KP tries to get idol Nowitzki to stick around
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dirk Nowitzki won’t commit to retirement after the season, even after he acknowledged it was his last All-Star Game as an Adam Silver honorary addition.
Nowitzki went out firing, hitting three straight 3-pointers in the first half to finish with nine points in four minutes, kissing his hand after his first two makes.
The 40-year-old admitted Dallas’ new addition, ex-Knick Kristaps Porzingis, has brought up the topic of trying to get the German to play one more season.
“We talked about it briefly, but I’m going to make that decision by myself and not really what’s best for the franchise,” Nowitzki said. “We’ll see how my body is feeling. If I feel I can’t do it anymore, then it’s time to go.”
Though Porzingis isn’t expected to play this season, Nowitzki has enjoyed his time with the 7-foot-3 Latvian, who is traveling with the team — as opposed when he was with the Knicks.
“It’s been fun, we’ve communicated a lot, he’s around a lot, he does his rehab two hours a day and then he’s shooting a little more,” Nowitzki said. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to see him this year. He’s a great dude. He’s around all the time and working hard.”
In a recent interview on the Mavericks website, Porzingis said of his idol, Nowitzki, “Of course, there is some similarities. You see the height and the ability to shoot the ball. Dirk is one of the greatest shooters ever, and I don’t want to compare myself to him. I still have a ways to go to get to that level. There are some similarities, but also we have our differences. We’re a different player in a lot of areas of the game, but I’m glad to be here to be able to learn from him and pick up a lot of those things that he has perfected throughout his career.”
➤ Unsung Bucks forward Khris Middleton, in his first All-Star Game, had a huge first half, even stealing one the ball in the backcourt from
LeBron James for a layup. He finished with 20 points and drilled 6-of-10 3-pointers and is one of the unsung free agents the Knicks will look at.
➤ New Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. couldn’t bring the Slam-Dunk trophy back home to the Garden, but at least the hardware will wind up in Queens. Hami
dou Diallo, Queens product, former Kentucky small forward and current Oklahoma City reserve, opened eyes Saturday with his spectacular showmanship and jump over 7-1 Shaquille O’Neal after which he threw it down with his elbow winding up deep into the hoop.
“I’ll say it’s the New York in me,’’ Diallo said. “I know how to play things down a little bit. I just went out there, and I knew if I did what I had to do, I was going to bring a trophy home. That was exactly what I did.”
➤ The All-Star who struggled the most was the one who had the most torrid scoring streak. James Harden carried in a historic 31-game streak of 30-point games, but he was 1-of-7 in the first half and topped out at 12 points