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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
How I'll Remember the 2011 Dallas Mavericks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I debated between 3 titles for this write-up before finally deciding on a broad name with emphasis on all three of my thesii.
(Alternate Title: The Movie Starring the 2011 Dallas Mavericks)
1. The so-called Basketball Gods DO exist
2. This team saved Basketball
3. This was the greatest NBA Playoffs and Finals of all-time
(Bare in mind that I've already waxed poetic about the man, the myth, the legend: Dirk Nowitzki)
1. The Miami Heat winning this 2011 NBA title just wouldn't have been right. Not after how they circumnavigated the system. Not after the 2006 NBA Finals. Not after those has-beens mocked the best player in the series after he just got done kicking their ass at 50%.
If these so-called "Basketball Gods" did exist, they certainly wouldn't be doing their job if they did the Dallas Mavericks in like that once again. However, after witnessing the 2011 NBA Finals, I'm ready to fully embrace their existence.
In case you're wondering just why I feel the Mavs were the team deserving of such justice, look no further than 2006. The Mavs got screwed (however, they remain at fault because of how terribly they handled it). So maybe the better proclamation is that the Miami Heat were so undeserving of that title that it hurt me as a sports fan.
Although it wasn't just that the right team won the 2011 NBA Championship, but how they won. It was almost an exact role reversal from 2006, except that the Mavs didn't need David Stern's intervention. Big lead in the series (although it was more pronounced than it actually was). Huge comeback planting seeds of doubt. Superstar crumbling in front of a nation. The way it all unfolded was like a movie. It was poetic justice at its finest. And it was beautiful.
2. The NBA would not be a beautiful sight if the Miami Heat won the 2011 NBA Finals, which was the biggest and best case of a pure team vs. a group of individuals that I have ever seen.
The Dallas Mavericks play a beautiful brand of basketball. Their passing abilities are brilliant enough to impress even Brazilian soccer fans. Their biggest strength was their belief in each other, and their collective drive towards one goal. Each and every player was ready to go to war because they believed their leaders deserved an NBA Championship. Most of the players made individual sacrifices for the betterment of the team (DeShawn and Marion come to mind first). None of them ever doubted Rick Carlisle, despite his deployed tactics that made little sense on the surface (Barea's promotion despite struggles). They believed in him. They were ready to sacrifice. And they wanted to win. As a team.
And now a word of wisdom on each of the Mavericks:
Dirk's drive
Terry's cajones
Kidd's calming presence
Barea's might
Marion's style
Chandler's tenacity
The Custodian's scrappiness
Haywood's free throws
DeShawn's N**** please 3's
Myanmar's silky smooth J
Peja's.......Peja's.......neckbeard!
Unidentified hype guy's fistpumps
Cuban's "Doesn't matter"s
And then you have the Miami pieces of sHeat. Their idea of a good offense was to sit around until the shot clock got low and then isolate 1 of their 3 studs to go 1-on-1. It wasn't basketball. In fact, it might have been the death of basketball. Professional sports leagues are full of copycats. When a team wins a Championship, everybody else looks at them to see how they did it. Then they try do that themselves. Can you imagine 28 other teams adopting that style of basketball?
I'm glad we don't have to. While some people might enjoy their chase at a repeat, I'd much rather see them face the pressure of trying to capture their first title once again. However, as great as next season might be....
3. We will never see another season quite like the NBA's 2010-11 season. LeBron's Decision may have been the biggest image boost combined with the biggest reputation hit we've ever seen. The act itself was as polarizing as the result. Never has something seemed so poorly thought out, only to turn out to be pure genius.
LeBron's wild ride of a season is something we will never forget. Suddenly everybody cared about the NBA again. Only they cared because they wanted to watch LeBron lose (or perhaps more importantly, see him fail). Yes, the Heat will be right back in the thick of the race next year, but it won't be the same. There's no way. Hatred tends to die down when given time, especially when there's reason to sympathize (and eventually he'll play a few of his cards correctly...right?). People wanted to see him fail right now. I think people are fine with him winning the next 8 titles as long as he lost this year. They wanted instant retribution.
