After losing to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks and their star Dirk Nowitzki vowed to comeback with a vengeance. What happened on the way?
Since last year’s Finals against Miami, Dirk Nowitzki wanted this chance. He wanted the opportunity to carry the Mavericks into the playoffs and show the world that Mavericks, not the Heat, deserved to be champions. From owner Mark Cuban to head coach Avery Johnson down the line to the German superstar, everyone knew this season’s goal was championship or bust.
During the regular season Nowitzki played like a man possessed. He dominated the game with his smooth midrange jump shot, scoring 24.6 points per game on a Mavericks team that won 67 games. For that outstanding regular season Nowitzki deserves the MVP.
How quickly though everything changed in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Golden State Warriors. Nowitzki shot just four of 16 from the floor in that game, scoring only 14 points as the Mavericks lost on their home court in their playoff opener. All of a sudden Dallas and Dirk, who had looked so invincible during the regular season, disappeared and in their place were a vulnerable team and a frustrated superstar with no post presence to frustrate the smaller lineup the Warriors employed.
At least statistically, Nowitzki rebounded, scoring 20 or more points in each of the next four games, even providing a decisive one-minute stretch in Game 5 where he single-handedly saved his team from elimination with two clutch three-point baskets and a block. Yet, he still failed to dominate the games and the Mavericks lost twice in Golden State’s raucous home arena.
Facing elimination again in Game 6, Dirk went cold. There was no killer instinct, there was frustration and disappointment. Nowitzki did not score a basket until 38 seconds remained in the first half. The Warriors struggled on offense and defense in that half, but the Mavericks still found themselves down two at the break because their superstar could not find his way.
Unfortunately for Nowitzki, Cuban and the Mavericks the second half was no better. Hounded by smaller defenders all game long, Nowitzki finished with just eight points on two of 13 shooting in 38 minutes. 13 shots, that’s all the probable MVP of the regular season took in his team’s final game.
Now Dirk has an entire summer to wonder about what might have been. In the playoffs, according to John Hollinger’s Player Efficiency Ratings, Nowitzki was the 20th best player, behind Antawn Jamison, Drew Gooden, Paul Millsap and Robert Horry. That’s not what the MVP should be, especially not one with something to prove.
