The majority of the post game comments after the Mavericks’ 121-112 win in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals centered around Dirk Nowitzki’s remarkable 12-15, 48 point game in which he set an NBA record with 24 free throws without a miss.

Rick Carlisle:

Dirk spends a lot of time working on his game, keeping himself ready, and he got going early. I thought he did a good job of mixing in drives with the jump shot, and getting to the bonus was big because that helped him get to the free throw line when we had a matchup advantage there.

Dirk Nowitzki:

I really looked for my shot early and was able to get into a good rhythm. For a shooter, when the first couple go in, it’s even better for the confidence, and I just attacked from there.

Brooks on Nowitzki:

Dirk was pretty good tonight. He made some tough shots. He had a good rhythm. He got off to a good start. He was making shots and then we were fouling his jump shots. Twenty-four times at the free throw line – he’s a terrific shooter, but that’s just too many fouls. We have to do a better job of guarding him, and we will, but he’s a great player. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen at that position offensively. A lot of shots you don’t think that he has a chance of making it, but he does.

See Carlisle, Nowitzki, Brooks and Kevin Durant speak on NBA.com.