Official Dirk is Great Thread - Page 111 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Oberon · 11-18-2015, 10:26 PM

Dirk still has the most beautiful shot of the NBA to me. It's incredible. And now that he makes his open shots, unlike most of last season, he is so damn efficient again. I can actually see him going to the All-Star-Game one more time. He probably needs 2-3 players to be unavailable for that game but its not unrealistic I think.

endrity · 11-19-2015, 03:36 AM

If the Mavs remain somewhere in the top 6 of the rankings he will go, even as the representative of a good team.

FreshJive · 11-19-2015, 05:38 AM

He gave'em a Nowitzki! Isaiah instantly recognizes it from the sideline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRyWl6up87Q

nikeball · 11-22-2015, 06:07 PM

Love it when Dirk gets his due.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/11/...ay-shootaround

TWILIGHT OF THE DIRK
Paul Flannery

BOSTON -- Dirk Nowitzki played 34 minutes on Wednesday, a number that used to be a regular occurrence back in the days when he routinely logged over 3,000 in a season. Things are different now. A short time after dropping another familiar set of figures on the Celtics -- 23 points on just 14 shots -- Nowitzki laid down on the training table with his legs up against the wall. They were wrapped in recovery boots from his hips to his toes that made him look like the world’s tallest goalie.

He didn’t used to have to do this kind of thing. Nowitzki would spend hours in the gym, honing his shot and perfecting his craft. That was work. Now, it takes almost as long just to get him to ready. This is harder. It happens to everybody in this game, even to one of the greatest shotmakers to ever play. Yet Nowitzki is not slowing down as much as transitioning gracefully into the final act of a brilliant NBA career that we’ve been privileged to observe for nearly half his life.

"I’ve seen it firsthand for a year and a half now and I understand why he’s one of the best players to ever play," Chandler Parsons told me. "His work ethic is by far the best I’ve ever seen. He’s getting to an age now where he has to put in even more effort and he does it every single day. That’s what he has to do. He has a whole bunch of movement stuff, a whole bunch of weight room stuff, flexibility stuff to keep him mobile. We’re smart with his minutes and what he does in practice. He takes care of himself like no one I’ve ever seen."

The remarkable thing about Nowitzki is that he still looks largely the same as when he came into the league. Never the fastest or most athletic player on the court, he ambles up the court as much as he runs and takes just a little bit longer to set up in his favorite spots. Get him into those areas on the floor, however, and he’s just as lethal as ever.

"We’re going to keep giving him shots, keep running plays, keep screening for him," Parsons said. "We’re going to do whatever we can to get the ball in his hands because age is just a number with him. He can still hoop."

Nowitzki’s shooting over 50 percent for the first time since the 2011 campaign and his True Shooting Percentage would be the highest of his career. Maintaining those numbers isn’t the point. That’s he doing it at all at age 37 after a season in which there were notable signs of decline is reason enough to celebrate his game all over again.

"You’ve got to respect him so much that he creates so much space," Devin Harris said. "We do a great job of creating open shots for him and honestly, I think he can play forever."

With Dirk all things have always seemed possible. There is no transitional rebuilding program in place for Dallas and no expectation of mentoring young prospects. The Mavericks are here to win for as long as Nowitzki can still play. When their offseason plans went awry, they quickly cobbled together a makeshift lineup full of veteran free agents with something to prove. There would be no retrenchment. Admirable as this strategy was, outside projections were not high mainly due to age, injury and a lack of familiarity.

Most of their starting lineup -- Nowitzki included -- was held out for significant parts of training camp. Parsons and Wes Matthews are coming back from significant surgeries and three of their starters are brand new. Two of their key reserves -- Ray Felton and Dwight Powell -- were rotational afterthoughts last season. The Mavericks themselves will be the first to tell you that they are still figuring things out on the fly.

"It was a tough preseason for us with a lot of injuries. The good thing is none of them are young," Nowitzki said. "They’ve been through a lot in this league. They want to play off each other, they want to play with each other, they want to share the ball. We’re a bunch of veterans that have no ego. Whoever scores, scores."

The first few games of the season were uneven and there was an unsightly loss in New Orleans to a Pelicans team without Anthony Davis. That was a turning point. The next night the Mavs beat the Clippers and Nowitzki scored 31 points. They’ve won six straight mainly with solid defense and unselfish play. It’s not as flashy as some of the great Maverick teams of the past, but it’s been very effective. It’s also a splendid way for Dirk to live out the final years of his basketball life.

"He’s more sure of himself," Harris said. "He’s more vocal than he has been. He’s just focused on taking it one game at a time and when it’s his time to walk away he’ll know it. Right now he’s just focused on winning games."

Even amid this renaissance, we have to come to terms with the fact that we are watching the twilight of a great career. For almost two decades we have watched Nowitzki transcend the limits of our imagination and sweep into the ranks of the undisputed immortals. He came into the league at exactly the right time, just as the the game was transitioning away from the dreary ISO-ball of the 90s and offenses became more fluid and open-minded.

From the beginning, he was a revelation. Dirk was not the first of the stretch fours, but he may have been the first 7-footer you could build an offense around on the perimeter. He was, and in many ways still is, an offensive system unto himself.

