National Basketball Association roundup

[October 16, 2014]  (The Sports Xchange) - Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki heard about the NBA experimenting with shorter games in the preseason, but he has another idea. He would like to see a shorter season, as in fewer games, rather than games with 11-minute quarters instead of 12.

A workable number of games, in his view, would be somewhere in the mid-60s, a significant reduction from the current 82-game schedule. More problematic from Nowitzki's perspective is the number of back-to-back games on consecutive days. At the same time, Nowitzki is a realist and recognizes the schedule is revenue driven.

"I think you don't need 82 games to determine the best eight in each conference," Nowitzki said Wednesday. "That could be done a lot quicker, but I always understand that it's about money, and every missed game means missed money for both parties, for the league, for the owners, for the players."

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The Mavericks signed 5-foot-7 Japanese point guard Yuki Togashi on Wednesday.

Terms of the deal for the free agent were not disclosed. Togashi, who weighs 143 pounds, was most recently a member of the Mavericks' NBA Summer League team. In his four games, he averaged 5.3 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting .467 from the field.

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Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford, who was sidelined since December with a torn right pectoral muscle, returned to game action Tuesday night.

In the Hawks' 109-103 preseason win over the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, the 27-year-old Horford played 11 first-half minutes before sitting out the second half. He recorded two points, two assists and one rebound.

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

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