The NBA Playoffs are by far the highlight of my sports watching year each spring. I think there is seldom better basketball to watch than during the NBA Playoffs. That being said it was with great sadness and disgrace that Mandy and I witnessed the Dallas Mavericks lose to Golden State. Never before had a No. 8 Seed (Golden State) beat a No. 1 Seed (Dallas) in the first round of the playoffs during a seven game series.
I am a fan of both the Mavericks and the Jazz so at least I have one team still in it. But Mandy, a die-hard Mavericks fan wasn’t too fun to be around last night =)
After watching the Mavericks throw away their second chance at a championship I am convinced of one thing: Dirk Nowitzki is not a champion! For the Mavericks to achieve their potential and bring home an NBA title they must find some other star rather than Dirk to lead the team. These are my reasons.
1. Dirk is not a leader. When do you see Dirk on the court rallying his teammates, or giving them any direction as they play the game? You don’t! A leader is not only somebody who pursues greatness, but somebody who works to make those around him better also. Dirk fails at this objective.
I am a fan of both the Mavericks and the Jazz so at least I have one team still in it. But Mandy, a die-hard Mavericks fan wasn’t too fun to be around last night =)
After watching the Mavericks throw away their second chance at a championship I am convinced of one thing: Dirk Nowitzki is not a champion! For the Mavericks to achieve their potential and bring home an NBA title they must find some other star rather than Dirk to lead the team. These are my reasons.
1. Dirk is not a leader. When do you see Dirk on the court rallying his teammates, or giving them any direction as they play the game? You don’t! A leader is not only somebody who pursues greatness, but somebody who works to make those around him better also. Dirk fails at this objective.
2. Dirk is too soft. Last night the season was on the line for the Mavericks. Golden State’s defenders are small by NBA standards and Dirk very rarely drove the ball into the paint. He settled for the easy shots around the three point line. A Champion puts his head down and makes the tough plays when they are needed. Dirk did not do this. Dirk is not a champion!
3. Dirk cannot handle the pressure. During the regular season when nothing is on the line Dirk gives MVP performances. However when the going gets tough and it really counts Dirk fades into the background, shoots 3 for 15, and passes the ball to his teammates. Champions are like Baron Davis who goes back in the game with an injury and shoots the ball, making plays when all the odds are against you. When Dirk smells trouble he runs away with his tail between his legs.
All this being said. I think the Mavericks loss has opened a unique opportunity for Utah. If Utah can win in Houston on Saturday I can see them easily handling Golden State. From there they have had the Suns number the past two years…and have a real shot of making the NBA finals. If Utah can’t beat Houston this Saturday the championship is the Suns for the taking. I hope the imagery of seeing Nash holding the trophy helps the Mavs realize they made the wrong bet on letting him go and focusing on Dirk.
All I know is Dirk needs to go. Anyone in the NBA who listens to David Hasslehof is not going to have the toughness to get the job done!
3 comments:
Sorry to tell you but the Spurs are going to win it!
Sorry...dont think the Spurs can get past the Suns..
Dirk choked in the playoffs. I admit it. It was terrible to watch. But I cannot avoid responding to this all-together poorly-argued piece of blogging trash.
You state, "1. Dirk is not a leader. When do you see Dirk on the court rallying his teammates, or giving them any direction as they play the game? You don’t! A leader is not only somebody who pursues greatness, but somebody who works to make those around him better also. Dirk fails at this objective."
>>Many great (sports) leaders have been vocal, outspoken types. Many, however, like Dirk, have not. Take Larry Bird for example. A quiet, shy kid from rural Indiana that rarely vocally led the team on the floor. Rather, he led with his work ethic and dedication to constant improvement (traits Dirk certainly shares). But Larry the Legend isn't the only one. The list goes on ... Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Rick Barry, John Havlicek. Ad for the comment about "making those around him better also." I would argue that Dirk is as good at this as anyone else in the league (with the exception of Steve Nash). You want proof? Check out the change in Jason Terry's career since his teaming up with Dirk a couple of years ago. Or Jerry Stackhouse. Or check out the way young players have developed with Dirk leading the team ... Harris, Howard, Diop.
Next, you say, "2. Dirk is too soft. Last night the season was on the line for the Mavericks. Golden State’s defenders are small by NBA standards and Dirk very rarely drove the ball into the paint. He settled for the easy shots around the three point line. A Champion puts his head down and makes the tough plays when they are needed. Dirk did not do this. Dirk is not a champion!"
>> This is unfair criticism based on one terrible series. You are correct that Dirk should have driven more, played more aggressive, etc. but to dismiss his whole game as soft just because of one lousy series seems rather juvenile.
You state, "Dirk cannot handle the pressure. During the regular season when nothing is on the line Dirk gives MVP performances. However when the going gets tough and it really counts Dirk fades into the background, shoots 3 for 15, and passes the ball to his teammates. Champions are like Baron Davis who goes back in the game with an injury and shoots the ball, making plays when all the odds are against you. When Dirk smells trouble he runs away with his tail between his legs."
>>Champions are like Baron Davis? Oh, c'mon. Davis and the Warriors got fired up for one series and then decided not to show up against Utah. Champions don't do that. I find the most refreshing thing about Dirk, is that when the Mavs are winning, he is self-deprecating and explains the wins as a team efforts. When they lose, and he acknowledges it was also a team effort (while not ignoring his share of the blame), he gets criticized. Can anyone explain this to me?
You are entitled to your opinion that Dirk should go, but don't you think it's a little soon to be labeling him as "soft" and "not a champion [nor a] leader"? He is after all, only 28, probably has 5 or 6 more years of 20+ ppg and around 10 rpg seaons in him, and has a strong young core of players surrounding him.
P.S. The Mavs would have handled the Jazz in Round 2.
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