He’s been an MVP, a constant All-Star presence and a four-time All-NBA First Team performer to say nothing of his role as an international trailblazer. He’s also been a champion after which he left us with the indelible image of the man walking off the court, head buried in his jersey to hide his emotions. There is nothing left for Nowitzki to prove, which makes all of this even more enjoyable. He’s not fighting his legacy and he’s no mere veteran presence on a team full of kids. Rather, he’s reinforcing his standing in a league that is now full of facsimiles.

People have been looking for the Next Dirk for so long that it’s become a cliché. Every tall European prospect is compared to Dirk in one way or another in the same manner that every versatile athletic big man is compared to Kevin Garnett. Just as there will never be another KG, there will also never be another Dirk. There are, however, a legion of imitators, such as Boston’s Kelly Olynyk who on Wednesday attempted a version of Nowitzki’s signature move, the one-legged fallaway, at the end of the first quarter, right in front of its inventor.

"That was cold-blooded," Nowitzki said afterward. "I told their coach, you’re going to run a 1-4 ISO up top against me? So that hurt me a little bit."

As they left the floor, Dirk told Olynyk, "Don’t give me my own move."

Laughter all around and a good time was had by all. The telling moments came later. Nowitzki was not here for a good-natured tribute. As they made their way out on the court for the start of the second quarter, Dirk went to work. He hit a turnaround jumper, and then pump faked Olynyk into picking up his third foul. The Mavs chipped away at a sizeable deficit as Nowitzki made one shot after another. It was just one more masterful performances in a career that’s been full of them.

"I guess it shows I’ve been around for a long, long time," Nowitzki said. "I’ve done something right. It’s very humbling for guys to like my game or enjoy some of my stuff I did over the last 17,18 years. It’s humbling. It’s fun to still compete against these young guys who want to come at me every night."

Humbling yes, but don’t overlook that last part. Dirk has always been a ruthless competitor. This is what still drives him and makes him endure all those long hours of conditioning and maintenance. There are only so many chances in this game to prove yet again that you’re the baddest man on the court and Nowitzki is still taking them on every night.

"It’s the love of competition," he said. "I feel like my body can still do it. I can still be out there and be effective and help the team win. I’ve got to admit, the summers are getting harder. The getting in shape part, that sometimes gets a little old. But the games, when I’m out there with the guys, it’s always been fun to try and win and show these young guys I still got it. That will always be fun."

Nowitzki signed a 3-year deal in 2014 and he’s said repeatedly that he’s determined to see it through. After that, who knows? There are many nights when it feels like he can go on forever and times when we wonder when it’s all going to end. He doesn’t seem like the type to hang around after it’s over, nor does he seem like the kind of player who wants to play past his expiration date. All of that is easy to say now, of course, but that’s the plan as he sees it.

"I try to enjoy the last couple of years," Nowitzki said. "I obviously know it’s coming to an end, but just give all I have to the game while I still can and then everything else will fall in line after that. I was fortunate enough to make enough money. I don’t have to take a job after I’m done. I can just enjoy life and spend time with my kids. I want to give my all these last couple of years to the franchise and to the game, and then I’ll go away."

Cherish these moments because nothing lasts forever. Not even Dirk.

dirt_dobber · 11-29-2015, 06:02 PM

The 6 Toughest Players I’ve Ever Guarded
by: NAZR MOHAMMED
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/naz...-ever-guarded/

Dirk Nowitzki

Frustrating.

That’s the word that comes to mind when I think about what it’s like to guard Dirk Nowitzki.

When you looked at Dirk, even when he was younger, you saw that he wasn’t fast, he wasn’t athletic and he wasn’t strong. You don’t encounter many guys at this level who don’t check off at least one of those boxes. So it was easy to go into the match up feeling pretty good about your odds. But the qualities that make Dirk one of the best players in history aren’t visible immediately. It’s his combination of skill, touch and balance that’s had big men saying “Damn!” for nearly 20 years now.

To get better acquainted with his uncanny abilities, just watch Dirk workout before a game. I never saw a guy spin on one foot before shooting until I watched him.

In fact, his patented fadeaway off one leg is a glimpse into what a special player he is.

That’s the kind of shot that would get the vast majority of big men pulled from a game immediately. Most coaches would probably try to strip that away from your game before you even made it to the NBA. In their eyes, it’s a soft shot for a big man. Traditional post players were taught to pound it in the paint, not back away from contact. But Dirk invented an entirely different idea of what a big man can be. You know there are a hell of a lot of guys in the NBA — some of which stuck, many who didn’t — who owed their job to a guy like Dirk Nowitzki paving the way. For a long time, it seemed like every team in the league was even trying to draft the next Dirk. Hell, some still are!

The only problem is that there’s no one else in the world who has the same game as Dirk. Probably never will be. With his unorthodox footwork and movements, there was really no way to prepare for a game against him.

