DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki was frustrated by his poor shooting performance in Dallas previous game. That disappointment, plus a little help from an old friend, turned into another big performance by the veteran forward. Nowitzki scored seven of his 32 points in overtime, leading the Mavericks to a 128-119 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. Nowitzki also had 10 rebounds and six assists. In Dallas loss to Brooklyn on Sunday, he was 2 for 12 from the field in his worst shooting performance of the season. "The last game was disappointing for me," Nowitzki said. "I was just hesitating too much, so I had to go back to having fun out there and just being me. "That was a heck of a game, and it was fun to be a part of." The 7-foot Nowitzki was 11 for 23 from the field and 8 for 8 at the line. "His emotion and his attitude carried the team," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "Hes a prideful guy. I think great players are great for a reason. They never let anything keep them down for long. Hes bounced back from every adversity hes ever had in his career, so this is no surprise." Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 43 points. He has scored at least 25 in 36 consecutive games in the longest such streak since Michael Jordans 40-game run during the 1986-87 season. Dallas had seven players score in double figures. Jose Calderon went 6 for 8 from 3-point range and finished with 22 points. Nowitzki said he spent time on Tuesday with Holger Geschwinder, his longtime basketball mentor from his home country of Germany. He said they got in a little shooting work. "I guess he was tired of watching my shooting percentage," Nowitzki said. "Its always good when hes there." Russell Westbrook scored 23 for Oklahoma City. All of his points came in regulation, when he played 31:50. He added another minute in overtime. Westbrook is limited to 30 to 32 minutes per game because of his oft-injured right knee. Oklahoma City was coming off a 117-96 victory over Denver on Monday night. The Thunder had won four in a row. "Im proud of our guys effort and energy, coming back from back-to-back games," coach Scott Brooks said. "I cant complain about anything we did tonight." "We didnt make the big play," said Durant, who has scored 40 points or more 13 times this season. "They made shots in overtime. You have to give them credit." The Mavericks scored the first five points of the extra period on two free throws by Nowitzki and a 3-pointer by Calderon. They never trailed again. The victory pushed Dallas into eighth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of idle Phoenix. The Mavericks improved to 3-2 on a franchise-long, eight-game homestand, with three of the games going to overtime. They began the homestand in seventh place, 1 1/2 ahead of the ninth-place Suns. Calderon returned to the starting lineup after being knocked out of Sunday nights game in the first minute. He was whacked in the face by Brooklyns Mason Plumlee, chipping a facial bone between his nose and mouth. Calderon said the injury only hurts when he talks or laughs. "And I dont have to laugh during games," he said. Another of Calderons 3s came with 26.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter and sent the game into overtime. "It felt good from the beginning," he said, "but you dont know until that ball goes through the rim." Dallas won 109-86 at Oklahoma City on March 16 in the Thunders worst loss of the season. Westbrook missed that game because the team wants to limit the activity for his surgically repaired knee, choosing to rest him in one part of back-to-back games. Westbrook was the catalyst of Oklahoma Citys second-quarter rally after the Thunder fell behind by 10. He scored 10 points in the period, including a foul shot that gave Oklahoma City a 57-48 lead with 1:25 to go. But the Mavericks answered with three consecutive 3-pointers - one from Calderon and two from Vince Carter - to tie it with 33.4 left in the half. Durant then hit a 3 to give Oklahoma City a 60-59 lead at the break. The Thunder hit 14 of 18 shots in the period and shot 57.1 per cent for the half. NOTES: Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins, sidelined since Feb. 20 with a groin strain, is hoping to return at Houston on April 4. ... If Dallas finishes among the leagues top-10 teams, Oklahoma City will get the Mavericks first-round draft choice next summer as a result of a series of trades. Wholesale Air Max . -- Arizona coach Sean Miller rose from his seat every time Roberto Nelson touched the ball and yelled "Shooter!" He could have been talking about his own team, too. Cheap Air Max Uk Sale . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. http://www.cheapukairmax.com/ . The Blue Jackets got goals from Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno, Boone Jenner and R.J. Umberger and Curtis McElhinney posted his first shutout since 2011 in a 4-0 victory on Friday night. Air Max Uk .Under the agreement announced Monday, the Cuban defector is guaranteed $68.5 million over six seasons.Tomas gets a $14 million signing bonus that is payable within 30 days of the deals approval by Major League Baseball, and then salaries of $2 million next year, $4 million in 2016, $6 million in 2017 and $10 million in 2018. Wholesale Air Max Uk . "He started putting me on the ice to strengthen them at the suggestion from a doctor," he said. Weight said it wasnt a pretty sight at the rink in St. Clair Shores, Mich. "I looked like Forrest Gump," he joked.Paul Nicholls retained his champion trainer title after saddling the second and the fourth in the bet365 Gold Cup. Final standingsPaul Nicholls - £2,439,559 Willie Mullins - £2,341,7341805pm: Willie Mullins does get his Sandown win, but its all too little too late. McKinley wins the last race of the UK jumps season, pocketing his handler £18,768 and that will pay for the Vroum Vroum Mag fine and some.1740pm: A sixth place for Some Buckle in the 5.20 gets another £348 in the kitty for Nicholls ahead of the final race. Back to Vroum Vroum Mag and the title. Heres the thoughts of Mullins: We came over here to win the championship and we have had a fantastic reception. In the light of the Bet365 Gold Cup we cant win the championship and we are taking Vroum Vroum Mag home and she has