Nowitzki Makes His Mark

[vinnieponte]

The three-time All-Star is now the Mavericks' main man
Nowitzki Makes His Mark

By Rob Peterson

You would think a seven-foot tall, three-time All-Star with shaggy mane and scraggly goatee would be hard to miss, wouldn't you?
But it seems as if Dallas forward and MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki has operated under the radar this season.

Hot starts by other Western Conference power forwards, coupled with the surprising rise of teams in Miami, Phoenix and Seattle may have kept Nowitzki's stellar season subdued in the national consciousness so far. But Nowitzki will get a chance to show his stuff to the nation tonight as the Mavs take the floor against the Rockets (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Still, his play hasn't been lost on everyone. Nowitzki was named Western Conference Player of the Month for December. He dropped 53 in an overtime win against Houston on Dec. 2 and averaged 27.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for the month.


Nowitzki has taken a more aggressive and confident approach in leading the Mavericks this season.
Ronald Martinez/NBAE/Getty Images
And if his performance so far in January is any indication, Nowitzki, who has poured in 32.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in the Mavericks' three games (all wins), could be headed for another heralded month.

So, why is this news? Because this season has seen a slight rebirth for Nowitzki. Coming into the season, no one knew how Nowitzki would perform after his running-mate and closest friend -- point guard Steve Nash -- signed a free-agent deal with the Suns in the offseason.

"I thought we were going to finish together like Stockton and Malone," Nowitzki told Sports Illustrated in December. "I never thought we'd break up."

Yet, the seven-year veteran has flourished despite seeing Nash leave. In fact, while Dirk might miss playing next to Nash, Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamison (all of whom have new homes this season), it's now very clear who is the driving force for the Mavericks.

Last season, Nowitzki posted his lowest numbers (21.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg) in three seasons. Respectable, but for a player of Nowitzki's stature, those numbers lay well below the standard he had set for himself the season before (25.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg and 3.0 apg) when he helped the Mavericks to their first Western Conference Finals since 1987-88.

This season, Nowitzki's been a different animal. Some would just say he's been an animal, period, including Nowitzki himself.

"I'm just being aggressive," Nowtizki told SI.com's Marty Burns.

That he is. Nowitzki's 26.9 points per game is third in the league. He grabs more defensive boards per contest (8.8) than anyone in the league besides Kevin Garnett. And he's no longer satisfied to settle for jumpers. Nowitzki is second in the NBA in free throws made (261) and sixth in free-throw attempts (307). At this pace, Nowitzki would end up attempting 812 free throws, well above the career-high of 538 he set in just his third season.

Still, sometimes it's tough to get noticed when you're playing the same position in the West as two league MVPs (Tim Duncan and Garnett) and two former Rookies of the Year in Pau Gasol and Amaré Stoudemire. In fact, while Stoudemire has been spending much of his time at center this season, he's putting up MVP-worthy numbers, thanks, ironically, to the arrival of Nash.

But if Nowitzki keeps playing this well and the Mavericks -- who, at 22-10, are four games out of first place in the Southwest -- stay close on the Spurs' heels, maybe more people will notice that shaggy seven-footer launching a three from the corner.

[twelli]

Originally posted by: vinnieponte
...while Dirk might miss playing next to Nash, Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamison...

yeah, he really misses playing next to the toine...