We all know he’s one of the greatest shooting big men to ever play in the NBA, but what’s not accounted for is how many other things he was able to set up for himself on the floor because of his shot. He knows he can pull up with little or no space because of his height — and every guy in the league knows it as well. So he developed a game around it, based on the defender’s fear of him pulling up. Some guys like to make quick moves to get better positioning before the defense is set. But Dirk would let you close out on him, which was unusual. He wanted to know where you were and wasn’t going to rush his process because of the defense. Once he had you up close, he started to go to work, doing a series of subtle fakes and pivots before finally getting his look. Even perfect defense usually wasn’t perfect enough.

Dirk’s percentage against challenged shots is remarkable. It’s almost like he didn’t see the defender in front of him. But the truth is that’s exactly where he wanted him. He didn’t want to rush, and then be blindsided by defense he didn’t see or couldn’t react to. He wanted you right there up close and personal. If he could see or feel you, he knew what move he had to use.

Your only chance against him was hoping the refs let you play physical that night. If you could get away with a bump and grab here and there, you might be able to throw him off. But if the refs decided to use their whistles, you might as well pack it up. You knew he was going to sink his free throws, so you definitely didn’t want to foul him. He’s one of those guys that if he’s fouled, there’s no need to waste time shooting free throws. Just cut to the chase and add two points to the scoreboard so we can speed up the game.

Generally Bruce Bowen drew the Dirk assignment when I was with the Spurs, and I never protested that. He was probably one of the best at guarding Dirk.

But every now and then when I played for other teams, and have to switch, I’d always think the same thing: “Damn!”

Skywalker · 12-03-2015, 05:58 AM

http://stats.nba.com/featured/dirks_...?ls=nbahpfull5

Dirk’s Shooting Touch Is Aging Well

By Brian Martin

On this day 11 years ago, Dirk Nowitzki scored a career-high 53 points in Dallas' 113-106 overtime win over the Houston Rockets. He shot 15-of-32 from the field, 2-of-5 from three and 21-of-22 from the free throw line and added 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks in 50 minutes.

He was 26 years old, in his seventh NBA season, still two years away from his first Finals appearance and three years away from his MVP season in 2007.

Today, 11 years later, Dirk is still shooting his patented one-legged fadeaway jumpers from midrange and punishing teams from 3-point range as one of the league's original stretch fours.

Through the first 18 games of the season, Dirk is shooting 50.4% from the field, 44.6% from three and 90.6% from the free throw line.

Dirk's 2015-16 Season Stats
Games FGM-A FG% 3PM-A 3P% FTM-A FT%
18 119-236 50.4 29-65 44.6 48-53 90.6

Let's put those numbers into a bit more perspective:

- Dirk is one of only three players to shoot at least 50% from the field, 40% from three and 90% from the line this season (minimum 200 minutes played). The others: Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, both of whom are a decade younger than Dirk.

- Dirk has shot over 50% for a season just twice in his career; the last time was back in 2010-11, the year the Mavs won the title.

- Dirk's 3-point percentage is currently a career-best; he's shot over 40% for a season four times in his first 17 seasons, with his career-high 42.1% coming in 2009-10.

- At the beginning of this week, Dirk was shooting over 50% from three before subpar outings in Sacramento (0-4) and Portland (2-7) dropped him to 44.6% - still ranked 13th in the league in 3-point accuracy.

- As one of the best free throw shooters in NBA history (his 87.9 career percentage ranks 16th all-time), Dirk has shot over 90% three times in his first 17 seasons, with his career-best 91.5% coming in 2009-10.

Dirk's Season Shot Chart

Could Dirk really put together his most efficient shooting season in year No. 18 and at the age of 37?

While there have been times that Dirk's age has shown - Exhibit A is the "cold blooded" move by CJ McCollum against Dirk on Tuesday night - when it comes to his shot, Dirk is still as lethal as ever.

As we near the quarter mark of the 2015-16 season, the question is whether or not Dirk can keep up this level of shooting for the entire season. If so, it would be unprecedented for a player his age.

According to Basketball Reference, there have been 12 seasons in which a player shot at least 50% from the field, 40% from three and 90% from the free throw line. Dirk's 2006-07 season is one of them as he is one of only eight players to record that level of shooting efficiency since the 3-point shot was introduced in 1979-80. The others: Steve Nash (4x), Larry Bird (2x), Kevin Durant, Reggie Miller, Mark Price, Jose Calderon and Steve Kerr.

Dirk and the 50-40-90 season (all seasons with 50+ FG%)
Year GP FG% 3P% FT%
2006-07 78 50.2% 41.6% 90.4%
2010-11 73 51.7% 39.3% 89.2%
2015-16 18 50.4% 44.6% 90.6%

Nash was the oldest player to put together a 50-40-90 season at the age of 35 in the 2009-10 season; it was his third straight season reaching those shooting marks. If Dirk can keep up this pace, he would be the oldest player to ever do so, just a few months shy of turning 38.

If Dirk can get his 3-point percentage back over 45% he would be in even more elite company, as there have only been two seasons in which a player had a 50-45-90 season - Nash in 2007-08 (50.4%, 47.0%, 90.6%) and Kerr in 1995-96 (50.6%, 51.5%, 92.9%).

