Dirk Nowitzki

[jmt225]

Last night, I was watching San Antonio vs. Dallas on ESPN, and Dirk had a great, great game. The dude was unbelievable. But I was just wondering about something.... do you think this guy will ever win a championship, and if not... where will he rank among the great athletes in sports who never won one? Would he be up there with Dan Marino, Charles Barkley, Stockon/Malone, etc. or will he be more like a Reggie Miller, a guy who was well respected, but the fact that he never won a championship is ever brought up?

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I personally think Dirk will remain in Dallas for the rest of his career, like Reggie did in Indiana, but I don't think he'll ever get a squad good enough that could help get him a championship ring.

So, with that said... Dirk, in my opinion, most definitely deserves to be up there with the greats never to win a championship, if my prediction turns out to be correct. He's one of the most gifted big man to ever play the game, if not THE most gifted. I mean, when you think about what this man can do... it's truly unbelievable. He has an absolutely gorgeous shot, and when he wants to, he can play great in the post as well. He's also a good rebound and defender as well. He's a bit soft, which hurts his case, but outside of that... I don't know how anyone could ever deny his skills. When it's all said and done, I think he'll end up being a top 5 Power Forward to ever play the game, championship or no championship. What do you think?

 

[klunderbunker]

Top 5 power forward might be to play the game might be a bit of a stretch. He's very good, but I don't think you can put him up there with the all time greats. I could see him being on Miller's level, but not up there with Malone and Stockton. Malone and Stockton and Barkley were guys that could take teams on their shoulders and carry them when no one else could. Dirk gets close to that, but he's never been the top guy in the league. He's not even the top power forward in his state as long as Duncan is active. Dirk will be considered very good, but I don't think all time great when I think of him.

 

[Big Sexy]

He's probably the best shooting big man of all time and is a very good all around offensive player, but defensively he is not very good. Right now he barely cracks the top ten of the greatest power forwards. By the time his career is over he may be closer to the top 5, but I still wouldn't put him there. Guys like Duncan, Malone, Barkley, McHale, Garnett, and Elvin Hayes are all better.

 

[INDYjon22]

You just named two of my favorite basketball players ever JMT. Dirk is an unbelievable player and Reggie was one of the greatest clutch players ever. On to the point though. Dallas didn't win the title a couple years ago when their team was at its best and in all honesty they won't win it now wince there team doesn't have the star power it did have. Dirk is a great player but just look at who he is surrounded by. Yes, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, and Jason Kidd are all good players but none of them are good enough to compliment Dirk on a title run at this stage in his career. Kidd has been past his prime for a couple years now and Shawn Marrion isn't very relevant either. Terry and Howard are both good but they play very sporadically. Both get hurt quiet a bit as well and are hot and cold with their shooting. Unless Mark Cuban goes out and buys another top talent in the league or Dirk decides to leave he won't be winning a title in Big D.

I think history will show him to be one of the best big men in NBA history from a shooting stand point and a great leader but, his name will not be up there with the likes of Jordan, Bird or even Garnett when its all said and done and I personally find that to be a travisty because I think he is a better all around player then Garnett but Garnett has a title to his name. He will more then likely make the Hall of Fame but I don't know if he will be a first ballot.

 

[jmt225]

Dirk will be considered very good, but I don't think all time great when I think of him.

I think, RIGHT NOW, Dirk is better than Tim Duncan. However, even if you aren't convinced Dirk isn't on the same level as him, it's indisputable that Duncan is the greatest Power Forward of all time, so it's no shame being placed second to him.

Guys like Duncan, Malone, Barkley, McHale, Garnett, and Elvin Hayes are all better.

McHale is highly overrated in my opinion and only gets the praise he gets today because Barkley hangs from his nuts all day long. The fact is... if McHale played for a shit team, he wouldn't have accomplished much with his career. Sure, he had one unbelievably great stretch, but it's still a fact that he wasn't the main focal point on his team and the only reason he got the looks he got was because of how great his teammates were. Whereas Dirk Nowitzki has basically carried Dallas this entire decade, and even though he has not won a championship, he's done quite well. Much better than McHale ever could have with the talent Nowitzki has had to put up with.

