2015 NBA scores: Dirk Nowitzki is still a cold-blooded closer and 3 other things we learned

The Dallas Mavericks desperately needed a good win against a quality opponent. Dallas was playing well, but some wondered if a soft schedule led to an inflated record. Dirk Nowitzki was looking mortal after a dreadful start to 2015 and while the acquisition of Rajon Rondo helped the defense, offensively the team went from historically good to merely elite. Was Dallas a title contender with Rondo, or another team capable of losing in the first round of the loaded Western Conference playoffs?

A gutsy win against the Memphis Grizzlies on the road has quieted down most of the concerns. Dirk Nowitzki was as clutch as ever, as the Mavericks made big plays on both ends to close the game and emerge victorious. Nowitzki finished the game with 21 points on 13 shots while Monta Ellis contributed 25 points and Tyson Chandler pulled down 16 rebounds. Marc Gasol had 20 points and Zach Randolph 18 to go with 15 rebounds in the losing effort.

Dallas took the lead early thanks to their defense and some great play off the bench by Devin Harris, who filled in admirably in the first quarter for an erratic Rondo. The Mavericks couldn't keep up the defensive pressure and the Grizzlies went off for a combined 59 points in the second and third quarters. Scoring is not Dallas' problem, so they put 57 of their own on the board to keep Memphis at bay. The Mavericks had won all 21 games in which they had the lead after three periods, which made a Grizzlies comeback unlikely. But Memphis never goes away quietly.

The win allows the Mavericks to tie the Rockets' fourth-best record in the West and could be a turning point for the previously slumping Nowitzki. The Grizzlies are still ranked third in the West and remain at the top of the list of teams no one wants to face in the first round. For one night, however, the Mavericks looked like the scarier squad thanks to a vintage Nowitzki performance.

The Hawks don't need a rim protector. Al Horford is the closest thing to a rim protector the Atlanta Hawks have and he's just mediocre in that area. Their attack depends on having shooters all over the floor and big men with range who can provide an inside presence on defense are rare. That was one of the reasons why there was a lot of skepticism about the Hawks status as a legitimate contender: could they get stops in the postseason without an elite defensive big man?

The results so far suggest that weakness might not matter because Atlanta knows how to make up for it. They have a top five defense despite allowing a high percentage at the rim thanks to a swarming perimeter defense that forces turnovers and makes getting close to the bucket difficult and bigs who know where to be at all times. Against the Pistons they allowed a high percentage in the paint but forced Detroit to 19 turnovers and 26 perent from the three-point line. The defensive rebounding still remains a problem but every contender has flaws.

James Harden continues to dominate. Harden is leading the league in scoring and free throw attempts and is 12th in assists per game at 6.7. His defense has come around to a point where he doesn't hurt his team anymore and he is rebounding at a career-high level. His Rockets look like a legitimate contender, sitting at fourth place in the competitive Western Conference. Everyone laughed when he said he was the best player alive but right now, he has a good case.

Against the Pacers he had 45 points on just 18 shots (!) to go with seven assists and four steals to lead the Rockets to a comfortable win. 33 of those came in the second half, when Harden first broke the game open for Houston in the third quarter and then shut the door on a comeback attempt by Indiana. These jaw-dropping offensive performances are becoming common for Harden, which means he should be in everyone's short list for MVP.

The Bulls are in trouble. The Cavaliers embarrassed the Bulls in Cleveland with a blowout win. That was the fourth loss in the last five for Chicago and the underlying problems behind them seem real. Their defense is not as smothering as it once was, as Pau Gasol is struggling to guard the pick and roll and Joakim Noah is out with injury after looking like a shell of his former self for most of the season. On offense, their spacing is out of whack without Mike Dunleavy and Jimmy Butler has regressed after a scorching start of the year. There is still time to get everyone healthy and on the same page but losses like this one will make it hard to make a push up the standings.

Damian Lillard has a reputation as a clutch performer and he showed why against the Sacramento Kings at home by getting a huge dunk with under a minute to go:

The Trail Blazers snapped a three-game losing streak but might have lost LaMarcus Aldridge to a thumb injury. They will be needing a lot of "Lillard time" if they want to hold on to the second seed in the West. Fortunately for them, their star point guard seems up for the challenge.

Hornets 105, Timberwolves 80 (At the Hive recap | Canis Hoopus recap)

Wizards 111, 76ers 76 (Bullets Forever recap | Liberty Ballers recap)

Clippers 102, Celtics 93 (Clips Nation recap | Celtics Blog recap)

Warriors 122, Nuggets 79 (Golden State of Mind recap | Denver Stiffs recap)

Knicks 99, Pelicans 92 (Posting and Toasting recap | The Bird Writes recap)

Raptors 92, Bucks 89 (Raptors HQ recap | Brew Hoop recap)

Suns 115, Lakers 100 (Bright Side of the Sun recap | Silver Screen and Roll recap)