Kerr is the standard bearer with the only 50-50-90 season on record for a player that played at least 1640 minutes (20.0 per game over 82 games). Kyle Korver was on pace for 50-50-90 for much of last season before trailing off after the All-Star break. Korver's pre All-Star numbers were 51.2 FG%, 52.3 3P% and 91.1 FG% through 53 games, but he finished at 48.7 FG%, a league-leading 49.2 3P% and 89.8 FT%.

Will Dirk suffer a similar fate or can he maintain this level of shooting accuracy over the final three quarters of the season?

Either way he is set to make history this season as he is just 163 points from passing Shaquille O'Neal for 6th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. At his current scoring rate of 17.5 points per game, Dirk would need just 10 games to pass Shaq's mark of 28,596 career points.

dude1394 · 12-03-2015, 12:06 PM

Nice article on the dirkster and the portland win. Also the comments from felton are comments that I love to hear. Comments about the dirkster coming from other players.

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/...e47658180.html

Melonhead · 12-03-2015, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Dirk still has the most beautiful shot of the NBA to me. It's incredible. And now that he makes his open shots, unlike most of last season, he is so damn efficient again. I can actually see him going to the All-Star-Game one more time. He probably needs 2-3 players to be unavailable for that game but its not unrealistic I think.

I dont think its unrealistic either. Problem is with NBA its about fan vote still right? He's shooting at the 50/40/90 clip 20 games into the season. He should definitely be in. But we know he would much rather have rest.

nikeball · 12-10-2015, 04:36 PM

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/...ll-good-dammit

Dirk Nowitzki brings a foil-wrapped plate of food to every game because he's a picky eater, okay?

On Wednesday, Dirk Nowitzki was spotted bringing a plate of leftovers wrapped up in tin foil into the Dallas Mavericks arena with him, very much like the one your parents might send you home with after you finally come over for dinner. People noticed!

It turns out he does this a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

But there's a simple explanation for this: Dirk Nowitzki is a picky eater, okay?

SB Nation reached out to the Mavericks about the go plate. Mavs PR explained:

Yes, in Dirk's old age he has gotten very particular about his diet. So, that said, he brings his own food to eat after the game. The plate that he always walks around with is his to-go plate that he brings his food on every game. He is a creature of habit, for sure.

That's right. 37-year-old Dirk doesn't need your crap in his golden years. He doesn't want to eat your food, and he doesn't need to. He's earned the right to microwave whatever day- or days-old food he likes before he's set adrift on an ice floe to bob slowly into the horizon, his elbow creaking ever so quietly as he ladles himself reheated mac and cheese.

Pictures in the link.

Underdog · 12-10-2015, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikeball

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/...ll-good-dammit

Dirk Nowitzki brings a foil-wrapped plate of food to every game because he's a picky eater, okay?

Another reason why Dirk is great, from the comments section (and Vines):

Quote:

What I learned from this?
Dirk says hello and makes eye contact with all these people every single time!

BPo001 · 12-10-2015, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

Another reason why Dirk is great, from the comments section (and Vines):

I agree. That's pretty awesome that he makes eye contact and makes a point to interact with people. Seems like most guys these days are walking in with sunglasses and headphones on.

BPo001 · 12-22-2015, 10:45 AM

Article from the Dallas Morning News today:

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dall...ccomplishments

Melonhead · 12-22-2015, 10:51 AM

I swear to NBA gods Kobe better not get a f'n All Star selection because its his final year. What a sham if that happens (and probably will).

Dirk is actually playing like an all star and probably wont get recognized.

sefant77 · 12-22-2015, 02:46 PM

Of course the kobe kiddies who bought at least 10 of his overprized sneakers are going to vote him in.

Kobe is going to fake an injury to sit with a suit on the bench...

twelli · 12-23-2015, 08:18 PM

Shaq in the rear mirror

rimrocker · 12-23-2015, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melonhead

I swear to NBA gods Kobe better not get a f'n All Star selection because its his final year. What a sham if that happens (and probably will).

Dirk is actually playing like an all star and probably wont get recognized.

I'm okay with that as long as Dirk gets the same treatment when he announces his retirement.

Underdog · 12-23-2015, 10:56 PM

It's official: Dirk is great.

Melonhead · 12-23-2015, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rimrocker

I'm okay with that as long as Dirk gets the same treatment when he announces his retirement.

Dirk probably wont do it, but I hope he does exactly what Kobe did. Announce his retirement early in the season so every stop on the road is like a celebration. Otherwise I dont know if he gets the same treatment. He deserves it, but he's too humble for that.

BPo001 · 12-25-2015, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melonhead

I swear to NBA gods Kobe better not get a f'n All Star selection because its his final year. What a sham if that happens (and probably will).

Dirk is actually playing like an all star and probably wont get recognized.

Bryant already has 719,235 votes -- well ahead of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry (510,202), the next-highest vote-getter, and more than twice as many as Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James (357,937). Bryant has more votes than James and Kevin Durant combined.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14...ng-wide-margin

Underdog · 12-25-2015, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Dirk probably wont do it, but I hope he does exactly what Kobe did. Announce his retirement early in the season so every stop on the road is like a celebration. Otherwise I dont know if he gets the same treatment. He deserves it, but he's too humble for that.

