DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki’s best week of the season wasn’t good enough to win Western Conference player of the week honors.

That went to Utah big man Al Jefferson, who averaged 19.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.5 blocks as the Jazz went 4-0 to get back in the driver’s seat in the race for the West’s final seed.

Nowitzki averaged 29.7 points and 7.7 rebounds with shooting percentages of 62.1 from the floor and 45.5 from 3-point range to lead the Mavs to a 2-1 record last week. His clutch heroics keyed comeback wins over the Clippers and Bulls.

“I think at this point it’s pretty obvious that we’re still looking at one of the greatest ever, playing at that level,” coach Rick Carlisle said.

A strong case can be made that Nowitzki was snubbed, but that’s the furthest thing from the mind of a man whose honors include 11 All-Star appearances, an MVP and a Finals MVP as the Mavs leave for a must-win road trip that begins Tuesday night against the Lakers.