Then you combine that with America's adopted hero, who happens to hail from a country most recognized by one of the world's biggest catastrophes ever. Talk about a redemption story. But people embraced Dirk. They sympathized with his past failures (see?). They could see how much it meant to him. They wanted him to win. There was a defiant good guy and a defiant bad guy (no matter how unlikely the casted roles seemed just 12 months ago) in the NBA Finals. That's what people want.
And then you have the actual games. Every one of them was undecided going into the 4th quarter. Games 2, 3, and 4 all came down to the last and final shot (Dirk make/Wade miss, Dirk miss, Miller miss) and will all be shown on ESPN Classic someday. Game 5 was the pinnacle of professional basketball in terms of hype and quality of play, with both teams playing well enough to win any other game of the series. Game 6 saw an underdog close out on the road to win their first NBA title of all time.
Plus, there was an actual dislike between the teams. Dirk and the Mavs despising Wade and the Heat because of the 2006 NBA Finals. Wade and LeBron mad like little school girls because everybody hated them. There was a stargazed feud that witnessed (!) LeBron's second fiddle act reach an all time high. And there was Dirk working on the proper pronunciation of "ig'nant." And there was (finally) a fight!
We saw the birth of a superstar, who gave us the "Genuine sports moment of 2011" (Sports Guy) with his escape act celebration. We saw many start to question The Unquestioned One, including a media member who may have swung the series (God bless Gregg Doyel). We saw His Dirkness become a legitimate fan of Chris Bosh (UnlikeABosh). We saw (but will soon forget) Juwan Howard and The Custodian playing crucial NBA Finals minutes. We saw Mario's Miracle versions II and III. We saw a Puerto Rican 5'8 NBA Finals difference maker. We saw an effective zone defense (first time in NBA Playoffs history?). We saw Jason Terry flash many skills, none more impressive than his prophetic tattoo. And we saw the Miami Heat wave the white (out) flag with time still on the clock in what was supposed to be their coronation.
Combine the great Finals with the beginning of a Golden Age in the NBA, and that's how you arrive at the best NBA Playoffs of all time. There were upsets like an 8 seed beating a 1. There were ahead-of-schedule contenders (Thunder) and enjoyable pretenders (Lakers). There was a series between two small market teams that people actually cared about. There was an undressing of an MVP, followed by an undressing of the world's best player. There was the antagonist juggernaut that seemed as dominant as advertised until the last act. And there were the protagonist underdogs who prevailed in the end. It all played out like it was a part of Hollywood.
Hollywood as hell.
His Dirkness
I debated between 3 titles for this write-up before finally deciding on a broad name with emphasis on all three of my thesii.
(Alternate Title: The Movie Starring the 2011 Dallas Mavericks)
1. The so-called Basketball Gods DO exist
2. This team saved Basketball
3. This was the greatest NBA Playoffs and Finals of all-time
(Bare in mind that I've already waxed poetic about the man, the myth, the legend: Dirk Nowitzki)
1. The Miami Heat winning this 2011 NBA title just wouldn't have been right. Not after how they circumnavigated the system. Not after the 2006 NBA Finals. Not after those has-beens mocked the best player in the series after he just got done kicking their ass at 50%.
If these so-called "Basketball Gods" did exist, they certainly wouldn't be doing their job if they did the Dallas Mavericks in like that once again. However, after witnessing the 2011 NBA Finals, I'm ready to fully embrace their existence.
In case you're wondering just why I feel the Mavs were the team deserving of such justice, look no further than 2006. The Mavs got screwed (however, they remain at fault because of how terribly they handled it). So maybe the better proclamation is that the Miami Heat were so undeserving of that title that it hurt me as a sports fan.
Although it wasn't just that the right team won the 2011 NBA Championship, but how they won. It was almost an exact role reversal from 2006, except that the Mavs didn't need David Stern's intervention. Big lead in the series (although it was more pronounced than it actually was). Huge comeback planting seeds of doubt. Superstar crumbling in front of a nation. The way it all unfolded was like a movie. It was poetic justice at its finest. And it was beautiful.
2. The NBA would not be a beautiful sight if the Miami Heat won the 2011 NBA Finals, which was the biggest and best case of a pure team vs. a group of individuals that I have ever seen.
