Nowitzki on the brink of joining exclusive bucket list

Mavericks superstar needs just 20 points to reach 30,000 plateau

DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki chuckled at the memory of joining best friend Steve Nash in trying to sneak in a few shots between YMCA games inside the closest thing the Dallas Mavericks had to a practice facility nearly 20 years ago.

He also recalled a trying rookie season with the Mavericks that was compressed by a lockout, playing on three consecutive nights as a teenager and sometimes sitting out the entire game even when healthy for one of the worst franchises in pro sports.