Dirk Nowitzki

Westside

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If Dirk gets a ring, then, he should be considered in the top 20 players of all time. The ring is mandatory. Right now things are looking good, hope it continues. I also hope the Heat gets beaten by da Bulls.
 

Deadlift

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OMG!! I went to sleep at the start of the 4th quarter, feeling dejected, thinking this game (in OKC) was over and that the series was possibly over now (with OKC and their young legs gaining the momentum), but then I woke up this morning! OMG, again!


However, Dallas got outrebounded by 22 boards.. In Game 1, when OKC was coming back, I noticed the slow-feet of Dallas on the defensive boards. That's was when Ibaka was making some of his dunks, while Dallas looked like they were literally standing in quicksand. No energy or drive apparent. I've refused to think of this Dallas team as a "super-team" - and - despite this win which I'm ecstatic about - I still don't see a "great" team. With their frontline lacking in key areas like rebounding, and having much age on their legs, I have a hard time seeing them getting past the "MSMs team Miami." Even though Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem aren't "huge names," they still can do some things, and, Chris Bosh, even though he's overrated, he can still do some things and be a good complement to Lebron and Wade.

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but simply trying to be honest and realistic. OKC scored 59 points in the 1st half yesterday.. Miami hasn't really poured the points on Chicago so far, but they have the potential to make Dallas look SILLY. If Dallas knocks out the "Baby Thunder" - finishes them off - we must take it all in and understand the IMMENSE IMPORTANCE of them overcoming the refs, their age, and some clear holes in their roster/depth.

If OKC is not in the Finals this year, they might not appear in the Finals anytime soon, as teams like San Antonio and LA will certainly try to make upgrades and get younger, mostly via free agency since the NBA Draft is lacking.


P.S. -- Remember, the MSM was rooting heavily against Dallas ever since that first series against "the explosive" Portland Trailblazers?? I'm not saying that Dallas has no chance in the Finals, but they need more than Chandler and Marion, IMO, two players not exactly in their PRIME right now and with an extensive injury history. Kidd and Terry also need to step up, but will they be able to overcome their extremely-limited athleticism to guard D-Wade? If Dallas were to win the Championship, they would certainly be the "ultimate Caste-busters" even though they aren't THAT WHITE.. because they're simply not the MSMs team.
 

Borussia

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DWFan said:
I hate watching basketball but I have to admit that this is awesome!

Copy that.
I changed the channel when the Mavs cut it to 7 with about 3 minutes left...found out the morning the result. I thought OKC would win and grind out this series to 6 or 7 when finally Dallas would put them out of their misery.
This game has to go down as a classic for the late 4th quarter comeback.

Dirk is on total fire. Wow, what a amazing player and team the Mavs are this year.

Can't wait for the finals. These idiot Miami fair weather Lebron fans are really starting to annoy me.
 

guest301

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Let's see so far Dirk has outplayed Kobe and Durant in the last two series and wouldn't be something if he outplayed Lebron/Wade in the finals with the world watching. There is nobody right now that is playing at Dirk's level especially in the 4th quarter. I am just stunned to see all the respect and praise that Dirk is finally getting from the MSM and all the ex players like Barkely, Magic and Webber.
 

j41181

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This just keeps getting better... for now. No question an NBA title and Finals MVP will end all doubts to Dirk's greatness.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-8527707

An Overlooked Giant: The Dirk Nowitzki story</font>
By Charles Joel, Yahoo! Contributor

In a world where the average man stands 5' 9" tall, a 7 footer has somehow gone unnoticed. In a league where roughly 80 percent of its players are black, a white man has been overlooked. In a profession where accomplishing your task successfully 40 percent of the time puts you in elite company, this man - no, this machine - converts at a nearly 50 percent rate.

Despite this history, we have ignored him time and again.

He led one team to 67 wins. Guided another to the NBA Finals. All the while, he's posted statistics that rival, if not outshine, some of basketball most distinguished legends'.

But, he has no shoe to sell you.

No phone and no cologne too. His poster is probably not up on your wall. His jersey, not in your wardrobe. And maybe that's the problem. Maybe greatness is defined as much by your marketability as your performance nowadays. Maybe we need to wear sparkling blue Dirks and buy our dads Dirk by Dior for Father's Day before we're ready to recognize him.

