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dude1394 · 05-12-2011, 09:43 AM

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dal...#ssStory181775

By BRAD TOWNSEND
The Dallas Morning News
btownsend@dallasnews.com
Published 12 May 2011 12:10 AM

Dirk Nowitzki returned to work Wednesday, three days after a sweep of the Lakers that stunned the NBA and propelled him back to the national forefront, as though he’d somehow been AWOL.

Nowitzki rewarded himself by indulging in his first pizza “in a long time” but said he otherwise did or felt nothing different since Sunday’s clincher over L.A., when American Airlines Center fans gave him goose bumps.

Nowitzki emphasized that he and his teammates will pour their focus and energy into the Western Conference final, which starts Sunday or Tuesday. But after practice, he paused for a lengthy sit-down with The News, during which he issued many thank yous while reflecting on his Mavericks career.

“It’s been an amazing ride, 13 years here,” he said. “There’s been some great ups and some great downs. The franchise stuck with me and I think that’s the best thing, how the city still embraces me.

“You know, I think we could have broken this team up numerous times, especially the last couple of years. But Donnie and Mark always stuck with me and said ‘This is our guy. We’re going with him.’ That means a lot to me.”

President Donnie Nelson and owner Mark Cuban would have laughed at hearing those words. If anything, it is Nowitzki who has time and again stuck by the franchise, most recently last July, when he became an unrestricted free agent by choosing to return, with a slightly discounted contract, no less.

For perspective, understand that the Mavericks are about to play in the fourth Western Conference final in the franchise’s 31-year history.

It will be Nowitzki’s third conference final over an eight-year span, under his third head coach.

The only players remaining from Dallas’ last conference final appearance, 2006, are 32-year-old Nowitzki and 33-year-old Jason Terry. Nowitzki is the lone holdover from the team that reached the 2003 conference final.

“Dirk has sacrificed so much for this franchise, it can’t be reduced to words,” Nelson said. “There’s so much that he’s done that fans will never know. He loved this city when it wouldn’t love him back in the early years.

“He stood up for it in ’06 and ’07 when critics said we were failures that would never recover. He chose it last summer when he could have taken an easier path to the championship. There isn’t anything he hasn’t put on the line for this franchise and this city.”

When told Nelson’s words Wednesday, Nowitzki sat back in his chair and shook his head.
“That’s powerful,” he said. “But you know I hate talking about myself, right?”
Yes, Dirk, we know. We have known that since you arrived in Dallas in the summer of ’98 as a 19-year-old German kid who had never had a bank account.
You brought your own pillow on that trip because you were bunking at then-coach Don Nelson’s house and you weren’t sure Nellie had extras.

Before Wednesday’s interview with The News, Nowitzki stood after practice, patiently answering media members’ questions for 20 minutes. Because that’s what franchise players are supposed to do.
Even when some of the questioners are the very ones who criticized the franchise player after the Mavericks blew a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals. Ditto the next year, when 67-win Dallas was toppled in the first round of the playoffs.

Losses sting

On Wednesday, he spoke of the sting, not from the criticism, but the defeats. As for the fact that Charles Barkley and other national talking heads suddenly are again praising him, Nowitzki shrugged.
“Really, it’s not about that to me. I want to win a championship before I retire. That’s my goal. … I don’t play for anything else. That’s really all that’s left in my career. We’ve got a great shot this year, so we’ve got to go for it. We’re going to be one team out of four that’s still playing, and that feels good.”

The first time he found himself a step away from the Finals was 2003. In that year’s Western Conference final, the Mavericks won Game 2 at San Antonio to take homecourt advantage.
But with eight minutes left in Game 3, Nowitzki sprained his left knee and never returned to the series, which San Antonio won in six games. As he reflected on that series Wednesday, Nowitzki smiled as he ticked off the names of teammates Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and Walt Williams.

“Steve and Mike were really big for me my first couple of years, the way they took care of me,” Nowitzki said. “Steve always made sure I wasn’t sitting at home, or in the hotel.
“I don’t know if I would have made it without them being so nice to me and showing me the ropes, on and off the floor. Those were special times. They taught me how to be a professional.”
The 2006 Western Conference final against Phoenix was tied 2-2 when Nowitzki rallied the Mavericks from a Game 5 deficit by scoring 50 points and pulling down 12 rebounds, doing much of it against future teammate Shawn Marion.

