Nowitzki must face his playoff demon

"He's out there, he's talking to himself in the game. He just loves to compete."

DALLAS -- When the Mavericks gained small revenge in a high-scoring, feel-good victory at Golden State in November, the Warriors were missing one key component.

Six-foot-8 tattooed tough guy Stephen Jackson missed that first matchup, an exciting 120-115 Mavs victory, while serving a seven-game suspension stemming from his guilty plea to a felony count that involved him firing a gun outside of a strip club.

Perhaps the most hot-headed and controversial swingman in the league, Jackson's selection as a team co-captain, his captivating return to the court and one lofty All-Star endorsement are beginning to block out his rap sheet as front-page news. Read more

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