PHOENIX SUNS

Jamal Crawford drops 51 points, Suns fall to Mavericks in season finale

Apr 9, 2019, 9:05 PM
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)...
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

DALLAS (AP) — Jamal Crawford’s record-setting night wasn’t enough as the Phoenix Suns couldn’t knock off the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday night.

Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 30 points and the Mavericks celebrated the final home game of the 40-year-old’s record 21st season with the same franchise in a 120-109 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

The 14-time All-Star had the first eight Dallas shots and scored his team’s first 10 points in the first three minutes and passed his previous season high of 21 on a 3-pointer early in the third quarter.

Dallas’ season finale is Wednesday night in San Antonio. He broke Kobe Bryant’s record of 20 seasons with the Lakers. Bryant retired three years ago.

Jamal Crawford scored 51 points, one off his career high, in the season finale for the Suns (19-63). Phoenix had by far the worst record in the Western Conference in its fourth straight season with at least 58 losses.

Phoenix trailed by 30 at halftime (68-38) but got within four in the fourth quarter before back-to-back 3-pointers from Luka Doncic and Justin Jackson pushed the lead back to 10.

Nowitzki kept shooting on his busiest night of the season, finishing with highs of 31 shots (making 11) and 33 minutes. He was 5 of 14 from 3-point range with eight rebounds.

The highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history also tied his season high in assists with three, capped by passing out of a jump shot with the crowd anticipating another bucket and getting Jackson an easy layup.

A sellout crowd followed owner Mark Cuban’s order of filling the arena early, and cheered from the first possible moment for the player who guided the Mavericks to their only championship eight years ago.

Fans stood during warmups, recording him in the layup line on their phones. The 7-foot German obliged with a dunk. Then he had another dunk in the game — his second of the season — in the second half.

The wide smile as he ran down the floor was quite a contrast to the break between the first and second quarters. Nowitzki fought back tears near midcourt with the game about to restart after a tribute video detailing one of his holiday visits to a children’s hospital.

Doncic, the rookie sensation and the heir apparent to Nowitzki, had his eighth triple-double with 21 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. The 20-year-old is one triple-double shy of Jason Kidd’s franchise record from 1995-96.

TIP-INS

Suns: Crawford was 13 of 16 in the second half and 18 of 30 for the game, including 7 of 13 from 3-point range. … Dragan Bender had 12 points and 11 rebounds. … Josh Jackson scored 17.

Mavericks: Devin Harris, who has played more than half his 14 seasons with Nowitzki, scored 14 points. … Dorian Finney-Smith scored 15.

UP NEXT

Suns: Await the NBA draft lottery.

Mavericks: At San Antonio on Wednesday night.

Fans cheer after Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki made a 3-point basket during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) 
              CORRECTS MONTH TO APRIL, INSTEAD OF MARCH  - Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki waves to cameras as he arrives for the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
            
              CORRECTS MONTH TO APRIL, INSTEAD OF MARCH - Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki arrives for the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
            
              CORRECTS MONTH TO APRIL, INSTEAD OF MARCH - Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki arrives for the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
            Phoenix Suns guard De'Anthony Melton (14) goes up for a shot as Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (41) and Devin Harris (34) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Dwight Powell (7) turns Phoenix Suns guard Elie Okobo (2) away on a shot attempt during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Phoenix Suns guard Elie Okobo (2) gets past Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell (7) for a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki fans hold up signs reading, "One more year," during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. The team was playing its final home game of the season. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) A fan holds up a sign referring to Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) shoots over Phoenix Suns' Dragan Bender (35) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Phoenix Suns' Troy Daniels (30) watches as forward Ray Spalding (26) defends against a shot by Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (41) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (77) and Dirk Nowitzki (41) celebrate a 3-point basket by Nowitzki during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Phoenix Suns guard Jamal Crawford shoots during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Devin Harris (34) and Dirk Nowitzki (41) celebrate a basket by Nowitzki during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) and Phoenix Suns coach Igor Kokoskov talk before an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki  runs upcourt during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (41) is introduced for the team's NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (41) celebrates a basket against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, April 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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