I don't want to talk Kobe in the 'Dirk is Great' thread, but it does bother me that Dirk's milestones seem to be of minor concern to a major outlet like ESPN... Bad enough that the keep chugging Kobe's flaccid c*ck, but there's actually a Mavs story in their Top Headlines, and instead of "Dirk Tops Shaq" it's the two games-old "Carlisle's threat about pressing buttons"... That's just insulting.

jleefilled · 12-29-2015, 10:41 PM

Check out the link below for some interesting audio from Rick Pitino talking about trying to draft Dirk. Pretty cool stuff

http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2015/12...tics-mavericks

Murphy3 · 12-30-2015, 02:25 PM

Awesome..thank you JLee

BPo001 · 01-08-2016, 06:49 PM

Didn't know if I should put this here or in the GDT, so here...

http://www.mavs.com/dirk-nowitzki-re...n=BOBBY_010816

Thespiralgoeson · 01-08-2016, 07:38 PM

Quote:

All Hail Dirk Nowitzki, Whose Old Ass Is Still Dominating
Tom Ley
12/08/15 2:28pmFiled to: dirk nowitzki
102
18

All Hail Dirk Nowitzki, Whose Old Ass Is Still Dominating

There was an easy bit of symmetry to latch onto during last night’s Mavericks-Knicks game, that being the image of 20-year-old Kristaps Porzingis going toe-to-toe with 37-year-old Dirk Nowitzki. The narrative arc almost draws itself: Here we have the best European import the NBA has ever seen facing down the younger version of himself, the one who added a few extra inches and pounds of muscle to the blueprint Nowitzki created. That story didn’t quite come out in the wash, though, because Dirk isn’t playing like he’s ready to pass any torches.

Porzingis finished with a super-efficient 28 points on just 18 shots, and spearheaded a fourth-quarter comeback that fell just short. He scored 12 points in the final frame, and would have brought the goddamn house down had his final three-point attempt—which followed him blocking a layup at the other end and would have brought the Knicks within one—been good. But the Knicks lost, and oh by the way, Nowitzki scored 25 of his own points on just 18 shots.

Nowitzki’s performance wasn’t a one-off thing, an instance of an old-timer swelling up on a big night in order to smack down the youngster coming for his crown. Dirk is 37, just as old as a certain Laker who is so stiff and decrepit that he can barely draw iron on a consistent basis, and yet he’s still torching defenses on a nightly basis. In fact, Nowitzki is currently playing some of the best ball of his career.

Dirk is scoring 17 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 43 percent from behind the arc. He’s only ever shot over 50 percent twice before in his career, and his percentage from deep has never been as hight as it is right now. Per Synergy Sports, Nowitzki’s scoring 1.14 points per possession, putting him behind only Steph Curry in terms of offensive efficiency. Let me repeat that: Dirk Nowitzki is 37 years old, and the only player in the NBA who is currently outproducing him on offense is the guy who is literally breaking the game.

And he’s doing this the same way he always has, by hitting open shots on the pick-and-pop, torturing defenders with that one-legged fadeaway, and dominating people in the post. You can see Dirk’s age when he takes a stiff-legged jog from one end of the court to the other, but once the ball gets in his hands he starts readying his move, he might as well be 23 again.

Of course, Dirk’s uniquely honed game was always built to age well. Kobe Bryant has talked a lot this season about how he just doesn’t “have his legs,” that little pop of explosiveness he’s always relied on to get his jump shot where it needs to go. Dirk only ever needed one leg to begin with, and his game has always been more about turning softness into strength. It’s this sensibility that’s kept him not just relevant but dominant, and it’s made his season a nice antidote to Bryant’s desperate, toothless gnawing. Dirk’s out there, still hitting deft little up-and-unders and stroking threes, and showing us what it looks like to age gracefully.

http://deadspin.com/all-hail-dirk-no...ati-1746875140

Skywalker · 01-14-2016, 08:00 PM

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/articl...-and-a-machine

Quote:

Watching Dirk Nowitzki, Ghost and a Machine
January 12, 2016
Robert O'Connell

Last Tuesday—some 17 years after his NBA debut, nine years after winning his lone MVP award, and four and a half years after leading the Dallas Mavericks to their only title—Dirk Nowitzki picked up a dead ball near the basket and decided to get some quick calisthenics in. He jumped for a one-handed dunk and flubbed it. His feet some insufficient number of inches from the floor, he accomplished nothing more than sandwiching the ball between his palm and the rim, where it stuck for a moment before rolling back down when his airtime ran out.

Lacking the height and athleticism required to touch a regulation basketball rim, I don't know exactly how Dirk felt at that moment, but I imagine he experienced the equilibrium-compromising strain of physical frustration that feels like a splash of cold water to the spine. Having a jam attempt cut short, and in such absolute and embarrassing fashion, must be a sensation at once equal and opposite to that of thinking there's one more stair on a staircase than there really is.

If it bothered Nowitzki, he didn't show it. He corralled the ball with a chuckle, flipped it to the baseline referee, and later made a goof on Twitter. The basketball internet largely took this sequence as an affirmation of his jolly character, evidence of the self-effacing humility with which the 37-year-old has navigated his career's later stages. Nowitzki may be the most reliably joyful of the NBA's elder statesmen, a counterpoint to Kobe Bryant's self-serious staginess, to Tim Duncan's noble trudge, to Kevin Garnett's sage mania.

