- The Dirk Nowitzki tribute thread -

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Dirk on the first game of the playoff first round against the Spurs: http://www.woai.com/mediacenter/loca...video.woai.com

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Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki gets down on dirty play

DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki on Wednesday defended Dallas Mavericks teammate Erick Dampier’s recent comments predicting punishment for San Antonio’s Tony Parker when he darts into the paint.

In the process, Nowitzki slipped in a little Spurs dig of his own.

He didn’t specify 37-year-old Bruce Bowen by name, but the pesky Spurs defender has been somewhat responsible for limiting Nowitzki this series. Bowen — often discussed as one of the NBA’s best defenders and dirty players — also has harassed Nowitzki in playoffs past.

"Nobody’s trying to hurt anybody in this league," Nowitzki said. "We’re all competitors, but we’re all in this together.  ... Damp certainly doesn’t have the reputation of being a dirty player. They got one, we don’t.

"So nothing’s going to happen. We’re just going to have to protect the paint a little better and not give up a hundred layups."

Bowen, who was named to the NBA first-team all-defensive team for five straight seasons before this one, has previously been labeled "Edward Scissorhands" by Phil Jackson, screamed at by Isiah Thomas for allegedly slipping his foot under a Knicks player who was shooting and exposed in a YouTube montage of his perceived dirty plays.

Kidd won’t force Dirk

Trying to get Dirk Nowitzki on track, point guard Jason Kidd said he won’t go out of his way to get him the ball.

"I look for him less," Kidd said. "We’re not going to force it to him. There are other guys on the floor who can score. Work him into the game. He’s a veteran. He understands what he has to do."

Nowitzki admitted having trouble with the high-post double-teams — with the Spurs essentially leaving the basket to help guard him — which he said he hasn’t seen before with the Spurs. He’s averaging just 16.5 points against San Antonio.

"For a 7-footer, who’s non-athletic, it’s pretty hard to beat a double-team," he said. "I just have to take what’s there. ... I think I’m going to have a few opportunities. But when I have them, I have to make sure I make the best out of them."

Call it

Will officials be watching tonight’s Game 3 differently after Erick Dampier’s forceful statements? Mavs coach Rick Carlisle wouldn’t address it.

"It is what it is," Dirk Nowitzki said. "In this league, you can’t really get prepared for anything. Every game is called differently. Sometimes they call hand checks 90 feet from the hoop, and sometimes they let you get mugged."

Cuban the chipmunk

Say what you will about Mark Cuban’s regular attendance, but he poked fun at himself Wednesday afternoon on Twitter. Seems Monday’s loss in San Antonio wasn’t Cuban’s lone painful experience this week. "Root canals are no fun," Cuban tweeted. "I look like a chipmunk."

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236462/

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Mavericks almost past Spurs in playoffs without best of Dirk Nowitzki

DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki is nearly 10 points below his season scoring average in the playoffs - and the Dallas Mavericks are still on the verge of easily advancing.

"People may say Dirk's not scoring enough, but Dirk is playing the game the right way. Playing patient, not taking any bad shots," Dallas guard Jason Kidd said. "I don't think he has to score 30 for us to try to win. You can see that in this series."

Or even 20.

The Mavericks lead San Antonio 3-1 in their first-round Western Conference series, and can advance with a victory Tuesday night, even though Nowitzki has scored 20 points only once since ending the regular season with an NBA-best streak of 25 consecutive 20-point games.

"Our focus is obviously to limit Dirk and Jason Terry, and overall we're doing a good job on that," Tony Parker said. "Then the other guys are hurting us. ... They have a lot more weapons."

That was all too evident in the pivotal Game 4, when Parker scored 43 and Tim Duncan came back from his worst playoff game ever with 25 points and 10 rebounds. And that still wasn't enough for the Spurs.

Even while shooting a paltry 38 per cent and getting only 22 combined points from Nowitzki and Terry, one of the NBA's highest-scoring duos, the sixth-seeded Mavs took firm control of the series with a 99-90 victory Saturday.

