OAKLAND, Calif. _ No matter how many times you see the Gash of Honor, it's higher on the wall than you remember it being.
It's about 15 feet off the floor, on the wall facing Oracle Arena's visitors' locker room.
The gash was famously caused by a Dirk Nowitzki fit of rage, on May 3, 2007, when he threw a chair _ or was it a trashcan? _ high upon the wall moments after his 67-victory Mavericks were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by 42-win Golden State.
Nowitzki didn't exactly get vindication by scoring a season-high 21 points in the Mavericks' shocking 126-91 victory Saturday night over two-time-reigning champion Golden State, but it was quite a way for 40-year-old Nowitzki to say farewell to 53-year-old Oracle.
The Warriors next season are moving across the bay to the new Chase Center in San Francisco, but they plan to cut out and place the Dirk shrine _ complete with 2007 Warriors "We Believe" T-shirt and Nowitzki signature _ and place it in the new building.
Nowitzki hasn't said whether he will return for a 22nd season, but, either way, this was his last game at Oracle.
"Great memories, bad memories," Nowitzki said. "This has always been a fun building, no matter if the team is good or not the support is always phenomenal, a fun atmosphere to play.
"I'll always remember this building. Unfortunately with my MVP season (and the first-round loss), but also with great memories. My first basket ever was in this building. I'll for sure miss it."
That first basket occurred on Feb. 7, 1999, in Nowitzki's second NBA game, after he failed to make a field goal in the opener at Seattle.
Nowitzki, who just last week surpassed Wilt Chamberlain as the No. 6 scorer in NBA history, scored 10 of Dallas' first 14 points Saturday and finished with 8-of-14 shooting. His previous season high was 15 points, on two occasions.
He left to a standing ovation with 4:41 left and the Mavericks leading 120-80. Rookie Luka Doncic recorded his sixth-triple-double (23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) of the season and Dallas overwhelmed the Warriors, but mostly this night was about Nowitzki.
"Dirk is just one of the guys that everybody loves," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "I don't think you can find anybody in the league who doesn't love Dirk because not only is he a great player, but how he carries himself and a tremendous self-deprecating sense of humor.
"He loves the game, loves to play. You don't play for 21 years unless you love the game."
