Making Hasselhoff Proud

“Dirk Nowitzki is one of the top ten greatest players to ever play in the NBA,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said during the Western Conference Finals. Nowitzki went 12-15 from the field and set a NBA record shooting 24-24 from the free throw line, scoring 42 points for the game. I was never a real fan of Nowitzki during his 16 years on the Mavericks, but this 17^th year I have a newfound respect for him and his skills.

You won’t find Nowitzki in a dunk contest or rarely on a Top Ten reel from the night before for some spectacular play. But, Dirk will tear up team’s defenses faster than a New Jersey Housewife in a diamond shop. Not only is he scoring a boat-load, but he’s clutch. In the 2-2 series with the Miami Heat, the two games that the Mavericks have won he’s hit the game-winning drive, including last night while he was nursing a 102 degrees fever.

Let’s see, a white guy who can shoot the ball and isn’t the flashiest player of them all, remind you of anybody? Maybe, Larry Bird? Well, until he wins a championship, I’d have to hold that conversation. But, Dirk Nowitzki can play some basketball. What other seven-footer can play the way he does? He posts up….at the three point line. He creates the worst match-up problems for defenses. You would think a seven-foot player could just shoot over the defense, but no, throw in Nowitzki’s deadly fade away and he can’t be stopped.

The reason I wasn’t a fan of Nowitzki’s before was because I questioned his toughness. It seemed as though he complained about every play, and he flopped at every shot. This year that hasn’t been the case. Nowitzki sprains a finger and he plays with a splint the next game. As I said before, Nowitzki was very sick last night in Game 4, but he gutted it out scoring 24 points including the winning lay-up. He can’t be stopped! He can get any shot he wants to get, whether it be a drive, a fade away or a three-pointer.

Maybe Rick Carlisle is right. I can definitely say that Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest players yet to win a championship yet. Until, he does win the title, it’s hard to say he one of the best ever, but I have a hunch when it’s all said and done, Dirk Nowitzki will get his championship.