Nowitzki made a 19-footer on Dallas' first shot of the game, then didn't shoot again until 2 1/2 minutes into the second quarter. The perennial all-star and 2007 league MVP finished with 12 points, the last on a driving layup with 40 seconds left that helped thwart a late Spurs rally, and 13 rebounds.

"Dirk, with his last play, put it away," Duncan said.

Josh Howard scored 28 points, 14 in the third quarter when Dallas erased for good a Parker-infused halftime deficit. Kidd added 17 points with three three-pointers, while Erick Dampier scored 10. J.J. Barea, in his second playoff start, and Antoine Wright each had nine points.

"Josh has given us what we've been missing," Nowitzki said. "When they double-team Jet and myself, other guys are stepping up."

Terry, usually an instant-offence player who was presented the NBA's sixth man award Friday, scored 10 points. But he was only 3-of-17 shooting, missing his last 13 shots.

"We played great defence on Terry, we limited Nowitzki, but Howard had a great game and their role players hit shots," the Spurs' Roger Mason said.

Nowitzki is scoring 16.3 points a game in the series, down from 25.9 in the regular season. Only twice in the past eight years did the seven-foot German's scoring average decrease in the post-season.

The Spurs are in their 12th consecutive playoffs, the NBA's longest active streak and the only one longer than Dallas' nine in a row. They will try to avoid their earliest elimination since 2000.

"We're going to go home and try to win that one, and come back here and do the same," said Duncan, the 12th-year player and four-time NBA champion who missed the 2000 playoffs because of a knee injury. "If we can get this next game, we'll come back in here and put a little pressure on them."

The Spurs have never lost in a best-of-seven opening series, or in the first round when Duncan played.

Dallas hasn't advanced in the playoffs since 2006, when the Mavericks made it to the NBA final and took a 2-0 series lead before losing four consecutive games against Miami.

The Mavericks also had a 3-1 series lead over San Antonio that post-season and needed overtime in Game 7 of the second-round series to survive and advance.

"They are by no means out of this series," said Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, relaying a message that his team already knows.

"They're going to throw every thing at us," Nowitzki said. "There are no guarantees. They're a championship team. They'll have a different motor."

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236464/

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Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki isn't bothered that his scoring is down

Dirk Nowitzki has been getting questions about how frustrated he must be averaging a smidge over 16 points in the first round against San Antonio.

He has a stock answer.

"We're up 3-1," he says. "That's what I play for. I don't play for points. I play to advance in the playoffs."

The Mavericks have the Spurs on the brink of elimination because Nowitzki has put his faith in his teammates. The Spurs aren't going to let him put the Mavericks on his shoulders. So why try? As a result, he's averaging 10 points less than he did in the regular season.

Jason Terry is playing the same way.

And it's sending a profound message to their teammates. Because their leaders have faith in them, the confidence of players such as J.J. Barea, Antoine Wright, Erick Dampier and Brandon Bass is skyrocketing.

"We all act as one," said Barea. "We all want the same thing.

"Anytime you get your stars, Dirk and Jet, not caring about scoring, just wanting to win ... you can see it in Dirk's eyes. No matter who scores, he just wants to win. Anytime your leaders do that, it makes everybody else think the same way."

That's why the Mavericks have had their most unselfish play of the season during this series. During the season, Nowitzki and Terry combined to take 2,784 shots, 41 percent of the Mavericks' total.

Because of the way the Spurs are playing defense, the pair have taken about a third of the Mavericks' shots, 99 of 295, in the first four games.

"We've been pulling together," said Ryan Hollins. "If he [Nowitzki] scores 20, that's a low game. For him to do that and other guys stepping up, that's huge. We had scoring across the board, and we played defense too. That's something that's huge for this team."

Hollins' magic potion? Nowitzki marvels at the exuberance displayed by backup center Ryan Hollins.

Hollins grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots in 19 second-half minutes in relief of Erick Dampier in Game 4.

