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Old 11-17-2004, 02:10 AM   #1
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Default Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem
Nash says his departure forces Dirk to raise the level of his game


David Moore/Dallas Morning News

In almost every way that mattered, Tuesday was Steve Nash's night.

Dirk Nowitzki, who had 20 points and 16 rebounds, drives past the Suns' Shawn Marion. But everything is in place for this to be Dirk Nowitzki's season.

Raising this point after the Mavericks' first home loss of the season may seem odd. But an emotional win for Nash and an athletic Phoenix team doesn't cloud the big picture.

Nowitzki and Nash were the NBA's equivalent of Ashton and Demi or Nick and Jessica. Well, maybe not quite, but you get the idea. The two complemented each other on the court and were inseparable off it for six years.

When Nash left for greener, desert pastures, there were questions about how Nowitzki would react. Would he sulk and play like an All-Star who had lost his way? Would he hang around the 3-point line waiting for passes that never came?

Nowitzki concedes some of those same questions crossed his mind. When his cell phone rang in Germany and Nash delivered the news, he immediately congratulated his friend yet wondered how he would get his shots.

What he did was hit the gym to expand his offensive game. The results are evident in the first two-and-a-half weeks of this season.

"In some ways, he's better without me," Nash said. "He can take on his responsibility and really be as dominant as he can be.

"I think we're seeing that. He's been an MVP so far."

The moment Nash left, it was clear Nowitzki would have to do more. He worked on beating his defender off the dribble. He worked on the post game he had always been reluctant to emphasize.

"Steve is so great in setting other people up, he's just the best in the league of doing that, making your guy collapse or commit to the ball then giving you wide open jumpers," Nowitzki said. "I knew a lot of other point guards couldn't do it like that.

"I had to learn to create my shot a little more, a little better. I had to get fouled and get to the line a lot more. That's what I'm trying to do, get to the basket more."

It's working. When the outside shot isn't dropping or the offense rhythm is disrupted, as it was in this game, Nowitzki gets to the line. The forward's average of 9.9 attempts is nearly double his average of last season. Only Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant has been to the free throw line more this season.

That's not all. Nowitzki's field goal percentage and assists are up. His 3-point attempts are down. The ball is in his hands more often as the Mavericks run a significant portion of their offense through him and Marquis Daniels.

All of this would have happened eventually. But Nash's departure accelerated the process.

"Now we mix it up a little bit," said Nowitzki, who had an off night and still finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds. "I'm catching the ball on the elbows a lot and trying to make plays there. We still do pick and roll once in a while, but it's not as big of a deal as it used to be."

Those who focused on Nowitzki's laid-back temperament and doubted that he would become more assertive missed the point. Nowitzki doesn't shirk from responsibility; he simply doesn't shove a teammate out of the way to grab it.

Nash's departure took Nowitzki out of his comfort zone. It didn't strip him of his identity or pride.

The night belonged to Nash. But Nowitzki has something bigger in mind.

"I wish he could be a part of this," Nowitzki said of his best friend. "But at some point, we've all got to move on in our lives and our careers."
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Old 11-17-2004, 12:58 PM   #2
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Default RE:Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

Man dirk was immature last night. That poke from the ref was just childish.

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Old 11-17-2004, 01:03 PM   #3
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Default RE: Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

What poke from the ref erica? I was there but miss some things without replays.
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Old 11-17-2004, 01:06 PM   #4
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Default RE:Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

I watched the Suns broadcast and they showed it twice. First he just got pissed with the 5 fouls and pretended to be punching someone in the air and then he got his tech in the 4th quarter from poking the ball out of the refs hands. It was just a childish act to show his frustration.
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Old 11-17-2004, 01:10 PM   #5
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Default RE: Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

Ok I saw the first one. What I think I saw was him throwing his mouthpiece. I guess someone picked it up. That 5th foul did seem sort of unbelievable. I didn't catch the poking of the ball out. He was pretty frustrated all night..
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Old 11-17-2004, 01:13 PM   #6
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Default RE:Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

I usually do not advocate violence against officials. However, if someone were to 'accidentally' run over an official while going down the court, I could have looked the other way. How do you blow that call with Amare shoving off on Dirk that led to dirk's 5th foul? How do you miss two goaltending calls?

No, the officials didn't decide the game last night, but they did have too much of a negative impact on it. So, if the Mavs want to send in Dickau to take a cheap shot at the officials, so be it.
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Old 11-17-2004, 01:21 PM   #7
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Default RE: Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

I also thought the dirk call was atrocious and the one goal-tending on harris's shot was just unbelievable. Obviously off the backboard and it was right in front of us, my buddy went absolutley ballistic. So did harris and it led to a fast-break the other way, horrible.

Of course bradley got his normal crap from the refs. At least one where he was standing up straight as an arrow, then another where the guy came in with knee raised. Pathetic....
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Old 11-17-2004, 01:34 PM   #8
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Default RE:Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

Mavs should offer a Dickau taxi service to and from games, eh?
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Old 11-17-2004, 06:13 PM   #9
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Default RE: Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

That official last night was the same one who two years ago told Tommy Heinsohn "Merry Christmas" after the Celtics got f'd over in a game.

He's worse than that woman ref who botched the call in Sacramento.
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Old 11-17-2004, 06:17 PM   #10
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Default RE:Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

Quote:
Originally posted by: Murphy3

No, the officials didn't decide the game last night, but they did have too much of a negative impact on it.
I agree. I counted 2 of Dirk's 5 fouls being questionable, but I was encouraged as to how the team responded offensively without Dirk. Many, especially Harris, stepped it up.
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Old 11-19-2004, 02:16 PM   #11
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Default RE:Nowitzki loses running buddy, gains esteem

I was suprised that Nash wasn't booed when he played the other day. I guess Dallas fans are not assertive and mean enough to the players. So when the mavs don't win this season, you have you yourselves to blame.
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