Editing Dirk Nowitzki (section)

====2015–16 season: Final playoff appearance====
On November 11, 2015, Nowitzki scored a season-high 31 points in a 118–108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and passed former teammate [[Shawn Marion]] for 15th on the all-time career rebounding list.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mavericks top Clippers 118–108 in Jordan's return to Dallas|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20151111/LACDAL/gameinfo.html|access-date=November 11, 2015|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=November 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112181405/http://www.nba.com/games/20151111/LACDAL/gameinfo.html|archive-date=November 12, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 23, Nowitzki moved past [[Shaquille O'Neal]] into sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list, then made the go-ahead basket with 19.2 seconds left in overtime to help the Mavericks defeat the Brooklyn Nets, 119–118.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nowitzki passes Shaq, helps Mavs pull out OT win over Nets|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20151223/DALBKN/gameinfo.html|access-date=December 23, 2015|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=December 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222072158/http://www.nba.com/games/20151223/DALBKN/gameinfo.html|archive-date=December 22, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Devine|first1=Dan|title=Dirk passes Shaq for 6th place on NBA's all-time scoring list|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/dirk-nowitzki-passes-shaquille-o-neal-for-sixth-place-on-nba-s-all-time-scoring-list-020011411.html|publisher=Yahoo!|date=December 23, 2015|access-date=December 23, 2015|archive-date=December 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224022512/http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/dirk-nowitzki-passes-shaquille-o-neal-for-sixth-place-on-nba-s-all-time-scoring-list-020011411.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 21, he scored 18 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to reach 29,000 career points.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mavericks cruise to 129–103 win over 76ers|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160221/PHIDAL/gameinfo.html|access-date=February 21, 2016|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=February 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222221102/http://www.nba.com/games/20160221/PHIDAL/gameinfo.html|archive-date=February 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> On March 20, he set a new season high with 40 points in a 132–120 overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers. His 20th career 40-point game was his first since January 2014, and the first by a 37-year-old since [[Karl Malone]] in 2000–01.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nowitzki, Williams lead Mavericks past Trail Blazers 132–120|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160320/PORDAL/gameinfo.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033603/http://www.nba.com/games/20160320/PORDAL/gameinfo.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2016|access-date=March 20, 2016|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=March 20, 2016}}</ref>

In Game 4 of the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nowitzki passed [[Elgin Baylor]] (3,623 points) for 15th on the NBA's career playoff scoring list.<ref>{{cite news|title=Thunder beat Mavericks 119–108 for 3–1 lead in testy series|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160423/OKCDAL/gameinfo.html|access-date=April 24, 2016|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425071409/http://www.nba.com/games/20160423/OKCDAL/gameinfo.html|archive-date=April 25, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Mavericks lost the series four games to one.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2016-nba-western-conference-first-round-mavericks-vs-thunder.html|title=2016 NBA Western Conference First Round - Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder|website=Basketball-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-date=May 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520084946/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2016-nba-western-conference-first-round-mavericks-vs-thunder.html|url-status=live}}</ref>