Nowitzki thrives in Nash's absence

[vinnieponte]

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Hair today, gone tomorrow: Blood brothers Nowitzki and Nash face off Tuesday night.
Take away his best friend. Tweak the offense. Slam his hand in a car door the night before a nationally televised game.


None of that, so far, is hurting Dirk Nowitzki.


Steve Nash returns to American Airlines Center on Tuesday night to find his buddy playing at a new level. The universal fear in Dallas held that Nowitzki's game would suffer immensely after Nash disconnected their seemingly telepathic link by signing with Phoenix in free agency. Instead Nowitzki has flourished, leading the Mavericks to a league-best start of 7-1 even though the new point guards -- Jason Terry and rookie Devin Harris -- have struggled running Nowitzki's beloved pick-and-roll.


In the exhibition season, it appeared that Nowitzki would have to work harder than ever for his points. The pick-and-roll problems meant he'd have to create his own openings and shake defenders himself. Yet once the season started, Dallas started creating offense with its revamped defense and better-than-expected ball movement. Nowitzki has attacked aggressively, so much so that Mavericks coach Don Nelson hasn't been calling for many pick-and-rolls, and Nelson doesn't have to with everything else that's working for his No. 1 option.


Nowitzki is averaging 27.9 points (2nd in the league), getting to the line nearly 10 times per game (9th) and shooting better than 50 percent inside and outside the 3-point arc (9th). The night after the taxi mishap -- teammate Dan Dickau unknowingly closed the door on Dirk's shooting hand -- the big German had 41 points at Miami in a rout of the previously unbeaten Heat.


Not that Nash is surprised.


"He's been unbelievable," Nash said Sunday, admitting that he still tries to monitor Nowitzki's work from afar when he's not busy leading the league in assists (9.7 per game) for the 4-2 upstarts from Phoenix.


"I'm a little biased, but Dirk's probably been the best player in the league," Nash continued. "He doesn't need the pick-and-roll to score. He's just talented, and he's a great athlete for his size. If he gets the ball, he'll score. And they still have a lot of scorers that can stretch the defense and open things up for him. Let's face it, they've got a great team."


The No. 1 team in the latest edition of my NBA Power Rankings, incidentally.


Dallas is the big mover in the top 10, rising from No. 7 to the top slot with a 4-1 week . . . a rise which is sure to be a topic of discussion in my weekly chat Wednesday at noon.


Winning Tuesday, with Nash sure to be amped after his messy divorce from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, would help validate Dallas' jump.


"The game itself will be fun," Nash said. "But I'm kind of dreading some of the other stuff, because I know seeing so many familiar faces can be overwhelming."


It looks as though playing against the most familiar face in Big D won't be so enjoyable, either.