Maybe we just don't like his last name.

The w that sounds like a v and z before the ki. What's all that about?

Whatever the case may be, Dirk Nowitzki has exploded with a sudden violence in the 2011 NBA Playoffs that is nearly impossible to parallel historically and the shrapnel from his detonation should be all over our guilty faces.

Think about this for a second.

What were the NBA's prominent stories this regular season? Will the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics meet in the finals again? Who's the MVP: LeBron James or Derrick Rose? Are we ready to crown Kevin Durant as the best offensive player in the NBA? Who's the best shooter ever: Ray Allen or Reggie Miller? Is Kobe Bryant still the top clutch performer in the league?

Dirk legitimately belonged in all of these discussions. In fact, if you really dig into the numbers, he deserves more than just mention in some of these debates. And yet, as little as two months ago, if you'd introduced his name into any of those conversations, you would have been ridiculed.

A man does not become an all time great overnight. You don't just have a great game and transform into the modern Larry Bird. That takes years upon years of ice, sweat and eminence.

It also takes a lot of unfocused cameras and uninterested pens.

For 13 years, Dirk Nowitzki has been called a soft choker. For those same 13 years, he has outperformed 99 percent of the most distinguished athletes on the planet. In the same amount time both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson played, Dirk has scored more points than both, at almost 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from behind the arc and 90 percent from the free throw line, some of the most impressive statistics by a high volume jump shooter in history of basketball. He is also on pace to cruise into the top 10 most points and the top 20 most rebounds of all time, two of the NBA's most selective clubs imaginable.

It's officially time for us to stop blaming him, a man whose best teammate for nearly decade has been a sixth man, for his teams' inadequacies.

Legends may be created in flashes, but longevity is the stuff of greatness.

Dirk Nowitzki has sculptured as a masterpiece of a career. He deserves our recognition and attention.

Luckily for us, his story has more chapters waiting to be written.
 

ToughJ.Riggins

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Dirk has taken his perennial all-star level play to ALL TIME LEGEND play this playoffs. The man is hungry for a championship! This last game puts to rest any talk of dirk not having the clutch ability of other superstars in the league like Kobe, Wade etc. No doubt the man is NOT soft!

If Dirk gets his title this year, I'd definitely put him in the top 30 all time best players (and with a move into the top 10 on the NBA career scoring list he'd be in my top 15-20). If he moves into the top 5-10 on the all time scoring list and gets two championships that would make him a TOP 7-10! all time player!

Kudos to Magic for referring to Dirk's 5/23/11 game 4 performance as "Bird like". Magic would only save those kind of words for heroics like that. Other bruthas lol- Marc Jackson, Webber, Barkley and Wilbon have all been highly complimentary of Dirk as well. Barkley called Dirk THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA THIS YEAR.
 

Vanilla_Sky

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Dirk leads the Mavericks in another fourth quarter comeback!!! Western Conference Champions! Now it's time for the NBA finals!

Kudos to OKC's Nick Collison who put up a double-double with 12 points &amp; 12 rebounds.
 

white lightning

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I"m so happy for Dirk and for the Mavs. They have alot of veterans who like Dirk deserve a ring. I also thought JJ made some really nice moves. He is fun to watch as he breaks alot of guys ankles when they try to guard him. Dirk had another fine game with 26 points and 9 rebounds. Dirk made 60-62 free throws in the series. Simply incredible. Even Bird would be proud.

This is the year guys. Bring on Miami or Chicago. Even with the refs, I can't see Dallas losing. They have to win it! I believe it is their destiny! Let's go Dirk. Let's go Mavs!
 

celticdb15

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Marion has really stepped his game up, and Dirk has been magical. Barea, Kidd,Chandler, and Pejaare solid role players who can also threaten to score.I think the Mavs have what it takes to beat the Heat, I want a lot of those guys on that team to get their rings.
 

white is right

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Give Dirk the teammates that Magic or Bird had and he has the same amount of rings as them. He really has had nothing around him for a player that has two finals appearances. Even this year his team isn't as deep as Miami. I hope he has a final similar to this series as even if Dallas comes up short his playoff play won't be forgotten.
 

foobar75

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Exactly, put Dirk in there with McHale and Parish, plus Maxwell, Ainge, and Johnson, with Bill Walton off the bench, and he's got 2-3 rings, easily.

