procure the #TackleBox post haste. Augustine: Because the Heat have two modes: Regular season and playoffs. The Nets also have two modes...wait, no they dont. They are the No Mode Squad starring Busta-Ankle, aka D-Wont! Watson: This is why they call it the playoffs. As they have the past two springs, the Heat take their game into another gear in the playoffs. In two of the four losses against the Nets, Dwyane Wade was resting - for this very time of the year. For all of the Nets veteran experience, they are tired and bruised after a series in Toronto that they barely escaped from and Miami will have an answer for Joe Johnson.If the Oklahoma City Thunder lose to the Los Angeles Clippers, whos to blame - Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook or Scott Brooks?Strickland: The Thunder were one Zach Randolph "punch" to the face of noted agitator from The Bill Laimbeer School Of Smart Skullduggery, Steven Adams, away from a potential first-round exit. Tied at 1-1 with the Clippeers and headed to LA, the blame will have multiple directions for various reasons. Jeremy Roenick Jersey. Scott Brookss loyalty to line-ups over deft and necessary adjustments, as well as other questionable coaching moves will catch major darts. Russell Westbrooks greatest strengths of supreme athleticism, overt passion and singular focus may also be his biggest weaknesses, especially in the eyes of his detractors. And last but not least, the 2013-2014 NBA scoring champ and MVP who has been famously quoted as being sick and tired of coming in second would face LeBron James-level scrutiny of his true value with a second round loss to the Clippers. Augustine: Scott Brooks. And the GM. Kendrick Perkins is stealing cash, Serge Ibaka is stuck in neutral and the rest of the bench isnt old enough to get into a club, excluding team chaperone Derek Fisher, let alone win a series. Watson: Sam Presti. As the GM of the Thunder he has nickled and dimed with this team to avoid the luxury tax, but he hasnt found the right supporting cast to work with his two stars. Since James Harden left, it has been on a downward slide and the MVP campaign of Durant hides some of the teams deficiencies. Is Roy Hibbert the key to the Pacers success? Strickland: No. Paul George is the key to the Pacers success, which could be fleeting in the face of the most dangerous team no one knows in the Washington Wizards. With rumours abounding over Hibberts inexplicable metamorphosis from All-Star to Hasheem Thabeet in the playoffs, Big Roy is a necessary piece for the Pacers just to get by the Wiz, nevermind talking Eastern Conference final rematch with the Heat. Augustine: Yes. Is this a trick question? Pull up footage of last year and superimpose it on top of footage from this year. Then, you will have your answer! Watson: He definitely makes a big difference to the Pacers chances on both sides of the ball. His post presence helps the defence and, if hes an option offensively, it allows Indiana to work an inside-out game. Hibbert awakening from his slumber is the easiest fix to a team that has been slumping for the better part of the year. What must the Portland Trail Blazers do to stop the San Antonio Spurs? Strickland: Quit? Hope Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich all of a sudden turn into Dwight Howard, James Harden and Kevin McHale (OUCH!)? How about play stout defence, show the half-court execution they exhibited in the first 40 games of the regular season and understand in a hurry the difference between playoff basketball and championship-level basketball in the playoffs, if they have not already been brutally and ruthlessly made aware by arguable the best team in basketball right now? Coach Stotts and rising stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard have to be better in Game 3 at home in the Moda Center or there will be some fine playoff parting gifts, courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs. Augustine: Wait 365 days until next year. Or change the rules to the CBA and sign a bench during the post-season. Or hedge harder on those DAMN screens! All three options come with little chance for success! Watson: Hope that Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter walk through that door! The Blazers need all the help they can get and its interesting to see such an outmatched team in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge have played at an all-world level for the Blazers, but their lack of depth on the bench is an Achilles heel, as the Spurs reserves have already proved they can compete with the Blazers starters. wholesale nfl jerseyswholesale jerseys ' ' '