In addition to his apparently inherent sunny disposition, Nowitzki has cause to smile, even at such rude, duffed-dunk proof of his body's deterioration. He is playing fine basketball for a good team, as he has his whole career. Although it seems unlikely that he'll ever be part of another contender, it seems just as unlikely that he'll ever be a slouch on a squad full of slouches.

For a long time, the Mavericks were aspirants who couldn't take the final step; then they became one of the more surprising and cooperative champions in recent history. Now, with Nowitzki still at the elbow and Rick Carlisle still on the sideline and an annual influx of whichever castoffs and weirdos the league sees fit to shuttle their way, the Mavericks are the team that cannot be bad. Dirk, as always, is their leader.

On the court, the Mavericks look like everything has gone according to plan. They play as if their ideal configuration involves the post-Brooklyn version of Deron Williams, the post-Achilles-surgery version of Wesley Matthews, the apocalyptic center rotation of Zaza Pachulia and Javale McGee, and a stable of backup guards that includes Raymond Felton and Devin Harris, the latter of whom basketball's more radical historians contend once played in an All-Star Game. They move the ball from the strong side to the weak, throw neat entry passes, manufacture open threes, and turn out 105 points per 100 possessions.

In truth, just about none of their roster-building has worked out as envisioned. The present rotation is nothing so much as a kind of Plan E, arrived at after years of offseason misfortune. The champion Mavericks let Tyson Chandler walk in the hopes of luring Deron Williams back to his hometown in the summer of 2011; after getting Chandler back a couple years later, they again let him go this past summer in pursuit of DeAndre Jordan. Neither plan came to fruition, and other deals made between those sad bookends—trades for Lamar Odom in December 2011 and Rajon Rondo in December 2014—landed somewhere between tragedy and extremely broad comedy. Nowitzki aside, hardly a player on the current roster was Dallas's first choice.

The crispness with which the Mavericks now play in spite of perpetual fallings-through may be attributed in part to Williams and Matthews looking better than expected, but primary credit goes to the German. His skill set remains singular, and uniquely well suited to the coach with years of practice exploiting it. That tinker-toy-and-rubber-band style, all wrenched limbs and squeaky feints and steep jumpers, is still fundamentally not all that possible to defend against, and Carlisle leverages the attention it attracts into driving lanes and corner threes. Nowitzki draws a double-team, and the rest of the Mavericks cycle through the open space it creates.

This is not to say that Nowitzki serves only as a totem tall decoy. Tuesday's game against the Sacramento Kings, the one with that botched dunk, eventually turned into a double-overtime thriller, and Nowitzki applied his elbowy expertise at every moment of need. Williams eventually hit the deciding shot, but it was Nowitzki who shepherded the Mavericks through the preceding 15 minutes of game time. He made five of his final six shots and scored 12 points from the midpoint of the fourth quarter on. He dropped in a fadeaway over DeMarcus Cousins and hurled a full-court outlet pass to Matthews for a bucket and a foul. He made a top-of-the-key three. With Dallas down five late in the second overtime, he caught the ball on the wing, dribbled once, stepped back, and hit the sort of rickety, knock-kneed triple that seems all the more affecting for the afflictions of its author, like an old song from some cirrhotic crooner. This one made Williams's game-winner possible.

The Mavericks celebrated like they had won a championship, because they won't. Set next to the late-career successes of Nowitzki's old nemesis Duncan in San Antonio, this might seem a little sad, his team all clutching and hugging and falling to the floor over a regular-season home victory against a bottom-feeder, but great players have a way of manufacturing endings that fit their personalities. Kobe makes sense as a blown-out version of the marathoner who swears he's not in it to impress but soaks up adulation at the finish line, KG as a sweat-steamed pseudo-coach, Duncan as a real-life Giving Tree. As for Dirk, there has always been the feeling that he derives a little more pleasure from the daily acts of the game than most. He seems to love the sheer improbability of his approach being such an effective one, the way his contortions connect with the rest of the stronger and sleeker basketball ecosystem.

Nowitzki functions as the fulcrum of a similarly sideways team, one that runs clean sets and ekes out wins and sits in the middle of the playoff pack in the Western Conference. This team's ceiling is probably the second round, and its only shot at historical significance is to provide a first-round death knell to one of the NBA's ongoing experiments—the left-brained Rockets, say, or the gruff Grizzlies. In the meantime, the Mavericks have a good chance to win every night, and so Nowitzki has good reason to play. That's not the highest form of relevance, but it's something to smile about.

Skywalker · 01-15-2016, 01:45 PM

All-Time #NBArank: Counting down the top 10 power forwards ever

Quote:

3. Dirk Nowitzki

Teams
Dallas Mavericks (1998-pres.)

