Dirk Nowitzki’s game-winner lifts Mavericks over Lakers, 92-90

As Dirk Nowitzki’s game-winning jumper right in front of the Los Angeles Lakers’ bench nestled through the nets, as familiar figure tapped him on the rear end.

It was Lakers forward Kobe Bryant.

A sore right shoulder kept Bryant out of Tuesday’s game against the Mavericks. But Nowitzki made up for it with his own brand of star power as he buried an 18-footer with 2.1 seconds left to lift the Mavericks to a 92-90 victory over the Lakers before a sellout crowd of 18,997 at the Staples Center.

Nowitzki received a pass in the corner from Deron Williams with 10 seconds remaining in the game. The 18-year veteran then worked the clock before lifting up over the outstretched arms of Plano native Julius Randle and scoring the final basket, which increased the Mavericks’ record to 26-21.

“Obviously the play was to get the ball right there sort of either high elbow or somewhere there in between,” said Nowitzki, who scored 13 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. “I just wait until the clock was down and make a move either way.

“Obviously the entire league knows I usually like going left, so he was really high side on me. All I had to do was kind of rip through and take a dribble and shoot, and it felt good leaving my hands, so I’m kind of glad it went in.”

After Nowitzki scored, the Lakers called timeout, and Bryant tapped him on the rear end as he was headed to the Mavericks’ bench, and Nowitzki tapped him right back. It was obviously one of those friendly taps that one superstar gives to another.

“I heard him talk some noise during the game sometimes, so that was fun,” Nowitzki said. “[Boxer Floyd] Mayweather was talking to me form the other side, so they were talking some trash to me. But it was just fun competition down the stretch.”

Following the Lakers’ final timeout, Randle fired up a 3-pointer that was on line. But the ball bounced off the back rim and fell harmlessly away.

Despite the win, the Mavericks were in a struggle all night against a Lakers team that is 9-38 and has the second-worst record in the NBA.

Asked if he was surprised how close the game was, coach Rick Carlisle said: “No, it’s not surprising. That’s a disrespectful question. That’s a team that has been battling all year. They’ve had a lot of close games. The last time we played them at our place in was a three-point game inside of three minutes.”

On Tuesday, Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. tied the game at 90-90 when he scored with 1:26 left. After missed opportunities by both teams, it all came down to Nowitzki doing what he has been doing for nearly two decades.

“That was a great shot,” Carlisle said. “It was extremely well-timed and I noticed after he hit it he went and gave Kobe a little pat.

“Hey, you’re looking at one of the all-time great clutch players doing what he does. It’s just amazing that he keeps doing it the way he does it.”

The Lakers had the Mavericks in scramble mode all night.

Dallas scored the final seven points of the first quarter and led 32-25 when the first 12 minutes ended. But the Lakers rallied to assume a 58-56 lead at the half.

Back-and-forth the game went, with J.J. Barea (18 points) and Chandler Parsons (17 points) helping the Mavericks stay within 78-77 of the Lakers entering the fourth quarter.

Barea also was a major factor on defense as he drew two late offensive fouls. That includes one against Lou Williams with 13.5 seconds left — Williams’ basket was waved off — that set the stage for Nowitzki’s heroics.

“It was a huge play,” Barea said. “A couple of times it didn’t go my way, but a couple of times it went my way. I was just happy they called that last one.”

And with Dallas slated to play the hot-shooting defending world champion Golden State Warriors in Oakland on Wednesday night, the Mavericks knew they had to find a way to beat the Lakers.

“You’ve got to give the Lakers a lot of credit,” Barea said. “They played great in the first half scoring the ball — our defense wasn’t that great. But I think we did a great job defensively in the second half of playing great defense, and we kept the game close and we had Dirk out there to finish it.”

And Nowitzki finished it in his own spectacular way.

“I didn’t really have a great touch there the entire night,” said Nowitzki, who was 5-of-14 from the field. “They did a good job of doing some switching on my pick-and-rolls — they didn’t leave me much — and when I was open I didn’t really have a great touch.

“But down the stretch I had to get going against a young, tough, hard-playing team, and we were able to make a few plays and get some stops. We played a zone down the stretch a little bit that helped us get some stops and helped us get the win.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 1:52 AM with the headline "Dirk Nowitzki’s game-winner lifts Mavericks over Lakers, 92-90."