HoopWatch

I am utterly disappointed with Dirk Nowitzki.

He is my second most favorite NBA player, next only to Steve Nash. He should not have blurted out those defeatist words just right before Game Four of their first round series against the Golden State Warriors.

After a remarkable 67-win season, Dirk’s Dallas Mavericks bowed out of the title contention right in the first round, against the eighth-seeded Warriors, a team who barely made it to the play-offs. Golden State had to win their last game of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers to clinch the last play-off berth in the West.

When Dallas needed their leader, Nowitzki was nowhere to be found both off and on the floor. He gave up as early as Game Four, after a disappointing and huge Game Three loss. He proclaimed that if his Mavericks lose Game Four, and down 1-3, their season would be over. A leader should not have said that, he should show and emulate hope. He did not learn anything from his best friend’s (Steve Nash) example last season, when the Suns rallied from 1-3 down to win their first round series against the Lakers.

Last Thursday, Nowitzki, in perhaps the most important game this season, shot brick after brick, went 2-of-13 from the field, scored just eight points, 0-of-6 from three-point range and had big three turnovers. After going 0-of-6 at the start, Nowitzki continued to elect shooting from the outside rather than driving to the hole. He became a role player when he should have been the go-to-guy. The result: Dirk and the Mavs were thrased, 86-111, by the Warriors.

Perhaps, his former mentor, Don Nelson, had a lot to do with these unfortunate turn of events. Nellie knows Dirk’s weaknesses, he knows how Avery Johnson thinks, he knows most of the Dallas players’ games. This season, Nelson is 7-1 against his former team. That’s just bad luck for Nowitzki and the Mavericks.

It is most likely that Nowitzki will receive the MVP trophy next week. That’s such a disgrace. He may be the best player of the best regular-season team. But he isn’t a true MVP. He lacks the heart and the leadership of MVPs past. A heart exhibited by the real MVP, Steve Nash.

Enough said!