Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki took the floor for the first time this season on Thursday night, scoring two points in six minutes during a loss to the Phoenix Suns.
In doing so, Nowitzki set a record for most seasons played in NBA history, officially notching his 21st campaign.
Surely, it wasn't an easy task for the 40-year-old, who had been sidelined with an ankle injury for the first two months of the 2018-19 season. He said as much after the game.
“It is good to be back,” said the future Hall of Famer, per The Associated Press. “Obviously I got a lot of work to do timing-wise, conditioning-wise. I have been running on a treadmill, which is not the same as playing NBA speed against a bunch of 20-year-old athletes.”
Rough translation: “It's tough playing against a bunch of kids who are young enough to be my sons.”
Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle certainly seemed proud of Nowitzki.
“All things considered he did fine, did well,” said Carlisle. “This is a challenging situation for Dirk. Coming back in and reaccumulate mid-stream, with no real live practice time to speak of, but he has been busting his butt big time. I respect the hell out of him for what he has done to get back on the floor.”
Dirk Nowitzki owns career averages of 21.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He won an NBA title in 2011, earning the Finals MVP in a legendary performance against LeBron James and the Miami Heat to boot.
Last season, the German started 77 games for Dallas, posting 12.0 points and 5.7 boards a night.
The Mavs are off to a surprisingly good start this year, currently owning a record of 15-12. They will host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
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