VIDEO: Diaw puts Nowitzki on the floor twice

There are those who say the NBA's preseason is much too long. Dirk Nowitzki may disagree after Tuesday night.

In the first quarter of the league's season opener between Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, Nowitzki was put to the floor on defense as a blur drove by him.

That blur? It would be the salt-and-pepper-haired Boris Diaw.

Having a player known more for weight fluctuation than ankle-breaking blow by you is pretty embarrassing, but hey, it happens. Once.

On Tuesday, though, it happened a second time, with Diaw putting Nowitzki on the hardwood once again. This one was far less excusable.

The rust is real.