"I don't know what he takes before the game, but I got to get me some of that," Nowitzki said. "He's all over the place. He's like a one-man press on defense."

No love from TNT: The Mavericks should feel good about the fact that the TNT analysts aren't too impressed with their playoff run, as evidenced by this exchange during Saturday's telecast:

Kenny Smith: "The Dallas Mavericks are so fortunate. They might end up in the conference finals because of all the injuries [to the Spurs]. They have a great chance."

Charles Barkley: "They just got lucky at the right time."

Smith: "I didn't say they were good. I said they were lucky."

Why should the Mavericks feel good about that? The TNT fellows haven't always had a sterling track record on their predictions.

Briefly: For an early look at Tuesday's Game 5, we turn to Josh Howard, who has many reasons to hope for a close-out victory. "It's my birthday that day, so I want to get a win for my birthday, first and foremost," he said. "I'll just leave it at that." Howard turns 29 on Tuesday. ... Nowitzki said the Mavericks would be wise to remember their history during the rest of this series. "You don't ever want to get overconfident. I remember a series a few years ago against Portland, we were up 3-0 and lost Game 4 and ended up going seven, and we were lucky to win Game 7."

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236463/

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Nuggets believe Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki was best actor in Game 1

DENVER — For the record, Dirk Nowitzki has never taken an acting lesson.

And his cameo in the 2002 movie Like Mike hardly qualifies as an audition for Oscar-winning performances at the Pepsi Center.

That hasn’t kept the Denver Nuggets from doing their best Siskel & Ebert. They are offering an emphatic thumbs-up on Nowitzki’s alleged acting skills on the court.

Said Denver vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman: "He’s a very good actor, and that’s part of the game.”

This is not a new development, of course. The Dallas Mavericks star has been accused of flopping before. And he will be again. At playoff time, when every play is magnified and analyzed to ridiculous extremes, Nowitzki knows the drill. Kenyon Martin gave him a shove to the hardwood in the first quarter of Game 1.

Martin was fined $25,000 for the act. Now, Nowitzki’s getting jabs from long-forgotten NBA players.

"I didn’t know Rex Chapman was still alive,” Nowitzki said Tuesday. "I don’t think I acted on that play. It was pretty obvious that I drove baseline, got bumped, got the foul and kept on driving. Sometimes with the continuation in this league, he wanted to make sure I didn’t lay it in and give them [the refs] a chance to count the basket.

"I don’t think I am necessarily an actor. I try to play hard. And that’s about it.”

What is taking place in the Mavericks-Nuggets series is a hoops version of he-said/she-said. The Mavericks couldn’t believe the Nuggets were called for only 19 fouls in Game 1, while they were whistled for 29 fouls.

The physical defense on Nowitzki was evident. But did he also help "sell” the calls with a little acting?

Considering he only went to the free-throw line five times, he didn’t sell it very well. But that hasn’t kept the Nuggets from floating the idea.

"Commissioner [David] Stern in the coaches’ meeting talked about flopping and how he didn’t like it,” Nuggets coach George Karl said. "There’s a lot of guys who are better actors than some other guys.

"In the playoffs, you want the best team to win. You don’t want the team that can trick you into winning.”

To Nowitzki, it’s humorous that he and Martin are at the core of all the drama. He’s played against the Dallas Adams High grad for a decade, and the two have never had issues, he said.

In fact, they shared a laugh during one particular possession in Game 1.

"We’ve been in the league a long time and competed at our position for a long time,” Nowitzki said. "And we never had a problem about anything. We both always played hard and had some great battles and left it at that.

"We were actually laughing about one move I made on the block where I had about 10 or 11 fakes and he would just stand there. He asked me what the hell I was doing. It’s really all about fun.”

And, by the way, Dirk, what were you doing?

"I don’t know what I was doing,” he said. "I told him I was lost.

And based on his herky-jerky fakes and pumps in that sequence, he wasn’t acting when he said that.

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236483/

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Woman arrested at Nowitzki home

DALLAS -- FBI agents have arrested a woman on a probation violation and a theft charge at the home of Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki.

