The Dallas Mavericks had multiple questions hovering over the team heading into the Dec. 13 contest against the Suns. How will the Mavs perform on the second night of a back-to-back contest? Will Dennis Smith Jr. and J.J. Barea return from their injuries? All those questions were answered, but the burning query was the game status of the franchise savior, Dirk Nowitzki.
Although Dallas is one of the NBA’s pleasant surprises, mainly thanks to the early success of Luka Doncic and the J.J. Barea-led bench, ultimately Dirk Nowitzki’s return was the tear-inducing moment the fans were anxiously anticipating all season.