Dirk Nowitzki's final game for the Dallas Mavericks finally came on Wednesday, as the Mavs fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 105-94. However, it seemed as though the outcome of the ballgame became nothing more than an afterthought for the Dallas faithful, with their attention focused on the official conclusion of Nowitzki's 21-year career with the Mavs.
Following the game, team owner Mark Cuban admitted that during the dying seconds of the ballgame, he could not help but get emotional upon coming to terms that this was Dirk's final appearance in a Mavs uniform:
Mark Cuban: “It hit me the last timeout. There’s always somebody to help Dirk out of his chair. I was like, ‘It’s gotta be me.’” Cuban said they both teared up in that moment. “Yeah, it was tough. It was tough.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 11, 2019
Nowitzki unsurprisingly got the start in the final game of his career, and he would end up playing for 32 minutes. The former season MVP put up 20 points (on 8-of-21 shooting), two 3-pointers, 10 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and zero turnovers in one of the most memorable outings of his career.
As for Cuban, it is completely understandable that his emotions got the better of him in a truly tear-jerking moment. The 60-year-old billionaire has been the team's majority owner since the year 2000, which happened to be Nowitzki's second season in the league. Cuban's entire tenure as the team's owner featured Nowitzki as a pivotal part, and to finally part ways after such a long and meaningful ride together will definitely bring a tear to anyone's eye.
To some extent, we are all feeling what Cuban must have felt in that very moment — in varying degrees, of course — and it is without question that the NBA will not be the same without the great Dirk Nowitzki.
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