Downplaying Dirk's triple-double

A couple of text messages trickled in and, no, one wasn’t from the cropped-topped Canadian. Dirk Nowitzki’s first-ever triple-double didn’t elicit much fanfare on the bench, either. Most of his teammates had no idea of the historic event until told by Avery Johnson in the locker room after the game.

So Nowitzki just went about his business Wednesday night after the 107-96 victory over Milwaukee, as did the rest of the Mavericks. Most in the locker room were glued to the TV for the Suns-Hornets in double OT. You would have thought Nowitzki triple-doubles were as common as his use of the word “obviously.”

Nope. Nowitzki waited nearly 10 years and 729 games for the statistical oddity. It was also the first in the NBA by a 7-footer this season. Sacramento’s Brad Miller had the last one on April 10, 2007.

“I’m surprised it’s taken him this long,” Johnson kidded Thursday after practice. “With him playing Johnson Ball, he should have gotten one earlier.”

Devean George promised before practice that he had something special up his sleeve to commemorate Nowitzki’s first foray into world of Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd. Devin Harris added that if the scorekeeper was as kind to him as Nowitzki, “I’d get 15 assists a night.”

Of course, nothing much happened. On his way up the stairs after practice, assistant coach Mario Elie did yell out, “Magic, Magic” to Nowitzki down below. That was about it. Much as the night before, it was business as usual.

Read the rest of this note, get more reaction on the big trades, an injury update and look at the Grizzlies in today’s notebook at mavs.com.