In the conference semifinals, his three-point play in the closing seconds of Game 7 at San Antonio forced overtime and ultimately led to a breakthrough victory for the franchise. But those clutch performances, as well as those in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, were all but forgotten after Miami rallied to win that series.
“I remember both sides, obviously,” Nowitzki said. “I remember going on a drinking binge for weeks, just so depressed. But the time leading up to the Finals was some of the best basketball I played in my career, I think.
“And it was some of the best times we had, with the city being so excited. It was a special ride until the Finals, unfortunately.”

Popular man

Nowitzki recalled walking into Dallas restaurants during those playoffs and receiving standing ovations. As Dallas lost first-round series in three of the next four seasons, he must have wondered whether he would experience Dallas’ full embrace again.
But Nowitzki and his teammates did indeed experience it on Sunday at American Airlines Center, when they walloped the two-time defending champion Lakers by 36 points.
“The place in Game 3 and Game 4 was as crazy as I’ve heard it,” Nowitzki said. “Then at the end, the fans singing the ‘Goodbye’ song. I mean, I had goose bumps.
“That was another special moment I probably will never forget. There will be so many special moments once I retire. That will definitely be one I’ll remember, but ultimately it was great beating the Lakers, but if we lose in the next round, it will mean not as much.”

For the rest of the playoffs, he’ll look forward. But on Wednesday, he recalled the pivotal 90-minute meeting he had at Cuban’s house last July, when he was briefly a free agent.
He said he just wanted to hear reassurance from Cuban that the Mavericks would continue a win-now approach.
“I already knew I wanted to stay,” Nowitzki said. “Mark hit the nail on the head when he said, ‘Look, we’re in this together. We’ve been through a lot. How sweet would it be if we could actually win a championship together?’”
Nowitzki said that at the end of the meeting, he stood, hugged Cuban and said, “Hey, let’s do it. I’m in.”
Exactly where he’s been for 13 seasons.

