Nowitzki lost in loss
Dirk Nowitzki started to grab the part of his left leg that hurt the most, then stopped. He might not have known what to rub first.
So the reigning league MVP dejectedly put a hand on his head. Then pounded the court.
Nowitzki was injured on an ugly looking fall in the third quarter of Dallas’ 88-81 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, but left the arena without knowing how bad it is. The team termed it a “lower left leg injury” and said more details would come today.
“I fell awkwardly and my left leg got caught underneath of me,” Nowitzki said in a statement. “I am going to get re-evaluated in the morning and I hope to have more information then.”
Nowitzki went down after running and jumping to block a shot late in the third quarter. With Nowitzki writhing on the court, Tim Duncan grabbed the loose ball and scored, putting San Antonio ahead for the first time in the second half. It came during a 19-0 run that took the Spurs from 12 points down to in control the rest of the way.
San Antonio won its third straight since a 1-6 slump and got some breathing room over Dallas in the Western Conference playoff race. The Spurs also won the season series 3-1, which would help should the teams wind up tied – but the Mavericks may have to worry about just making the playoffs if Nowitzki’s injury is as bad as it looked.
Dallas hasn’t beaten a winning team since Jason Kidd arrived. The Mavs are 0-8, including their last three, all at home. They were 29-4 at home – without losing as many as two in a row – before falling to the Lakers, Celtics and now the Spurs.
All three games were close at the end. Dallas lost the last two despite holding Boston to 34.5 percent shooting and San Antonio to 33 percent.
Manu Ginobili led San Antonio with 26 points.
Jerry Stackhouse led Dallas with 19 points and was automatically ejected with 13.9 seconds left after getting his second technical of the game; the other came for using Ginobili’s face to help get up after the two collided going for a rebound late in the third quarter.
Nuggets 109, Raptors 100: At Toronto, Allen Iverson had 36 points, Carmelo Anthony added 33 and Denver beat the Raptors for its fifth win in five games.
Chris Bosh finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists as Toronto lost for the seventh time in eight games.
The Nuggets trailed through the first three quarters before taking its first lead at 74-73 on a 3-pointer by Linas Kleiza on the first possession of the fourth.
Wizards 95, Pistons 83: At Washington, Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Wizards added another impressive win to their resume with a victory over Detroit.
The Wizards won their third straight game and sixth in their past seven. They shot 53 percent and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of sixth-place Philadelphia in the East.
Richard Hamilton scored 19 points to lead the Pistons, who have lost two in a row.
•An unhappy Gilbert Arenas was not cleared to play by Wizards team doctors, dashing his hopes of returning in the nationally televised game against the Detroit Pistons – or anytime soon.
As he exited the locker room before the game, he told reporters: “Y’all don’t have to write any more. I’m not coming back this year.”
Warriors 115, Lakers 111: At Los Angeles, Stephen Jackson scored six of his 31 points on two 3-pointers in the final 38 1/2 seconds, and Golden State beat the Lakers after blowing a 26-point lead.
Jackson’s first 3-pointer gave the Warriors a 112-108 lead. After Kobe Bryant’s 3-pointer with 30.5 seconds left drew the Lakers within one, Jackson connected from the top of the key with 8.5 seconds left to complete the scoring.
Monta Ellis also had 31 points along with seven rebounds and five assists for the Warriors, who won for the 10th time in 14 games.
Bryant scored 16 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and added a season-high 14 rebounds.