a valuable couple of races to run in at Punchestown.She was only here for the championship and Mr (Rich) Ricci very kindly let me bring her over to run in a race of much less value. Now we will do what we were aiming to do all winter. I will probably get fined - theres no such thing as a free lunch.We have had a fantastic year. Im just sorry for punters who came to see Vroum Vroum Mag. But the championship was over and we had to take a different view.The stewards took a dim view of Vroum Vroum Mag being taken out, fining Mullins £1,000 and ruling he had shown a wilful disregard for the interests of racegoers and punters.1700pm: The bandwagon for Nicholls rolled on with Ptit Zig taking full advantage of Vroum Vroum Mags late defection to pocket another £28,475. For good measure, stablemate Silsol was second (£10,685) and also San Benedeto fifth (£1,340). So what started as a £53,000 plus lead can now be counted at a whopping £116,245.04.1650pm: More from a jubilant Nicholls: Tom (Jonason, assistant) is leaving today and he didnt want to leave with us getting beaten.Its great for the whole team, everybody involved - its not about me. Its a big team effort, always has been, always will be.Its been a tough season for lots of reasons, we had a bit of a flat spot and all sorts of gossip and rumours that things werent right, but you have to dig deep and keep going.Weve just kept trying to win as many races as we can. If you get in a position to do so, then great.He went on: Its been brilliant. I thought we had no chance after Aintree and I knew Willie would dig deep and keep finding plenty to run and we needed a few miracles. Vicente in the Scottish National last week gave us a big day and the others have been running well.The first one was special and this one is far and away the best, probably, weve had to fight and you dont want to give it up easily.When Kauto Star and Master Minded were winning, youd win the trainers championship by Christmas. Those horses carry you and possibly it doesnt have that much interest then, but the interest from the public and racing people in this has been good.Theres been a lot of pressure for all of us, but hopefully its been good for racing to get more interest in it.Willie is a fantastic trainer with fantastic horses, I have huge respect for him.1640pm: Maybe the gap wont change too much - Vroum Vroum Mag has been taken out of the Select Hurdle.1639pm: More money to be played for and the margin is likely to change, but after the efforts of Just A Par and Southfield Theatre (fourth, earning £7950), Nicholls took firm control by £75,745.04 and thats unassailable. Congratulations to all involved, in both camps.1635pm: Precise details of winning margin to come later, but £31,800 picked up by Just A Par for his second to The Young Master means its all over - Nicholls is confirmed as champion trainer once more.dddddddddddd Swift bit of reaction from the Ditcheat maestro: To get Just A Par back from where he finished in the National (15th) - Harry (Cobden) gave him an awesome ride. Thats been the toughest one because of the ammunition weve had. Its been a big team effort. Its been brilliant for racing.1623pm: And PAUL NICHOLLS is Champion Trainer! Hes just beaten in the bet365 Gold Cup as The Young Master beats Just A Par, but with that second place and Southfield Theatres fourth he cant be caught now.350pm: Wow. That was sensational by Sprinter Sacre. Un De Sceaux second and Dodging Bullets third, but really the winner was in another parish. After some totting up, Mullins now trails by £35,995.04, so its still all to play for as Mullins can still look forward to Vroum Vroum Mag. But before that its the big one of the day, the bet365 Gold Cup. Nicholls is represented by Southfield Theatre and Just A Par. Mullins needs big efforts from Sir Des Champs and Measureofmydreams.325pm: Sounds like Mullins might have thought that was the one, too: It would have been nice to win, but we didnt. Well have to wait and see. Could be a game changer next - the bet365 Celebration Chase (£125,000). Nicholls going with former two-mile king Dodging Bullets plus Solar Impulse and Ulck Du Lin. Mullins sends Un De Sceaux into battle - but Cheltenham conqueror Sprinter Sacre looms large.315pm: Another thriller - and another race without a Nicholls/Mullins winner. Mullins comes closest as Valseur Lido just finds old stager Menorah too strong - ridden appropriately by newly-crowned champion jockey Richard Johnson. With placed horses for both trainers, its a net gain of £4,665 for the Irish champion. But that might have been a big chance gone. Regardless, bringing the pennies into play, the gap is now down to £44,307.54.240pm: Next up is the bet365 Oaksey Chase, worth a total of £50,000. For Nicholls its Saphir Du Rheu, Rocky Creek and Wonderful Charm. Mullins has Valseur Lido and Ballycasey. The testing nature of Sandown might play to the strengths of Valseur Lido and he looks well treated by the conditions of the race. First prize is £28,475.235pm: If thats a sign of things to come it will be exciting - no winner for the big two as Wolf Of Windlesham takes top spot, but hes flanked on either side by Tommy Silver and Voix Du Reve.Voix Du Reve gets the nod for second, picking up £9,240, with Tommy Silver third for £4,620.That makes it a reduced lead of £48,972 for Nicholls. Game on?2pm: The battle for the National Hunt trainers championship has come right down to the final afternoon of the season at Sandown, with Paul Nicholls (£2,329,252) holding an advantage of £53,592 over Willie Mullins (£2,275,660).The latter is bidding to become the first Irish-based trainer since the great Vincent OBrien in 1953-4 to lift the British title and has a host of major chances, although he might need them all to win.Getting things under way at 2.20 is the bet365 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, worth £50,000 and in which Nicholls fields Tommy Silver and Mullins calls on Voix Du Reve, who looked sure to go close when coming to grief at the final flight in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham. The final total for Nicholls stood at #2,439,560.26 to Mullins on #2,341,735.22 - meaning the margin of victory ended at #97,825.04.Shall we do it all again next year, gents? Also See: Live results service Full racecards Get Sky Sports ' ' '