Dallas police said 37-year-old Cristal Taylor was taken into custody Wednesday morning at Nowitzki's home. Kim Leach, a spokeswoman for the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, said Taylor has eight aliases.

It's not clear what the relationship is between Taylor and Nowitzki, but the Mavericks said that their star will address the matter at Thursday's media session. Dallas trails Denver in its Western Conference semifinal series 2-0.

The theft charge is from Jefferson County, Texas. Officials at the jail in Beaumont said Wednesday night they had no details on the charge.

Bond was set at $20,000 on the theft of services charge and no bond was set on the probation violation out of St. Charles, Mo. The Dallas Morning News reported Taylor was serving a probation sentence for two counts of forgery and one count of felony stealing.

Jail records did not indicate if Taylor had an attorney.

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236477/

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Dirk: 'It's pretty obvious that I'm going through a tough time in my personal life'

Dirk made a brief statement after today's practice regarding the woman arrested at his house yesterday.

"It's pretty obvious that I'm going through a tough time in my personal life right now," Dirk said. "Like I always have, I want to kind of keep my private life private. I really am not at the stage where I can talk about it yet and feel comfortable talking about it. I'm more than happy to answer basketball questions, but I think at this point, I just can't talk about it."

For the next seven minutes, Dirk answered questions about the series against Denver. He downplayed concerns about whether the drama in his personal life would be a distraction.

"I'm a warrior," Dirk said. "I'll be ready to play."

Dirk's session with the media horde ended abruptly when WFAA Ch. 8's Brett Shipp attempted to ask about claims by Cristal Taylor, the 37-year-old woman arrested, that she is engaged to Dirk and pregnant with his child.

"I'm not commenting on that," Dirk said repeatedly.

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archi...-going-th.html

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When Dirk Nowitzki has something to say, he says it with his game

DALLAS — I’d like to think that Dirk Nowitzki will do something this afternoon that would silence Charles Barkley and his clown friends on TNT forever, but we all know that’s not going to happen, and that doesn’t really have a whole lot to do with Dirk.

Barkley — and I do like him sometimes in spite of myself — is what he is. He’s an entertainer and his shtick is to say the most outrageous, insulting things he can dream up.

It’s talk radio on TV with Chuckles the Clown — I don’t think my old friend Brad Corbett will mind one bit giving up that nickname — doing his best to get a laugh out of the kiddies.

Unfortunately, Dirk, with his German stoicism and European-style game, plays right into Barkley’s hands.

Chuck wants playground machismo. He wants Dirk to bow up and get in Kenyon Martin’s face the next time the Denver power forward knocks him down.

Never mind that the Mavs’ chances of winning drop to zero if Nowitzki gets kicked out of the game. For Barkley and his crowd, it’s all about the bluster and the show.

That said, Chuck and his boys need to pay close attention today when the Mavs and Nuggets meet at AAC in Game 3 of their West semifinal series. They’re about to see how tough Dirk Nowitzki really is.

His private life in tatters around him, embarrassed and privately shattered emotionally — and I admit, I’m attributing some emotions to Dirk based on how I think most of us would feel under the circumstances — here’s what I expect from him today:

His best game of the series. And if the Mavs are going to win a game in this series, this will be it.

Considering that Nowitzki is averaging 31.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and is coming off a 35-point performance in Game 2, we’re not talking small potatoes here. We’re talking monster game.

Which reminds me of this anecdote from Game 2.

After a timeout, Dirk was walking back onto the floor at the Pepsi Center in Denver when Rocky, the Nuggets’ mascot (a guy in a funky mountain lion costume) tried to engage him in some sort of frivolity. Dirk, with other things on his mind, simply ignored him.

Offended, Rocky turned to fans at courtside, gave an elaborate, exaggerated shrug and then held his arms straight out front of him and began walking around, stiff-legged.

Get it? Frankenstein.

The message Rocky was sending in his own inimitable way was, "What is it with this guy? Why can’t he just play along? What is he, a robot?"

