J-Speaks: Nowitzki Passes Wilt Chamberlin on NBA's All-Time Scoring List

On Monday night, those fans in attendance left American Airlines Center disappointed as they saw their Dallas Mavericks drop another close contest. The night was not a total loss as they saw future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, who possibly is playing his final season in the NBA make more history. 

The 7-footer, who has built his 21-year career, all with the Mavericks on his ability to make perimeter shots knocked down a 20-footer at the 8:35 mark of the first quarter in the Mavericks (28-43) to surpass the late great Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlin into the No. 6 spot on the “The Association’s” all-time scoring list in the team’s 129-125 overtime loss versus the New Orleans Pelicans (31-43). 

“Luka finds Dirk. Top of the key again. Over Williams, jumpers GOOD! The wait is over to pass Wilt. Returning to 6^th in NBA history in scoring Dirk Nowitzki,” was the call FOX Sports play-by-play analyst Mark Followill made when the best player in Dallas Mavericks history made the jumper to pass Chamberlin.

“Craziness,” was the word Nowitzki described about the milestone he just achieved to FOX Sports Southwest’s Jeff “Skin” Wade after the game, “but, you know its been a long time coming obviously.”

Only Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), and Karl Malone (36,928), future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant (33,643), four-time Kia MVP of the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James (32,439 and counting) and current owner of the Charlotte Hornets and Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (32,292) are ahead of the 31,427 points Nowitzki has and counting, with James being the only active player in Top five, who tweeted from @KingJames, “Congrats Big Fella!!!! @swish41.” 

That was followed by a tweet from the Mavericks organization @dallasmavs, “Congrats @swish41! #GOAT #6 #MFFL.” 

Nowitzki, who finished with eight points, on 3 for 6 shooting needed just four points to move pass Chamberlin. He did so by making his first two shots of the contest, with the first being a 20-foot jumper of an assists from rookie guard Jalen Brunson. That was followed by the aforementioned connection from 20 feet by the 40-year-old native from Germany off a pass from the Rookie of the Year to be in Luka Doncic after Nowitzki backed down Pelicans rookie Kenrich Williams before he scored on his patented turnaround jumper from the top of the foul line. 

That assists by Doncic was part of his fifth triple-double on the season with 29 points, 10 assists, 13 rebounds. 

“Obviously I didn’t know the first two were going to go in right away but, you know stepped into them,” Nowitzki said to “Skin” Wade. “On the first one they switched and they kind of kicked out the little guy and it ended up being a wide-open look, and the second one I was kind of faced up and said, ‘It’s now or never,” and I shot it up high and went in. So, it was fun. It was good to be out there and the crowd was great.”  

Upon Nowitzki making the shot that moved him up the all-time scoring charts, a video tribute to him was played during a stoppage in the action where the 19,200 fans in attendance, which also included former teammate Shawn Marion that Nowitzki won the Mavericks only NBA title in 2011 gave a well-deserved applause to the No. 9 overall pick in 1998 NBA draft, who the Mavericks acquired his draft rights from the Milwaukee Bucks. 

A young fan in the stands had a picture of when Chamberlin that held a piece of paper with the number 100 in representation of his 100-point performance on Mar. 2, 1962 had a photoshopped paper that said, “Congrats Dirk!” 

It was fitting that Nowitzki passed Chamberlin on a jump shot, who achieved this career milestone differently than how Chamberlin, who is one inch taller than the Wurzburg, Germany native. 

Chamberlin, who once averaged more than 50 points in a season scored his points in the paint. He became such a dominant force down low that the NBA expanded the paint creating rules like the three-second violation to neutralize Chamberlin’s effectiveness, which had no effect. 

“He was probably in his era the most dominant player that we’ve ever seen,” Nowitzki said about Chamberlin to “Skin” Wade. “I mean, he scored 100. He averaged I think 40 over a whole season. He obviously didn’t play as long as I did, which means if you play long enough good things are going to happen, but he’s one of the most dominant scorers this league has ever scene obviously.” 

Nowitzki, while he had the ability to score in the paint, which he did, he made his living in the NBA on the perimeter to where he ranks No. 12 on the all-time three-pointers made list at 1,960 made triples. He is the only 7-footer on this list. 

To put this into context, before Nowitzki the only power forward or center to make at least over 20 threes in a season was Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, the father of Indiana Pacers reserve big man Domantas Sabonis, who made 39, 49 and 30 threes in his first seasons of 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 with the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Nowitzki’s marksmanship from the perimeter, especially from three-point range established a shift in the ability for big men 6-foot-10 and taller. Nowitzki was also very prolific at the charity stripe making on average 88 percent of his opportunities, which is 37 percent better than Chamberlin’s career percent of 51 percent at the charity stripe. 