The Dallas Mavericks play a beautiful brand of basketball. Their passing abilities are brilliant enough to impress even Brazilian soccer fans. Their biggest strength was their belief in each other, and their collective drive towards one goal. Each and every player was ready to go to war because they believed their leaders deserved an NBA Championship. Most of the players made individual sacrifices for the betterment of the team (DeShawn and Marion come to mind first). None of them ever doubted Rick Carlisle, despite his deployed tactics that made little sense on the surface (Barea's promotion despite struggles). They believed in him. They were ready to sacrifice. And they wanted to win. As a team.
And now a word of wisdom on each of the Mavericks:
Dirk's drive
Terry's cajones
Kidd's calming presence
Barea's might
Marion's style
Chandler's tenacity
The Custodian's scrappiness
Haywood's free throws
DeShawn's N**** please 3's
Myanmar's silky smooth J
Peja's.......Peja's.......neckbeard!
Unidentified hype guy's fistpumps
Cuban's "Doesn't matter"s
And then you have the Miami pieces of sHeat. Their idea of a good offense was to sit around until the shot clock got low and then isolate 1 of their 3 studs to go 1-on-1. It wasn't basketball. In fact, it might have been the death of basketball. Professional sports leagues are full of copycats. When a team wins a Championship, everybody else looks at them to see how they did it. Then they try do that themselves. Can you imagine 28 other teams adopting that style of basketball?
I'm glad we don't have to. While some people might enjoy their chase at a repeat, I'd much rather see them face the pressure of trying to capture their first title once again. However, as great as next season might be....
3. We will never see another season quite like the NBA's 2010-11 season. LeBron's Decision may have been the biggest image boost combined with the biggest reputation hit we've ever seen. The act itself was as polarizing as the result. Never has something seemed so poorly thought out, only to turn out to be pure genius.
LeBron's wild ride of a season is something we will never forget. Suddenly everybody cared about the NBA again. Only they cared because they wanted to watch LeBron lose (or perhaps more importantly, see him fail). Yes, the Heat will be right back in the thick of the race next year, but it won't be the same. There's no way. Hatred tends to die down when given time, especially when there's reason to sympathize (and eventually he'll play a few of his cards correctly...right?). People wanted to see him fail right now. I think people are fine with him winning the next 8 titles as long as he lost this year. They wanted instant retribution.
Then you combine that with America's adopted hero, who happens to hail from a country most recognized by one of the world's biggest catastrophes ever. Talk about a redemption story. But people embraced Dirk. They sympathized with his past failures (see?). They could see how much it meant to him. They wanted him to win. There was a defiant good guy and a defiant bad guy (no matter how unlikely the casted roles seemed just 12 months ago) in the NBA Finals. That's what people want.
And then you have the actual games. Every one of them was undecided going into the 4th quarter. Games 2, 3, and 4 all came down to the last and final shot (Dirk make/Wade miss, Dirk miss, Miller miss) and will all be shown on ESPN Classic someday. Game 5 was the pinnacle of professional basketball in terms of hype and quality of play, with both teams playing well enough to win any other game of the series. Game 6 saw an underdog close out on the road to win their first NBA title of all time.
Plus, there was an actual dislike between the teams. Dirk and the Mavs despising Wade and the Heat because of the 2006 NBA Finals. Wade and LeBron mad like little school girls because everybody hated them. There was a stargazed feud that witnessed (!) LeBron's second fiddle act reach an all time high. And there was Dirk working on the proper pronunciation of "ig'nant." And there was (finally) a fight!
We saw the birth of a superstar, who gave us the "Genuine sports moment of 2011" (Sports Guy) with his escape act celebration. We saw many start to question The Unquestioned One, including a media member who may have swung the series (God bless Gregg Doyel). We saw His Dirkness become a legitimate fan of Chris Bosh (UnlikeABosh). We saw (but will soon forget) Juwan Howard and The Custodian playing crucial NBA Finals minutes. We saw Mario's Miracle versions II and III. We saw a Puerto Rican 5'8 NBA Finals difference maker. We saw an effective zone defense (first time in NBA Playoffs history?). We saw Jason Terry flash many skills, none more impressive than his prophetic tattoo. And we saw the Miami Heat wave the white (out) flag with time still on the clock in what was supposed to be their coronation.