Honors
MVP (2006-07), Finals MVP (2010-11), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection

Championships
1 (2011)

Career stats
22.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, .475 FG%

The player
Undoubtedly the best European player in NBA history -- and there haven't been that many better players born in America either. -- Pelton

All he's done is revolutionize the power forward position as Europe's greatest-ever import and the sweetest-shooting big man we've ever seen. -- Stein

Dirk's one-legged, high-arcing fallaway from the mid-to-high post is on the short list of impossible-to-guard moves. -- Adams

As tough and competitive as they come, Dirk shattered the stereotype of the soft European big man.-- Peterson

Surprised they had Dirk this high, this being BSPN and all.

Skywalker · 01-15-2016, 03:53 PM

http://www.nba.com/2016/news/01/15/i...ime/index.html

Quote:

Nowitzki vs. Olajuwon: Who is NBA's top foreign player

Big men leave different legacies during long careers

POSTED: Jan 15, 2016 10:26 AM ET
By Kevin Cottrell Jr., Special to NBA.com

For the second consecutive season, all 30 NBA teams feature at least one international player. It's also the second straight season opening night rosters featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories. But there's one international player that stands above the rest, Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki is in the midst of his 18th season, all with the Mavericks. He's the franchise leader in points, rebounds, field goals, three-pointers and games played. His status as the greatest player in Dallas history has been cemented with an exclamation point, winning the 2011 NBA title. The German recently surpassed Shaquille O'Neal for sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list, which leads many to wonder: Is Nowitzki the greatest international player in NBA history?

Nowitzki has a resume that not many players-American or otherwise- can present at the end of their career. Not only has he scored over 28,000 points but he led the Mavericks to 11 consecutive 50-win seasons and 12 total in his first 17 years of play. Prior to his arrival in Dallas, the Mavs made just six playoff appearances in the team's first 18 years. Needless to say Dirk shouldn't need another point or rebound to enhance his Hall-of-Fame resume.

PLAYERS WITH 28,000 POINTS AND 10,000 REBOUNDS
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Karl Malone
Wilt Chamberlain
Dirk Nowitzki*
Shaquille O'Neal
*Only player in NBA history with 28,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 1,600 made three-pointers

Dirk didn't enter the league as a MVP caliber player, nor did he walk away with rookie of the year honors. In his first season, he amassed a grand total of 385 points. However, his work ethic and God- given abilities helped him become the player he is today. Something former Mavericks guard Derek Harper believes puts him in a class of his own.

"When he came over from Germany, everybody had power forwards that played with their backs to the basket," said the Mavericks all-time leader in assists and steals. "Seven-foot guys were never interested in venturing out to the perimeter. I think he really has transformed the game, because now that's what everyone is looking for. They're looking for guys that can shoot it and take it off the dribble. Just more versatile bigs, and I think Dirk is the originator of that particular style of play."

Nowitzki may be the originator of the "Stretch 7-footer", but the NBA has been home to the game's best from around the globe for quite some time. The likes of Arvydas Sabonis, Drazen Petrovic, Patrick Ewing, Toni Kukoc, Yao Ming and Pau Gasol have all excelled at the highest level with their own style of play.

Despite the wealth of international talent to play in the NBA, the debate for best of all-time resides in the heart of Texas. Between Nowitzki and Houston Rockets center Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. Olajuwon was born and raised in Nigeria and played collegiately at the University of Houston prior to being drafted first overall by the Rockets in 1984.

Like Dirk, Hakeem holds Houston franchise records in every major category and is the NBA's all-time leader in blocks. While their styles of play are different their overall impact as players are quite similar.

Dirk vs. The Dream
Categories Dirk Nowitzki Hakeem Olajuwon
NBA Title 1 2
NBA MVP 1 1
All-Star 13 12
1st Team All-NBA 4 6
NBA All-Time Points 6th 10th

Olajuwon's first love was soccer. A sport he focused all of his attention on until the age of 15. His footwork set him apart from all post players, past or present. His unique ability to play with his back to the basket as well as facing his opponents deemed him virtually unstoppable. Former Rockets teammate and NBA on TNT analyst, Kenny Smith, believes Dirk is great but players like Hakeem come around once in a lifetime.

"You can't look for [another] Hakeem, they don't exist," said the two-time champion. "It's funny because, when they say they're looking for the "next" that just shows how great you are. I would say that Dirk's greatness comes from his ability to adapt. That's what made him great. Hakeem didn't have to adapt, the game had to adapt to him. Are there offenses that replicate the Dallas Mavericks championship team? No. But there's a bunch that's tried to replicate what was built around Dream, one-in-four-out. It just shows his greatness."

There's no denying what both players have meant to the game of basketball and to their countries. Both have brought titles to their franchises and developed a winning culture around their organizations. Both are top-10 scorers and redefined the way big men develop their skills. Whether it's Hakeem's footwork and "Dream shake" or Dirk's jump shot off one leg, they've both left lasting impressions on the game.

Ultimately a decision has to be made. Who should be considered the best international player in NBA history? Dirk scored more points and paved the way for stretch seven-footers. Hakeem's impeccable footwork for a center was better than most guards, not to mention he defended the rim better than any player in league history. Harper played against Olajuwon and has served as the Mavericks color commentator for nearly a decade, so who would he choose? He takes a long pause.

