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It's the ability to take contact, adjust the shot, and convert a 3-point play.
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Ah, I see what you're saying. I've often wished somebody kept stats on and-1's so that I could track this very thing, and I share you impression that Dirk doesn't do this as often as, for example, TD. The thing I've never been confident enough about without stats to back it up is to what extent Dirk differs from some of the guys you mention in relative terms. Many of the guys you mention play(ed) inside more that Dirk so there are more opportunities for them to earn an and-1, and since they're rare events even for the best players it's really not the kind of thing that's easy to guage without keeping statistical records, ie., it's precisely the sort of event your brain can fool you on. Another caveat would be that I personally feel like I see old-fashioned three-point plays earned by big men off of offensive rebounds more than I do off of 1st shot opportunities. Again, since Dirk plays so much on the perimeter and collects fewer inside offensive boards than other big men, he simply might not as often be in the types of situations that most readily lead to and-1's. To be clear, in the absence of the right statistics to really do a study I don't have a strong opinion on the matter. My basic point is that I can think of several reasons why, even if the impression that he earns fewer and-1's is correct, it might be reflective of his style of play moreso than his ability to convert when he gets hit, per se.