Dirk Nowitzki wobbled to the bench with 1:12 left in the game Saturday night. At 37 years old, he had played 40 minutes and scored 27 points despite sharing a jersey with Serge Ibaka. What was left of the Dallas crowd stood, “To Kill A Mockingbird” style, to salute its hero. Big D indeed.

The Mavericks trailed the Thunder by 11 in Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff series, and Dallas hopes were dashed. Nowitzki had waved off a substitution earlier in the fourth quarter. He didn't want to leave the court. He wanted to give the Mavs everything he had. Which, of course, describes Nowitzki's career.

Nowitzki has given the Mavericks everything hoops he has. Eighteen NBA seasons; 1,484 games, 144 of them in the postseason. Almost 50,000 NBA minutes.

Nowitzki is more than just the face of the franchise. Nowitzki will be the face of the franchise until he's long gone from the Earth he well-traveled. He's Mister Maverick.