"You've got to give a slight edge to Dream," said the 16-year-veteran. "You know they say 1a, 1b that's the way I would look at it. I want to be fair to both guys but I think Dirk has had an outstanding career and everybody knows what Dream did throughout his career. With his shot blocking ability, and just his ability to police the middle. I just think you can't overlook the overall part of what Olajuwon did as a player. When you think Dirk, you think getting buckets plain and simple. Against smalls, against bigs, whatever he had to do he could get buckets. Maybe 1a, 1b, Dream. I think both guys were great and had great careers."

On Tuesday, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Mavericks 110-107 in an overtime thriller. After the game, James stated that Dirk was "one of my favorite players to ever play the game."

Ultimately that's how both Olajuwon and Nowitzki will be remembered, as two of the greatest players in NBA history, no matter their place of origin.

Sportstudi · 01-26-2016, 01:12 PM

NBA Video Shooters Paradise Dirk Nowitzki

Underdog · 01-26-2016, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportstudi

NBA Video Shooters Paradise Dirk Nowitzki

Nice!

Underdog · 01-26-2016, 06:47 PM

At 37, marginal Dirk still stacks up with all-time greats

TL;DR - only Kareem put up better numbers at 37 years old...

Underdog · 01-27-2016, 09:03 PM

@espn_macmahon: Fitting that Dirk tied Kobe in this category last night considering the little moment between them:

10AMGareDuNord · 01-28-2016, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

@espn_macmahon: Fitting that Dirk tied Kobe in this category last night considering the little moment between them:

Pretty crazy that at 37 he's still the most clutch player in the NBA. Off the top of my head, he has at least 3 game-tying/winning shots this year (Portland, Brooklyn, LA).

Melonhead · 01-28-2016, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

@espn_macmahon: Fitting that Dirk tied Kobe in this category last night considering the little moment between them:

Wouldnt mind seeing how many shots it took Kobe to get to 12.

sefant77 · 01-28-2016, 11:35 AM

Over 9000

10AMGareDuNord · 01-28-2016, 08:12 PM

I know Dirk is cool with the rest, but as a Dirk fan, and more importantly, a basketball fan, LMA making the ASG over him is a JOKE. Just a joke.

Dirk: 18/7/2, 19.5 PER, 56% TS, 1.1 VORP, +9.9 On/Off, 2.96 RPM

LMA: 16/9/1, 19.5 PER, 53% TS, 0.7 VORP, -6.3 On/Off, 0.51 RPM

Dirk has been *immensely* more valuable to Dallas than LMA, who in fact SA is better with off the floor.

Underdog · 01-28-2016, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10AMGareDuNord

I know Dirk is cool with the rest, but as a Dirk fan, and more importantly, a basketball fan, LMA making the ASG over him is a JOKE. Just a joke.

Dirk: 18/7/2, 19.5 PER, 56% TS, 1.1 VORP, +9.9 On/Off, 2.96 RPM

LMA: 16/9/1, 19.5 PER, 53% TS, 0.7 VORP, -6.3 On/Off, 0.51 RPM

Dirk has been *immensely* more valuable to Dallas than LMA, who in fact SA is better with off the floor.

I agree about Dirk being more valuable to his team than LMA, but Aldridge gets in because he's the highest-paid player on a 39-7 team whereas Dirk is the top player on a 26-22 team... That shouldn't have anything to do with it, but the All-Star game has always been about marketability, not talent -- that's why they let the average NBA fan vote.

First ASG without Dirk or Duncan since '97.

10AMGareDuNord · 01-28-2016, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

I agree about Dirk being more valuable to his team than LMA, but Aldridge gets in because he's the highest-paid player on a 39-7 team whereas Dirk is the top player on a 26-22 team... That shouldn't have anything to do with it, but the All-Star game has always been about marketability, not talent -- that's why they let the average NBA fan vote.

First ASG without Dirk or Duncan since '97.

I was worried that would happen, but honestly, I hoped actual NBA personnel would be more surprised/impressed that 37 year-old Dirk has lead a team many predicted to be bottom-3 in the West to a playoff spot, rather than LMA having a decent year as a cog in the machine where only Leonard is a real star. Duncan has a *far* bigger impact for SA than LMA. I'd honestly have preferred him making it over Dirk.

Underdog · 01-28-2016, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10AMGareDuNord

I was worried that would happen, but honestly, I hoped actual NBA personnel would be more surprised/impressed that 37 year-old Dirk has lead a team many predicted to be bottom-3 in the West to a playoff spot, rather than LMA having a decent year as a cog in the machine where only Leonard is a real star. Duncan has a *far* bigger impact for SA than LMA. I'd honestly have preferred him making it over Dirk.

You're not the only one:

@ESPNNBA: Who is the biggest All-Star Reserve snub?
@ESPNSteinLine: Rhymes with smirk?

Obviously Stein is a tad biased, but he's not wrong...

Underdog · 01-28-2016, 08:47 PM

@DwainPrice: Carlisle on if he campaigned for Dirk to make the A-S team: "I don’t campaign for guys. I think guys make it on their merits or they don’t."

Underdog · 01-31-2016, 04:36 PM

There was only one real snub on the NBA all-star rosters