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DIRK NOWITZKI!
Dallas Mavericks resident German Dirk Nowitzki passed Hakeem Olajuwon as the ninth all-time leading scorer in the NBA and also becomes the leading scorer amongst international players.
Via AP:
The German hit a jumper just inside the 3-point line to get to 26,947 points, one ahead of the Nigerian-born former star of the Houston Rockets. Olajuwon, who spent 17 years in Houston, retired in 2002 after one season with Toronto.
“You know to pass `The Dream’ is unbelievable,” said the 36-year-old Nowitzki, in his 17th season with the Mavericks. “He was unguardable on the block. His footwork, his skill level, his hands, his touch was second to none, so I’m pretty proud.” Nowitzki finished the night with 26,953 career points, including 23 against the Kings.
Elvin Hayes is the next on the list at No. 8 with 27,313 points.
The 36-year-old Nowitzki, in his 17th season with the Mavericks, is second among active players behind Kobe Bryant, who is fourth all-time.
CONGRATULATIONS, DIRK.
KOBE BRYANT THE ALL-TIME NBA LEADER IN MISSED SHOTS
Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant was 13 bricks away from the all-time record of missed shots.
And last night, at Memphis, Bryant went 10-26, passing the unfortunate record that was led by Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek.
ESPN’s highlights of the Lakers-Grizzlies game was a highlight reel of all of Kobe’s missed attempts. With zero highlights of the actual game’s main highlights, which was won by Memphis 107-102. A disgrace by ESPN!
Via ESPN:
Asked about the record, Bryant, who scored a game-high 28 points on 10-of-26 shooting and finished with 13,421 misses for his career, smiled and said he wasn’t aware of it.
“Nah, I don’t follow that stuff, man,” he said.
How does he explain setting the mark?
“Well, I’m a shooting guard that’s played 19 years,” he said, shrugging and smiling. He later added, “Like I said, ‘shooting’ guard, 19th year.”
Bryant, in his 19th NBA season, entered the game 13 missed field goals shy of the record. The 36-year-old guard now stands ahead of Havlicek, Elvin Hayes (13,296), Karl Malone (12,682), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12,470) and Michael Jordan (12,345).
“I don’t care about it, to be honest with you,” Bryant said. “It is what it is. I remember when I was a kid and I watched Michael shoot 49 times in an NBA Finals game. Can you imagine if I did that and lost? Puts things in perspective.”
Bryant has missed at least 20 shots in 44 games, the fourth-most such games in NBA history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Havlicek had 25 such games in his career, 10th all-time.
JACKSON NOT HAPPY WITH COMMISSIONER SILVER
New York Knicks President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson is reportedly unhappy with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
The Record and NY Daily News:
“I watched the Knicks game last night,” Silver said at a Nets community event on Thursday at a City Harvest Food Rescue facility in Long Island City. “Clearly, they’re still learning the triangle,” he said with a laugh. “I still don’t understand it. But they’re learning it. But that’s what the game is all about. You have a new coach, you have a new president of basketball operations in Phil Jackson; you have a couple new players on the team.”
Phil: It was fun to have Spike do the little piece, have a humorous part in it, but …
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) November 11, 2014
I wasn’t so humored by the commissioner actually jumping in on top of that, too. He doesn’t need to get in on that. …
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) November 11, 2014
Phil part 3: There’s enough focus on the triangle. It’s not anything. It’s a system. It’s simple basketball. Just play the game.
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) November 11, 2014