Also, to say Hayes was better than Nowitzki is unfair as well. Hayes was a great player for his day, no doubt, but I do doubt he'd be able to hang with the competition today like Nowitzki has been able to. I guess the same could be said for McHale in that aspect as well, when you think about it.

 

[Southwind]

Dirk is a better player than Tim Duncan right now, and it's not even that close. Get by the name value there, and look at the stats it becomes obvious.

Now, I don't think he ever wins a title in Dallas, either, when they blew the 2-0 lead to the Heat it was his only chance. Top 5 power forward ? Not sure yet, he could be with more productive seasons and playoff runs but right now no way.

Right now, he should be appreciated for the way he is paying, he is a top three MVP candidate right now, with Kobe and Melo mixed in.

 

[Big Sexy]

McHale is highly overrated in my opinion and only gets the praise he gets today because Barkley hangs from his nuts all day long. The fact is... if McHale played for a shit team, he wouldn't have accomplished much with his career. Sure, he had one unbelievably great stretch, but it's still a fact that he wasn't the main focal point on his team and the only reason he got the looks he got was because of how great his teammates were. Whereas Dirk Nowitzki has basically carried Dallas this entire decade, and even though he has not won a championship, he's done quite well. Much better than McHale ever could have with the talent Nowitzki has had to put up with.

McHale is overrated, but what's to say he wouldn't have put up even better numbers if he didn't have guys like Bird playing with him and taking some of his shots. Also McHale is a far better defender then Dirk, so overall I think he's better.

Also, to say Hayes was better than Nowitzki is unfair as well. Hayes was a great player for his day, no doubt, but I do doubt he'd be able to hang with the competition today like Nowitzki has been able to. I guess the same could be said for McHale in that aspect as well, when you think about it.

That's like saying Wilt Chamberlin couldn't hang with Shaq or Oscar Robertson couldn't hang with LeBron. Whether it's true or not doesn't matter, he can't help which time period he played in. All players are bigger and more athletic now then they used to be. The fact remains that Hayes was THE dominant power forward for quite some time in the NBA. Averaging close to 30 points and over 15 rebounds a games some years. And again he was a far better defensive player then Dirk.

As far as Dirk "carrying" Dallas, let's not forget that for the first half of this decade he was playing with Steve Nash and also Michael Finley still in his prime. Then the year they went to the finals he had a very good supporting class that included a young Devin Harris, Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and Jerry Stackhouse. Not exactly the Celtics of the 80's, but still some great players none the less.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

Dirk Nowitzki is definitely one of the best shooters in the league right now. He can shoot from the arc, low in the post, foul shots, he can block, ground rebounds, and some assists... there is nothing this man can't do! However, if remaining on the Dallas Mavericks means that he'll never win a championship, then I'm not sure I want to see that happen. When you have such a beautifully gifted player like Dirk Nowitzki, it's hard to see him go out without winning a single championship ring. He's only 31, so he can still go for atleast a few more years, as long as he can keep injuries to a minimum. Despite being a 8x NBA All-Star (all in a row), 2007 MVP, and winning NBA First, Second, and Third Team, along with with the 2006 NBA Three-Point Shootout Winner... it's always good to get atleast one championship ring.

It isn't like the Mavericks are not a good team... they dominate every season, compared to a lot of the other teams, they've always made it to the playoffs since the beginning of the millenium, they always look like title contenders during the regular season. It's just that during the playoffs, they seem to struggle. They had their chance to win the championship in 2006, winning the first two games. But, I don't know what happened in the next 4 games... it seemed like the Miami Heat would not be denied.

This season, the Dallas Mavericks acquired Shawn Marion. That could really be a plus for Dirk if Marion, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry could help Nowitzki lead the team to victory. Right now the Mavericks have a winning record of 9-3, and they're first in the Southwest Division... their season has been pretty good so far. Let's hope they can keep it that way.

I'm sure that other Dirk Nowitzki fans all want to see him win a title someday. I just don't see him doing it while playing for Dallas. It's not that they're a bad team, they just need to play better beyond the regular season. I don't see Dirk leaving the Mavericks anytime soon anyway, so I don't know what to see, except Dirk Nowitzki deserves atleast one ring.