It’s the same message that Barkley keeps sending on TNT. Chuck wants something more from Dirk than he can give. Something more than 30-plus points and double-figure rebounds a game.

He wants emotion. He wants anger. He wants blood.

But that’s just not Dirk. It doesn’t mean he’s not tough. Anyone who’s actually watching the games, watching him fight through the incredible defensive pressure the Nuggets are keeping on him by rotating three agile, big, strong men to guard him, knows just how tough Dirk really is.

"I think Dirk is one of the toughest players in the league," coach Rick Carlisle said in his defense after the Mavs’ practice Friday. "I don’t know who’s saying that [he’s not], and I’m not really interested, to tell you the truth.

"I’ve just followed his career. I’ve seen everything he’s done. I saw him go down with that ankle injury last year when I thought it could be a compound fracture of his leg. He could have been done for the year, but he came back in four or five games to help his team get to the playoffs. That’s one example. There are tons of others."

Don’t stop there, coach.

"He hasn’t missed a game this year," Carlisle added. "He’s been banged up a significant amount of time this year, but he plays. He’s just one of those great players who plays and lifts the level of play of those around him. He epitomizes what a great player is. He’s tremendous."

He’s not your typical NBA 7-footer. He’s better. He doesn’t stand with his back to the basket and shoot skyhooks or just slam down dunks. He’s more talented than that.

"You don’t see a lot of 7-footers driving the ball from 20 feet away," Carlisle said. "He gets knocked down, he gets back up. That’s who he is."

He got knocked down this week, and we’re not talking basketball either. Today, I’m betting he gets back up and comes at the Nuggets with a vengeance.

On a basketball court is where Dirk is at his best, where he can forget his off-court problems and just play.

"He’s a tough guy," teammate Jason Terry said. "He takes it personal and, when you see his numbers in this series, you can see that. He takes a hit and goes down in Game 1 and comes back and puts 35 points on ’em. I don’t know anybody tougher than that."

That’s what Barkley and his clown friends don’t seem to get. Dirk does respond to the Martins and David Wests of the world, but he does it with his game. He’s not interested in thumping his chest and mouthing off. I suspect if he thought that would help win a game, he’d be a world champion at the macho game.

But it doesn’t.

"He has a different type toughness by the way he puts the ball in the hole," said assistant coach Darrell Armstrong, a former teammate. "He has so many guys coming at him in different ways and he defeats them by the way he can score, even when they’re playing tough against him. The way he plays defeats that toughness sometimes because he can score with the basketball so easy.

"After a while, they’re like, 'Man, I’m doing everything I can, putting my hands in his face, being physical with him, but he still, somehow, some way scores the basketball.’ "

It’s how Dirk Nowitzki learned to play basketball. If you’ve got something to say, you say it with your game.

In the meantime, TNT would be doing us a favor if it’d cue the calliope every time Chuckles and friends are on the air, so we’d know they’re sending in the clowns.

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236489/

[mktackabery]

I have never seen Dirk beaten like this before. When he left the court right after the buzzer to walk to the locker room I honestly thought he was going to keep walking right out of the building. Pretty depressing night all around.

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Dirk Nowitzki gives no excuses, only the pain from a dagger

DALLAS — There were 61 personal fouls and 89 free-throw attempts in this third playoff game. Yet, the post-game clamor was over The Foul That Wasn’t Called.

Dirk Nowitzki, meanwhile, responded to all Dear Abby advisers and basketball skeptics by scoring 33 points. And yet, with eight seconds left in the game Saturday — eight seconds left in what had probably been the longest week of the Dallas Mavericks star’s life — Nowitzki launched a simple, 13-foot jump shot that could have clinched the victory, and missed.

Admittedly, Dirk’s week didn’t seem to be building toward a fairy-tale ending.

But the Denver Nuggets’ furor-provoking, 106-105 victory over the Mavericks on Saturday prompted Nowitzki to give it even a darker twist.