Combine the great Finals with the beginning of a Golden Age in the NBA, and that's how you arrive at the best NBA Playoffs of all time. There were upsets like an 8 seed beating a 1. There were ahead-of-schedule contenders (Thunder) and enjoyable pretenders (Lakers). There was a series between two small market teams that people actually cared about. There was an undressing of an MVP, followed by an undressing of the world's best player. There was the antagonist juggernaut that seemed as dominant as advertised until the last act. And there were the protagonist underdogs who prevailed in the end. It all played out like it was a part of Hollywood.
Hollywood as hell.
His Dirkness
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Dirk Nowitzki: The Man, The Myth, The Legend
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dirk Nowitzki's drive to the 2011 NBA Championship was the most impressive individual run that I've ever had the pleasure of supporting in my 25 years of existence (replacing Priest Holmes' 27 touchdown season). The least his blog namesake could do is scribble up a magnum opus on all things Dirk. So here goes...
"Dirk Nowitzki: The Man, The Myth, The Legend"
The Man - Dirk Nowitzki is one of the most uniquely talented, as well as spirited, athletes of all time.
Let me begin with his escape act celebration. I thought it was utterly fascinating. I'm still not sure what to make of it, other than the fact that I loved it. For starters, it was a breath of fresh air to see a champion's genuine emotions instead of watching Kobe seek out a camera so he could pump his fists and hold up fingers indicating whatever Championship he's on (it's 2 right?). But I loved the mystery of it all. There was no camera in the locker room to see him cry, ala Jordan. We're not even sure what he did back there. He said he cried, but did he just curl up into a ball? Was he all alone in the room? I believe anything up to and including him floating around the room in a full-lotused meditation is possible.
However, this wasn't even my favorite celebration moment of his from these playoffs. His Western Conference Championship walk out was a much bigger statement. There's a great chance he would've regretted not celebrating the moment with his teammates had they not win the NBA Finals right? It was the biggest proof we have that shows just what kind of mission he was on. He simply would not be denied this year.
His journey begins with his mentor, "The Godfather" Holger Geschwindner, who trained him with unorthodox (to say the least) drills, concentrating on spinning, fading, and jumping (leading to the tradition that is Dirk's pregame liftoff), as a teenager in Germany. He is the main reason Dirk is the most awkwardly dominant player in NBA history, and will forever be The Emperor to Dirk Vader.
However, The Godfather's teachings went above and beyond that of just basketball. He encouraged him to learn how to play a musical instrument (he dabbles on the gee-tar) and read literature (he's no philistine) to help him develop a well rounded personality.
And that's the beauty of Dirk, that his greatness goes so far beyond finally getting his deserved Championship. He has never been afraid to be himself. He's more into self-depracation than he is self-promotion (a line I keep repeating, but think of how rare that is in a culture like the NBA). He slouches in his chair and holds his own mic as he gives interviews (Scott Van Pelt's favorite thing in the world, ever). He gave us instant classics like "Take that witchuuu", "It's the old trick", and what might be the greatest photo roll of all time at the after party in Miami. However, it will be his Game 6 closeout face that is forever burned into my memory from 2011: The Year of Dirk.
The Myth - The idea that Dirk Nowitzki needed this NBA title to somehow validate his career, as if he wasn't great enough to get the job done before Sunday night, irks me.
However, that's not the only myth that needs to be addressed when it comes to Dirk. I think everybody needs to take a long, deep look at how they use the word "soft", because before these 2011 NBA Playoffs, you couldn't even discuss Dirk without that word getting thrown around. Despite the numbers never supporting this (mis)conception (even before this year), most people held on to the belief that Dirk couldn't get it done when it mattered.
Well, not only has Dirk obliterated that theory, but now I challenge you to come up with a player who is, in fact, more clutch (the direct opposite of soft, no?). Your first inclination might be Kobe Bryant, but the advanced statistics on the matter would laugh at you. Who else? Wade (it was fun watching him shoot free throws in 2006, but he could only dream of hitting shots as big as Dirk did this year)? Carmelo (possibly, but never has in big games)? LeBron? Mario Chalmers? (I'm only joking when I drop 1 of those 2 names). The only player I'd listen to in this argument would be Paul Pierce. That, my friends, is how a man goes from being soft to rock hard (lets see you crack a joke about that!).
