So it was a hairless Nowitzki that led the Mavericks past the pesky Memphis Grizzlies, 108-97, on Thursday at the Pyramid. Nowitzki had 32 points on the heels of his regular-season career-high 40 points against Atlanta just two days earlier.

"I was just as shocked as anyone," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said.

He was talking about Nowitzki's hair ? not the game or Nowitzki's numbers. Because the long, golden locks hung in the eyes of the 7-foot forward as he warmed up for Thursday's game. But by the time he trotted out for the opening tipoff, his head had been shaved clean.