Thunder vs Mavericks Game 1 Recap - West Conference Finals NBA Playoffs 2011

THE FACTS: Dirk Nowitzki outgunned Kevin Durant and overwhelmed one Thunder defender after another Tuesday, scoring 48 points in the Mavericks' 121-112 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals in Dallas. A parade of Oklahoma City players unsuccessfully tried to guard Nowitzki -- including Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, Kendrick Perkins, James Harden and Durant -- and the 7-footer made a record-setting parade to the foul line, shooting a perfect 24-for-24 at the stripe to go along with his 12-for-15 effort from the field.
Nowitzki broke the NBA playoff record for free throws made without a miss, previously held by Boston's Paul Pierce with a 21-for-21 game in a 2003 first-round series against Indiana. The Mavericks extended their franchise-record postseason winning streak to seven games and improved to 6-0 at home in the playoffs. Jason Terry (24) and J.J. Barea (21) helped the Dallas bench outscore the Thunder reserves by a 53-22 margin and Jason Kidd delivered 11 assists.
Durant scored 40 points and helped the Thunder whittle a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit down to five with 4:18 remaining, but Dallas didn't miss any freebies down the stretch and finished 34-for-36 at the line. Oklahoma City shot its share of free throws (37-for-43) in the whistle-filled contest (55 fouls), with Durant going 18-for-19 and Russell Westbrook 14-for-18. Westbrook had 20 points and Ibaka added 17.
QUOTABLE: "He's been doing it for many years against a lot of great players. He had good rhythm. He got off to a good start. He was making shots and we were fouling his jump shots. That's too many fouls. We've got to do a better job of guarding him. We have to make some adjustments, and we will."
--Thunder head coach Scott Brooks on Nowitzki
THE STAT: The Mavericks are 17-0 this season, including 5-0 in the playoffs, when Nowitzki attempts at least 10 foul shots. He was 13-for-13 in the third quarter alone, the second time he has made 13 in a quarter this postseason (fourth quarter of Game 1 vs. Portland). That ties the NBA playoff record for most free throws in a quarter set by Michael Jordan against Detroit in Game 2 of the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals.


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