Back to my original point though. Now that Dirk has officially become a champion, I feel this is the perfect time to say that the NBA severely overvalues winning titles (it took Dirk winning a title for me to not sound like a homer). They attempt to lump the world's best players into two categories - Players with a Championship and players who couldn't get it done - As if that player can control the excessive amount of variables that go into winning it all.
So if the Mavs never signed a good post counterpart for Dirk, it was somehow a fault of his? If Barea never got his game going, swinging the NBA Finals in the Mavs favor, that's on Dirk? It just never made sense to me to diminish so many great players' careers by including them on what Charles Barkley refers to as the "shit list." I say this does not invalidate a career, especially because the NBA is the hardest professional sport of all to win a Championship.
The Legend - I'm not interested in discussing where Dirk Nowitzki ranks as an all time NBA great, especially while his career is still unfolding. Top 20? Top 30? Who gives a shit?
The man should be remembered for how much unjust criticism he took (and how he handled it), how much he improved his game seemingly every year throughout his career (despite being in what should be the downside of his career), and how determined he was to win an NBA title (not to prove everybody wrong, but instead, for himself).
He should be remembered for his free throw shooting. A truly remarkable stretch when the spotlight shines bright on you, and you alone. 175-186 (94%) for the 2011 NBA Playoffs (amazingly, 7 of his 11 misses came in the Portland series). 24-24 in Game 1 of the Thunder series (an NBA record). Two separate streaks of 39 straight FT's made. 45-46 (97.8%) in the NBA Finals. We may never see anybody approach this again.
He should be remembered for denying Kobe's chance to tie Jordan with 6 Championships (for now, maybe forever) in a series that was an undeniable ass kicking.
He should be remembered for the 48 points he put up in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, an effort that many would call the most efficient shooting night in NBA Playoffs history (12-15 from the floor, 24-24 from the line - 3 missed shots total). As well as leading the Game 4 comeback in Oklahoma City, when the Mavs trailed by 15 points with 5 minutes to play, with Dirk scoring 11 of the final 12 points in the 4th quarter. And last, but not least, for his series-ending 3 that put the Mavs ahead for good in Game 5.
Perhaps, most of all, he should be remembered for his performance in the NBA Finals when he outshone two stars that had dominated the hype all season (and series) long. Despite what may have been his worst series of the Playoffs, he came up big when it mattered most (equalling Wade and Bron's 4th quarter output of 62 points) on the stage that stopped him just short of achieving his dream 5 years ago.
The Game 2 comeback and game winner - After playing 3 quarters of truly awful basketball, filled with missed shots, turnovers, and the inability to calm his nerves, Dirk was able to turn it on the 4th quarter. The Mavs erased another 4th quarter deficit with Dirk scoring the final 9 points for the Mavs. First, it was Dirk's 3 that put the Mavs up with under 30 seconds, and then his spin, hesitate, and finish with the left hand (fresh off the injured finger) over Bosh to win the game, which may be the lasting image of Dirk's playoff run. Without this win, there's little-to-no chance the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Championship.
Game 4 "The Sick Game" - How much did Dirk have to hate life after coming down with a 102 degree fever the night before/day of the must-win Game 4 of the NBA Finals? This was the game that I will always remember because the Mavs had no business winning. Trailing throughout most of the game, and with Dirk looking more and more like Gary Busey, the Mavs were able to persevere once again. Despite Wade and Bron publicly mocking Dirk for being sick, it was Dirk that publicly humiliated them by, once again, driving to the basket to seal the Heat's fate (I think it's totally awesome that Dirk, a notorious jump shooter, drove to the basket on the two biggest plays of his career).