05-12-2011, 09:43 AM	#1658
dude1394 Guru Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 40,410	http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dal...#ssStory181775 By BRAD TOWNSEND The Dallas Morning News btownsend@dallasnews.com Published 12 May 2011 12:10 AM Dirk Nowitzki returned to work Wednesday, three days after a sweep of the Lakers that stunned the NBA and propelled him back to the national forefront, as though he’d somehow been AWOL. Nowitzki rewarded himself by indulging in his first pizza “in a long time” but said he otherwise did or felt nothing different since Sunday’s clincher over L.A., when American Airlines Center fans gave him goose bumps. Nowitzki emphasized that he and his teammates will pour their focus and energy into the Western Conference final, which starts Sunday or Tuesday. But after practice, he paused for a lengthy sit-down with The News, during which he issued many thank yous while reflecting on his Mavericks career. “It’s been an amazing ride, 13 years here,” he said. “There’s been some great ups and some great downs. The franchise stuck with me and I think that’s the best thing, how the city still embraces me. “You know, I think we could have broken this team up numerous times, especially the last couple of years. But Donnie and Mark always stuck with me and said ‘This is our guy. We’re going with him.’ That means a lot to me.” President Donnie Nelson and owner Mark Cuban would have laughed at hearing those words. If anything, it is Nowitzki who has time and again stuck by the franchise, most recently last July, when he became an unrestricted free agent by choosing to return, with a slightly discounted contract, no less. For perspective, understand that the Mavericks are about to play in the fourth Western Conference final in the franchise’s 31-year history. It will be Nowitzki’s third conference final over an eight-year span, under his third head coach. The only players remaining from Dallas’ last conference final appearance, 2006, are 32-year-old Nowitzki and 33-year-old Jason Terry. Nowitzki is the lone holdover from the team that reached the 2003 conference final. “Dirk has sacrificed so much for this franchise, it can’t be reduced to words,” Nelson said. “There’s so much that he’s done that fans will never know. He loved this city when it wouldn’t love him back in the early years. “He stood up for it in ’06 and ’07 when critics said we were failures that would never recover. He chose it last summer when he could have taken an easier path to the championship. There isn’t anything he hasn’t put on the line for this franchise and this city.” When told Nelson’s words Wednesday, Nowitzki sat back in his chair and shook his head. “That’s powerful,” he said. “But you know I hate talking about myself, right?” Yes, Dirk, we know. We have known that since you arrived in Dallas in the summer of ’98 as a 19-year-old German kid who had never had a bank account. You brought your own pillow on that trip because you were bunking at then-coach Don Nelson’s house and you weren’t sure Nellie had extras. Before Wednesday’s interview with The News, Nowitzki stood after practice, patiently answering media members’ questions for 20 minutes. Because that’s what franchise players are supposed to do. Even when some of the questioners are the very ones who criticized the franchise player after the Mavericks blew a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals. Ditto the next year, when 67-win Dallas was toppled in the first round of the playoffs. Losses sting On Wednesday, he spoke of the sting, not from the criticism, but the defeats. As for the fact that Charles Barkley and other national talking heads suddenly are again praising him, Nowitzki shrugged. “Really, it’s not about that to me. I want to win a championship before I retire. That’s my goal. … I don’t play for anything else. That’s really all that’s left in my career. We’ve got a great shot this year, so we’ve got to go for it. We’re going to be one team out of four that’s still playing, and that feels good.” The first time he found himself a step away from the Finals was 2003. In that year’s Western Conference final, the Mavericks won Game 2 at San Antonio to take homecourt advantage. But with eight minutes left in Game 3, Nowitzki sprained his left knee and never returned to the series, which San Antonio won in six games. As he reflected on that series Wednesday, Nowitzki smiled as he ticked off the names of teammates Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and Walt Williams. “Steve and Mike were really big for me my first couple of years, the way they took care of me,” Nowitzki said. “Steve always made sure I wasn’t sitting at home, or in the hotel. “I don’t know if I would have made it without them being so nice to me and showing me the ropes, on and off the floor. Those were special times. They taught me how to be a professional.” The 2006 Western Conference final against Phoenix was tied 2-2 when Nowitzki rallied the Mavericks from a Game 5 deficit by scoring 50 points and pulling down 12 rebounds, doing much of it against future teammate Shawn Marion. In the conference semifinals, his three-point play in the closing seconds of Game 7 at San Antonio forced overtime and ultimately led to a breakthrough victory for the franchise. But those clutch performances, as well as those in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, were all but forgotten after Miami rallied to win that series. “I remember both sides, obviously,” Nowitzki said. “I remember going on a drinking binge for weeks, just so depressed. But the time leading up to the Finals was some of the best basketball I played in my career, I think. “And it was some of the best times we had, with the city being so excited. It was a special ride until the Finals, unfortunately.” Popular man Nowitzki recalled walking into Dallas restaurants during those playoffs and receiving standing ovations. As Dallas lost first-round series in three of the next four seasons, he must have wondered whether he would experience Dallas’ full embrace again. But Nowitzki and his teammates did indeed experience it on Sunday at American Airlines Center, when they walloped the two-time defending champion Lakers by 36 points. “The place in Game 3 and Game 4 was as crazy as I’ve heard it,” Nowitzki said. “Then at the end, the fans singing the ‘Goodbye’ song. I mean, I had goose bumps. “That was another special moment I probably will never forget. There will be so many special moments once I retire. That will definitely be one I’ll remember, but ultimately it was great beating the Lakers, but if we lose in the next round, it will mean not as much.” For the rest of the playoffs, he’ll look forward. But on Wednesday, he recalled the pivotal 90-minute meeting he had at Cuban’s house last July, when he was briefly a free agent. He said he just wanted to hear reassurance from Cuban that the Mavericks would continue a win-now approach. “I already knew I wanted to stay,” Nowitzki said. “Mark hit the nail on the head when he said, ‘Look, we’re in this together. We’ve been through a lot. How sweet would it be if we could actually win a championship together?’” Nowitzki said that at the end of the meeting, he stood, hugged Cuban and said, “Hey, let’s do it. I’m in.” Exactly where he’s been for 13 seasons. __________________ "Yankees fans who say “flags fly forever’’ are right, you never lose that. It reinforces all the good things about being a fan. ... It’s black and white. You (the Mavs) won a title. That’s it and no one can say s--- about it.’’ Last edited by dude1394; 05-12-2011 at 09:44 AM.