DALLAS — Leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 21^st straight home win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, 12-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki also continued to build his Hall of Fame resume.

Entering the night needing just 17 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, Nowitzki finish with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting as the Mavericks (5-3) rallied from 24 down to capture a 106-98 victory. In the process, Nowitzki became the league’s top all-time foreign-born scorer as the Mavs completed their third-largest comeback in franchise history.

“It’s an honor. To do it at home, it was even more special,” Nowitzki said after yet another milestone. “Getting standing ovations was great. You know, Hakeem, to me, is one of the greatest. I grew up watching him in the ‘90s. His footwork, his touch was next to no other, so I’m really humbled to keep climbing the ladder and blessed to stay healthy and still play at a semi-high level, I guess.

“I mean, it’s great, especially where I come from. I mean, basketball was way down the list of popular sports in Germany growing up. I was lucky to meet a coach when I was 15 or 16 who taught me everything I know. But I’ve been representing my country here for a long, long time. I’ve played international ball for a long, long time. So, yeah, it means a lot making it out of Germany, and hopefully I’m making my country proud.”

Like Olajuwon, Nowitzki has moved up the scoring ranks with a signature move of his own, changing the way that 7-foot big men are perceived with his patented one-legged fadeaway. However, as Nowitzki and his teammates are quick to point out, he has also worked tirelessly to carve out his own niche since entering the league in 1998, capturing the 2007 MVP and 2011 Finals MVP to further solidify his credentials.

“You know, I think you need a little athleticism for that move,” Nowitzki said while referencing Olajuwon’s famed Dream Shake. “The footwork, the shaking and baking, that wasn’t really my forte. So, I came up with a shot where I just basically have to lean back and don’t be athletic at all and just kind of hoist it up. I came up with my own Dream Shake, I guess.”

“It’s unbelievable, man. Obviously, Dream [Olajuwon] is a great player, and Dirk is just one of the best ever,” new addition Chandler Parsons added after studying both scoring assassins from afar. “The fact that he’s played this long, and his work ethic is the most impressive thing I’ve took away from a 36-year-old man who’s been in here so many times. He’s here first doing rehab, asking if Ricky Ledo came in to shoot. He’s so involved and he works so hard.”

Sinking a patented jumper with 8:56 remaining on the game clock, Nowitzki continued to cement his place in NBA lore Tuesday night. The 16-year veteran now looks to join another exclusive fraternity that only features Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, entering Thursday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers sitting just 57 points away from becoming the fourth player to amass 27,000 with one team.

“You know, Dirk, I can’t say enough about,” Mavs center Tyson Chandler said with the utmost respect for his teammate. “It sounds weird, but how proud I am of him and the things that he’s been able to accomplish. He’s the most humble player. He’s an example for us all and every young player coming up of what hard work and dedication can do and the things that you can accomplish in this league. He was a player that was almost wrote off earlier in his career, and there was a lot of people that didn’t think he was going to play in this league or be able to play in this league. But this organization believed in him and a few people around him believed in him, and he continued to work and continued to believe in himself. And you see where he’s at now.”

“It’s unbelievable, the accomplishment, but he’s going to pass more guys coming up,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle added as Nowitzki now sits 361 points from passing Elvin Hayes (27,313) for eighth on the scoring list. “It’s just a tribute to his greatness. Guys like him that live their entire life committed to excellence are able to do things like this, and that is why he is so special.”

Note: Playing the third outing of their four-game homestand at American Airlines Center, the Mavericks will next host the Philadelphia 76ers. The game will air locally Thursday on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS (6287) or by visiting Mavs.com.

Injury updates presented by Baylor Emergency Medical Centers:
-Raymond Felton, high right ankle sprain, doubtful to be activated