Game 6 Closeout - 1-12 in the first half. Without a fever to blame this time, Dirk had nobody to look at but himself if he wanted to clinch his first NBA title. Or maybe it was as simple as Terry reminding him to "Remember 06" (and they said that wasn't a motivator). Making his first shot of the 2nd half may eventually become the most undervalued shot of his career. Miss that shot, and he may never get into a Game 6 rhythm. With all other players on the floor seemingly afraid to shoot down the stretch, it was Dirk who never allowed the Heat to go on a run, carrying them to a win, a clincher, and the franchise's first NBA Championship.
Dirk Nowitzki's drive to the 2011 NBA Championship was the most impressive individual run that I've ever had the pleasure of supporting in my 25 years of existence (replacing Priest Holmes' 27 touchdown season). The least his blog namesake could do is scribble up a magnum opus on all things Dirk. So here goes...
"Dirk Nowitzki: The Man, The Myth, The Legend"
The Man - Dirk Nowitzki is one of the most uniquely talented, as well as spirited, athletes of all time.
Let me begin with his escape act celebration. I thought it was utterly fascinating. I'm still not sure what to make of it, other than the fact that I loved it. For starters, it was a breath of fresh air to see a champion's genuine emotions instead of watching Kobe seek out a camera so he could pump his fists and hold up fingers indicating whatever Championship he's on (it's 2 right?). But I loved the mystery of it all. There was no camera in the locker room to see him cry, ala Jordan. We're not even sure what he did back there. He said he cried, but did he just curl up into a ball? Was he all alone in the room? I believe anything up to and including him floating around the room in a full-lotused meditation is possible.
However, this wasn't even my favorite celebration moment of his from these playoffs. His Western Conference Championship walk out was a much bigger statement. There's a great chance he would've regretted not celebrating the moment with his teammates had they not win the NBA Finals right? It was the biggest proof we have that shows just what kind of mission he was on. He simply would not be denied this year.
His journey begins with his mentor, "The Godfather" Holger Geschwindner, who trained him with unorthodox (to say the least) drills, concentrating on spinning, fading, and jumping (leading to the tradition that is Dirk's pregame liftoff), as a teenager in Germany. He is the main reason Dirk is the most awkwardly dominant player in NBA history, and will forever be The Emperor to Dirk Vader.
However, The Godfather's teachings went above and beyond that of just basketball. He encouraged him to learn how to play a musical instrument (he dabbles on the gee-tar) and read literature (he's no philistine) to help him develop a well rounded personality.
And that's the beauty of Dirk, that his greatness goes so far beyond finally getting his deserved Championship. He has never been afraid to be himself. He's more into self-depracation than he is self-promotion (a line I keep repeating, but think of how rare that is in a culture like the NBA). He slouches in his chair and holds his own mic as he gives interviews (Scott Van Pelt's favorite thing in the world, ever). He gave us instant classics like "Take that witchuuu", "It's the old trick", and what might be the greatest photo roll of all time at the after party in Miami. However, it will be his Game 6 closeout face that is forever burned into my memory from 2011: The Year of Dirk.
The Myth - The idea that Dirk Nowitzki needed this NBA title to somehow validate his career, as if he wasn't great enough to get the job done before Sunday night, irks me.
However, that's not the only myth that needs to be addressed when it comes to Dirk. I think everybody needs to take a long, deep look at how they use the word "soft", because before these 2011 NBA Playoffs, you couldn't even discuss Dirk without that word getting thrown around. Despite the numbers never supporting this (mis)conception (even before this year), most people held on to the belief that Dirk couldn't get it done when it mattered.
Well, not only has Dirk obliterated that theory, but now I challenge you to come up with a player who is, in fact, more clutch (the direct opposite of soft, no?). Your first inclination might be Kobe Bryant, but the advanced statistics on the matter would laugh at you. Who else? Wade (it was fun watching him shoot free throws in 2006, but he could only dream of hitting shots as big as Dirk did this year)? Carmelo (possibly, but never has in big games)? LeBron? Mario Chalmers? (I'm only joking when I drop 1 of those 2 names). The only player I'd listen to in this argument would be Paul Pierce. That, my friends, is how a man goes from being soft to rock hard (lets see you crack a joke about that!).
