DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki has become the sixth NBA player and first international player to score 30,000 points.
The Dallas superstar got 18 of the 20 points he needed in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, and hit the milestone on a fadeaway jumper with 10:58 left in the second quarter. He added a 3-pointer for 23 points in the first 14 minutes before the game was stopped.
The 7-foot German, in his 19th season, is the third to score at least 30,000 points with one team. The others are Karl Malone (Utah) and Kobe Bryant (Lakers).
The 30,000 list includes four Hall of Famers in career leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points), Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, and a future one in Bryant, who is third. Julius Erving also reached the milestone with his ABA career included.