“The league wanted a change, and I came in at the right time,” Nowitzki said after the game on Monday night. “They basically forced teams to do a little more movement and more pick-and-roll. All the guys now can shoot and spread the floor. It was just perfect for me and for my skill set.” 

That skill set is something that many NBA players now have in their offensive arsenal, but beyond the skill set of Nowitzki, his ability to enjoy the game as well as the work ethic and commitment he put into his craft is something that has earned him respect from not just teammates past and present but opponents and players that he has had a major impact on. 

Portland Trail Blazers (44-27) reserve big man Zach Collins said before his team’s 126-118 victory on Wednesday night, who was born the same year Nowitzki, who scored three points in the contest was a rookie called him “amazing.” 

He added, “Somebody that I’ve kind of watched and idolized growing up, and just can’t say enough of how much of a professional he is. How much he’s dedicated his whole life to this game. To be able to do something like pass Wilt Chamberlin on the scoring list just kind of speaks to his work ethic, and how much time you put into it. You can’t say enough good things about him.” 

Now one understands that work ethic more than former Mavericks assistant coach Terry Stotts, who was on that 2011 title team and Trail Blazers reserve sharp shooter Seth Curry, who was Nowitzki’s teammate for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons in “Big-D.” 

“It’s great. It’s great and Dirk deserves all the love he’s been getting this year. Obviously one of the greatest to ever play the game,” Curry, who had 20 points off the bench, hitting 4 for 7 from three-point range said to NBC Sports Northwest’s Brook Olzendam after the victory about the future Hall of Famer. “I learned so much personally from him, being with him for two years. So, its good to see him go out this way and ‘Rip City’ did a great job of showing that love.”

In fact, in the closing minute of the game, the 19,803 in attendance at the Moda Center in Portland, OR gave a standing ovation for Nowitzki who were chanting for him to get back on the floor one final time, which did not happen. 

While that skill set has diminished with age and injuries over the years for Nowitzki, it has not stopped him from continuously working on his game and giving himself a chance to be out on the floor in what possibly is his final season, even though Nowitzki has not made it official. 

Nowitzki missed the first 26 games of this season after having off-season ankle surgery back in April 2018 and is only averaging six points per game-15 below his career average. 

“Obviously everybody knew before the season there’s only 200 something points. It looked like for a while that I wasn’t going to get there, you know, with missing a bunch of games. Then December started really slow. Couldn’t really get into it, but fortunately the last couple of weeks just started feeling a lot better. The guys started looking for me. Obviously, they wanted it to happen. I’m a little sad it didn’t happen the other night…I’m glad it’s over with now. It’s still surreal passing another legend.” 

In a season where a lot has not gone right for the Dallas Mavericks, going 2-14 over their last 16 games, the best player in franchise history Dirk Nowitzki gave the Dallas faithful something to cheer about as he passed Wilt Chamberlin moving into No. 6 on the all-time scoring list. While he may not be the player he once was, he continues to be the shining light of what the Mavericks were and what they hope to be led by Doncic and an injured Kristaps Porzingis starting hopefully next season. 

What should be remembered is Nowitzki had a rough rookie season averaging just 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 20.4 minutes in the strike shortened 1998-99 season. He went work in the seasons to come and made himself into a Kia MVP, which he won in 2007; a 14-time All-Star; a 12-time All-NBA selection; a 14-time All-Star and as previously mentioned an NBA champion eight seasons back as the 2011 MVP led the Mavericks to their first title over the Miami Heat in six games. 

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of; 3/19/19 www.nba.com story, “Nowitzki Passes Chamberlin for 6^th All-Time Scoring List;” 3/19/19 2 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Kristen Ledlow, Dahntay Jones and Wes Wilcox;  https://www.nba.com/games/20190318/NOPDAL#/boxscore/recap; www.espn.com/nba/game?gameid=401071729;  3/21/19 10 p.m. contest “Dallas Mavericks versus the Portland Trail Blazers,” on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam; www.espn.com/nba/game?gameid=401071746; http://www.landofbasketball.com/all_time_leaders/3_pointers_total_career_seasons;” https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sabonar01.html; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilt_Chamberlin%27s_100-point_game; www.espn.com/nba/players/stats/_/id/3945274/luka-doncic;  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Curry; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk_Nowitzki.