Back to my original point though. Now that Dirk has officially become a champion, I feel this is the perfect time to say that the NBA severely overvalues winning titles (it took Dirk winning a title for me to not sound like a homer). They attempt to lump the world's best players into two categories - Players with a Championship and players who couldn't get it done - As if that player can control the excessive amount of variables that go into winning it all.
So if the Mavs never signed a good post counterpart for Dirk, it was somehow a fault of his? If Barea never got his game going, swinging the NBA Finals in the Mavs favor, that's on Dirk? It just never made sense to me to diminish so many great players' careers by including them on what Charles Barkley refers to as the "shit list." I say this does not invalidate a career, especially because the NBA is the hardest professional sport of all to win a Championship.
The Legend - I'm not interested in discussing where Dirk Nowitzki ranks as an all time NBA great, especially while his career is still unfolding. Top 20? Top 30? Who gives a shit?
The man should be remembered for how much unjust criticism he took (and how he handled it), how much he improved his game seemingly every year throughout his career (despite being in what should be the downside of his career), and how determined he was to win an NBA title (not to prove everybody wrong, but instead, for himself).
He should be remembered for his free throw shooting. A truly remarkable stretch when the spotlight shines bright on you, and you alone. 175-186 (94%) for the 2011 NBA Playoffs (amazingly, 7 of his 11 misses came in the Portland series). 24-24 in Game 1 of the Thunder series (an NBA record). Two separate streaks of 39 straight FT's made. 45-46 (97.8%) in the NBA Finals. We may never see anybody approach this again.
He should be remembered for denying Kobe's chance to tie Jordan with 6 Championships (for now, maybe forever) in a series that was an undeniable ass kicking.
He should be remembered for the 48 points he put up in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, an effort that many would call the most efficient shooting night in NBA Playoffs history (12-15 from the floor, 24-24 from the line - 3 missed shots total). As well as leading the Game 4 comeback in Oklahoma City, when the Mavs trailed by 15 points with 5 minutes to play, with Dirk scoring 11 of the final 12 points in the 4th quarter. And last, but not least, for his series-ending 3 that put the Mavs ahead for good in Game 5.
Perhaps, most of all, he should be remembered for his performance in the NBA Finals when he outshone two stars that had dominated the hype all season (and series) long. Despite what may have been his worst series of the Playoffs, he came up big when it mattered most (equalling Wade and Bron's 4th quarter output of 62 points) on the stage that stopped him just short of achieving his dream 5 years ago.
The Game 2 comeback and game winner - After playing 3 quarters of truly awful basketball, filled with missed shots, turnovers, and the inability to calm his nerves, Dirk was able to turn it on the 4th quarter. The Mavs erased another 4th quarter deficit with Dirk scoring the final 9 points for the Mavs. First, it was Dirk's 3 that put the Mavs up with under 30 seconds, and then his spin, hesitate, and finish with the left hand (fresh off the injured finger) over Bosh to win the game, which may be the lasting image of Dirk's playoff run. Without this win, there's little-to-no chance the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Championship.
Game 4 "The Sick Game" - How much did Dirk have to hate life after coming down with a 102 degree fever the night before/day of the must-win Game 4 of the NBA Finals? This was the game that I will always remember because the Mavs had no business winning. Trailing throughout most of the game, and with Dirk looking more and more like Gary Busey, the Mavs were able to persevere once again. Despite Wade and Bron publicly mocking Dirk for being sick, it was Dirk that publicly humiliated them by, once again, driving to the basket to seal the Heat's fate (I think it's totally awesome that Dirk, a notorious jump shooter, drove to the basket on the two biggest plays of his career).
Game 6 Closeout - 1-12 in the first half. Without a fever to blame this time, Dirk had nobody to look at but himself if he wanted to clinch his first NBA title. Or maybe it was as simple as Terry reminding him to "Remember 06" (and they said that wasn't a motivator). Making his first shot of the 2nd half may eventually become the most undervalued shot of his career. Miss that shot, and he may never get into a Game 6 rhythm. With all other players on the floor seemingly afraid to shoot down the stretch, it was Dirk who never allowed the Heat to go on a run, carrying them to a win, a clincher, and the franchise's first NBA Championship.
Isn't that the stuff that legends are made of?
The man. The myth. The legend.
Dirk Nowitzki.
His dirkness
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