Let's hope the 2nd time is the charm. Unfortunately, after having homecourt in all 3 series, Miami (or CHI) will have the advantage in the finals. The good thing is, in the 2-3-2 format, this isn't such a critical factor, and the Mavs have actually done very well on the road this year.

Dirk is playing with such confidence right now, and his teammates have total trust and respect in him. That sequence towards the end was great. His missed a wide-open 3, they got the offensive rebound, passed the ball right back to Dirk, who didn't hesitate for a second to take the shot again, nothing but net!! That was a huge play because if I remember correctly, the score was 92-94, and Dirk's 3 put them in the lead for good.
 

Deadlift

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white is right said:
Give Dirk the teammates that Magic or Bird had and he has the same amount of rings as them. He really has had nothing around him for a player that has two finals appearances. Even this year his team isn't as deep as Miami. I hope he has a final similar to this series as even if Dallas comes up short his playoff play won't be forgotten.

Yep, "DeShawn Stevenson" nearly killed Dallas in Game 5 last night. I was telling my brother, "WHY isn't Peja in the game.. taking all those shots that DeShawn is BRICKING?" Jason Terry had his struggles as well.

This Dallas team is not a "super-team".. I'm just realistic. Against Miami, things like their sweep of the lethargic Lakers' means absolutely NOTHING.

The veterans of CF know that I don't care for Durant, D-Rose (MVP..) or Chris Bosh, so I'm very happy about how things have gone and that OKC (media's team) is now eliminated in 5 games. And, I'm glad Dallas was successful WITHOUT Caron Butler and also that Memphis made a splash WITHOUT Rudy Gay. TWO former UCONN Husky affletes that are overpaid/overrated, and, in retrospect, didn't seem to be "as important of an element" as the MSM would claim. I had to include my disdain for UCONN and the overrated "product" that they put out! Looking at you, too, Okafor and Thabeet... And Memphis drafted Thabeet 3rd Overall, but Big Marc was having none of that.
smiley36.gif



P.S. -- A couple of years ago, some CF posters were suggesting that there was a rise in the number of "young black stars" that were sprouting-up in the NBA, particularly at guard, but I just don't see it. Since it was a couple of years ago, people would put out names like Carmelo, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, etc. Well, Carmelo has shown himself to be overrated. The MSMs "annointing of D-Rose" certainly looks premature, not to mention their worship of Tyreke Evans. Kevin Durant looks like Mike Tyson (primitive), and may never FIX his "poor shot selection" issue. It's also not a surprise that his typical "OFF-BALANCE 3s" will often-times brick...

Michael Beasley hasn't done anything worthwhile in the NBA yet. The MSMs HYPE of Brandon Jennings has been SUPER-RIDICULOUS! Steph Curry is prone to bricking a lot of shots. I can give credit to young players like James Harden, Ibaka, JaVale McGee and J.J. Hickson, and all should get better. Al Horford has been a solid pro, no doubt, but he was kind of lackluster in these playoffs, especially against Chicago..

The jury is still out on guys like DeMar DeRozan. Where is all this "vast evidence" that blacks are "superior" at basketball? Basketball is largely about EFFICIENCY, and many blacks would rather play (selfish) "hero-ball" than try to execute an efficient form of team basketball where shot-selection is important. Sorry for the long post.. Go MAVS!!
 

j41181

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The 2nd NBA Finals trip vindicates Dirk is so many ways...

It proves that 2006 was no fluke, with proper team support Dirk carry take any team to the NBA Finals. It exorcises the 2007 1st round debacle and vindicates his Regular Season MVP award. It proves that Nowitzki is NOT soft, and is NOT a Robin (or No.2) disguised as Batman (or No.1), which idiotic fans and critics alike have often labeled him over the years. Dirk has ALWAYS been a capable team leader, especially with complementary teammates. He's displayed some of the most amazing NBA playoff stats in the last 30 years (28 points, 50% FG's, 50% 3pt's, 97% FT's), it's enough to validate his All-Time great placing anywhere from Top 10 to Top 30.

An NBA title and Finals MVP automatically put him in the Top 10-20.

