Carlisle wants to preserve Dirk for his 'last year or 2 or 3'

Rick Carlisle wants to make sure Dirk Nowitzki can finish his career on his own terms, but the career Dallas Maverick will need to look after his 38-year-old body if he's to make it across the finish line on his feet.

Nowitzki was just forced to sit out eight consecutive games after rushing his return from an opening-night Achilles injury, and Carlisle suggests he may be more prudent in resting the future Hall of Famer moving forward.

"This is a guy who's given everything to this franchise and right now, as tough as it is for us, we've got to be mindful of the big picture," Carlisle told ESPN's Marc Stein. "We've got to make sure that Dirk's last year or two or three or whatever it is come down the right way. I want him to be able to play in his last game, whenever that is. You don't want to see a situation where a great warrior like him, who's close to 30,000 points and is possible to get to top five in all-time scoring, can't get through the last few games of his career. That's not what you want to see."

If there's a silver lining to the Mavs' woeful 2-12 start, perhaps it's that, with the season already slipping away, they can afford to be judicious with Nowitzki's playing time.

It may make things more painful for Mavs fans in the meantime, but they'll know it was worth it when Nowitzki drops 61 in the last game of his career.