Nowitzki's overall Basketball resume (NBA and International) is so IMPECCABLE it's next to impossible to ignore nor disregard just how truly great he is. The sky's the limit for this German Juggernaut.
 

white is right

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Could somebody please perform the Heimlich Maneuver on the "Cablanasian" MVP. OMG that choke was as bad as the one OKC did in game 4 against Dallas.
 

Deadlift

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YES, Miami knocked-out "the MVP of the GREAT NBA (in 5 games)..."

I'm glad that "big market" Chicago is gone. If the league wasn't AA, Chicago WOULDN'T have had their extremely good regular season record and the #1 seed in the East. That's a fact! Now, onto the Finals we go!
 
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DeadLift,

I see that you are not much of a UCONN fan. lol. What do you think of Kemba Walker? I think he will be ok, but probably not a superstar. He's supposed to be drafted in the 5-8 range. Funny, but Kyrie Irving is supposed to go number one, but he wasn't really the best point guard on his own team. And he scored a lot of points against Arizona in the tournament but they got blown out (a huge red flag). To me, Irving is not as good as Kemba. Jimmer Fredette is quite possibly a better NBA prospect than both those guys. He can score from anywhere and is a great 3 point shooter.In the draft combine he measured a little taller than Kemba. He did a good job lifting weights and his max. vertical was 33 inches which was not bad. His standing and maximum verticals were pretty close to Derrick Williams.
In shooting drills he was one of the top 3 point shooters and a pretty good shooter on the move. He also had a very good agility time.

Yeah, some of these young "stars" aren't that great afterall. Carmelo can't win, Tyreke Evans took a step back last year, and Russell Westbrook's game has serious flaws. Kevin Durant is a very good scorer, but he may not be a superstar leader. Even though I never watched this old Hall of Famer play I would compare Kevin Durant to George Gervin. He could score but he never won anything. ... Another player similar to Anthony and Durant is Rudy Gay although I like Rudy Gay's game better. He is stronger than Durant and more athletic than Anthony. I would compare Rudy Gay to Dominique Wilkins. Not sure if Gay can win a championship though. If he does it will be with a total team effort.

A bad thing for the league is that the past two NBA drafts have been rather weak, while this draft coming up is supposed to be pretty bad (at least at the top).

How many legit superstars are out there that are in their prime? I would say 3: LeBron, Dirk, Wade. I think Durant and Rose will get there. Blake Griffin might get there. Dwight Howard is somewhat of a superstar. Superstar body, talent and athleticism, but not mentally strong and not clutch. Somewhat like David Robinson in that sense. Kobe is rapidly declining, and Amare and Carmelo have always been glorified scorers/ballhogs.Tim Duncan is pretty much done. Stick a fork in Shaq. I don't see that many superstars out there either. Chris Paul is a really good player but his team doesn't win and he is always injured.Nash and Kidd are great and have really defined the point guard position. But there really aren't that many transcendent super stars out there.The upside though is that all three superstars who are in their primes will be playing in the Finals along with the legendary Jason Kidd and some other very good players (Bosh, Marion, Chandler, Haslem, Terry) including some good white ones (Peja, Barea, Mike Miller).

This upcoming Dirk vs. LeBron Final might be the closest thing since Magic vs. Bird that we have seen since the Eighties. And, we might not see anything like it again for a long time.
 

foobar75

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Watching the Chicago offense in action during the 4th quarter of the last 3-4 games against Miami has been very painful if you're a basketball fan. In summary, this is what happened pretty much every time the Bulls had the ball:

1. Give the ball to Rose
2. Everyone else get the f*ck out of the way
3. Watch as Rose tries to make a play
4. The play, more often than not was either a turnover, a bad pass, a forced bad shot, and a few rare times, a difficult made basket by Rose.

This is basically garbage, nothing more than glorified street/thug ball, and one of the main reasons I no longer follow the NBA closely. How can you run the same isolation play over and over when it clearly isn't working? It may have worked against poor defensive teams like ATL or IND, but the Heat play solid defense and they know how to guard against it. Granted, Chicago has no else offensively who can contribute, but why not try something different, a set play or pick-and-roll?

Anyway, this should make for a good finals. I think we're all rooting for the Mavs, and I hope they take it in 5-6 games. For some reason, the Heat don't scare me that much. They have taken on some poor opposition during the play-offs compared to the Mavs who are better battle-tested. Of course, Dallas cannot get in the habit of falling behind and then come back like they did against OKC and LA a couple of times. They also have to step it up on the defensive end because Miami has the players who can take advantage of any weaknesses.
 

BeyondFedUp

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foobar75 said:
Watching the Chicago offense in action during the 4th quarter of the last 3-4 games against Miami has been very painful if you're a basketball fan. In summary, this is what happened pretty much every time the Bulls had the ball:

1. Give the ball to Rose
2. Everyone else get the f*ck out of the way
3. Watch as Rose tries to make a play
4. The play, more often than not was either a turnover, a bad pass, a forced bad shot, and a few rare times, a difficult made basket by Rose.

This is basically garbage, nothing more than glorified street/thug ball, and one of the main reasons I no longer follow the NBA closely. How can you run the same isolation play over and over when it clearly isn't working? It may have worked against poor defensive teams like ATL or IND, but the Heat play solid defense and they know how to guard against it. Granted, Chicago has no else offensively who can contribute, but why not try something different, a set play or pick-and-roll?

Anyway, this should make for a good finals. I think we're all rooting for the Mavs, and I hope they take it in 5-6 games. For some reason, the Heat don't scare me that much. They have taken on some poor opposition during the play-offs compared to the Mavs who are better battle-tested. Of course, Dallas cannot get in the habit of falling behind and then come back like they did against OKC and LA a couple of times. They also have to step it up on the defensive end because Miami has the players who can take advantage of any weaknesses.

i didn't watch any of the series except for part of one quarter, but what you say fits what i saw. On the other hand, as far as Dallas' chances, we have to totally remember that the power of the ones with the whistles rests in th front office (Stern). I stopped closely watching the NBA years ago when i saw the "fix" was in on so many series for ratings and DWF who worship the street thug types and buy jerseys. I'd be shocked, and mean absolutely shocked if the Obrien trophy isn't handed to LB and Wade on a silver platter. Just for the record, I believe Dallas is better as a team. However, all the refs have to do though is put Dirk in foul trouble at the "right time" each game. That's it and each game changes on a dime. Thats the way every nba series gets to go in the direction the controlling elites want it to go. And thats what will happen in all likelihood this time. Excuse my pessimistic outlook, but I've seen it too many times over the years...
smiley6.gif
Edited by: BeyondFedUp
 

Liverlips

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How many whites does Dallas play/start? How many subs?

How about the same for Miami as I have not watched much NBA this year?
 

Deadlift

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Walnut237,


I think you've said that you are a young man? If so, you may not be aware of the excruciatingly-obscene hype that Jason Kidd got when he came out of college. I instinctively knew that Kidd wasn't a White man. Not once, not ever, did I think of him as my people.

Back then, even though I wasn't able to see/conceptualize what we term as the Caste System, I instinctively supported Rik Smits, Chris Dudley, Craig Ehlo, John Stockton, Mark Eaton, Sabonis, Luc Longley, etc. They had to "battle the system" (and the media ridicule), but not Kidd, never.. not even when he was involved in "domestic abuse" matters. Back then, there were only a few black players that I had any positive thoughts about.

I also knew what the Grant Hill-worship was about, and the innumerable commercials that he appeared in. It was all about pushing the "harmless, lovable mulatto" propaganda. And, it was very much the same thing with Jason Kidd. However, Jason Kidd has 3 kids with his ex-wife, with two of them being twin daughters, and they are not only darker than Kidd, but also darker than his tan ex-wife. That is pretty common in the "colored world." The reality is that the non-White genes do not just disappear, and, in fact, can be very dominant and always active. That needs to be taken to heart.

As for Mike Bibby and his father, they could both "pass" for Injuns (same with Vin Diesel and Ron Prince), but not White men. FYI, I have never heard Bibby refered to as White-looking before..
 
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Rose was in a better offense at Memphis when Coach Cal ran the dribble drive offense. Rose attacked as did Chris Douglas-Roberts and both guys could hit mid-range floaters and jumpers. Dozier did some quick attacks from the power forward position. Antonio Anderson did all the dirty work, played great defense, and handled the ball. The guards also threw all-oop passes to Joey Dorsey. That Tigers team couldn't really hit threes either so they didn't take many. It seems the Tigers offense worked better than the current offense that the Bulls are using. Incredible!
 
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