"This is about as tough a loss as I’ve seen in my 12 years in the league," Nowitzki said.

Whoa. He didn’t even mention Dwyane Wade.

His voice was glum, even for Dirk. He sounded as if he had just watched Old Yeller and Bambi, on the same afternoon.

Could it have been the events of the week, Nowitzki was asked? After all, how many guys have to deal with Carmelo Anthony and evicting their former alleged fiancée in the same week?

"No, I had my shots," Nowitzki said, his mind still riveted on the playoff game’s dagger-in-the-heart ending.

"We had the game. We were right there. We were up by four with 30 seconds to go.

"That’s a game we’ve got to have."

No, there was no mention by Dirk of sheriff’s deputies or surprise five-figure Neiman-Marcus bills. A couple of postgame questions tried to get Nowitzki to re-address the situation with Cristal Taylor, his alleged former fiancée, but Dirk’s words refused to stray far from the basketball.

"I just thought three days off was bad timing," he said of the long wait for Game 3 of the best-of-seven series. "I wish we would have played on Thursday or Friday.

"It was a tough week for me and my family. But I stuck with it. Basketball is always an escape. I felt good out there."

The personal circumstances notwithstanding, Nowitzki had one of the best all-round postseason games of his NBA career. Besides the 33 points, he had 16 rebounds, twice more than anyone else.

For the third straight game, however, the Nuggets refused to show Nowitzki an excess of attention. Rather than double-team the league’s 2006-07 MVP, Denver coach George Karl again chose to send a steady stream of fresh, athletic bodies at him, in hopes of wearing Dirk down.

Maybe that’s what happened on Nowitzki’s missed 13-foot jumper with eight seconds left, Karl suggested. The shot from the free-throw line elbow rattled the rim but failed to fall.

"We’re not going to double him," Karl said, calling the strategy "our gut feeling."

The Nuggets, for the record, saw nothing wrong with Nowitzki.

"If he was distracted," said Anthony, "I didn’t see it. I thought he played a great game. He made shots. He drove the lane. He even tried a dunk, which made the crowd go crazy.

"He had 33 and 16. I’ll take that any day."

With Dirk allowed to be Dirk, though, for the third time in this series the Mavericks struggled to muster consistent support from anyone else.

Josh Howard, for one, fought off foul trouble and two injured ankles. He played hard and hustled, but he was clearly a step slower, especially on defense.

Howard finished with 14 points, and point guard Jason Kidd added 13. The Nuggets’ Anthony and Chauncey Billups, at the same time, combined for 63 points.

For much of the game, Jason Terry, who finished with 17 points, had scored the only field goals from the Mavericks’ bench. Brandon Bass emerged as a factor in the second half, but the Mavericks never could put a comfortable distance between themselves and the Nuggets.

Did referee Mark Wunderlich blow the call at the end by not calling a foul on Antoine Wright?

Even the league said so afterward.

But the outcome should never have come down to that. The Mavericks had the benefit of Denver nemesis Chris Andersen fouling out with nine minutes to go. Plus, the Nuggets’ Anthony and Nene each had five fouls.

The Mavericks couldn’t capitalize. They were outscored in the paint 48-34, mostly because they were outshot in the paint.

After three games, nothing has changed, in other words. The Denver Nuggets still are faster than the Mavericks, longer-limbed than the Mavericks and can jump higher than the Mavericks.

It all added up Saturday to a third consecutive defeat and put the Mavericks on the brink of playoff elimination.

"We played well enough," Nowitzki said. "It just wasn’t meant to be."

Some week, in other words.

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236496/

[mvblair]

Nice of Anthony to comment on Dirk's proficiency, but it still hurts. The Mavs have got to feel pretty bad. There worst move was letting Steve Nash walk.

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Dirk Nowitzki helps Dallas Mavericks reject Nuggets

There was nothing about a sweep of the Mavericks by the Denver Nuggets that made sense. Maybe that's why, despite a Game 4 that seemed to be going the other way, it didn't happen.

The main reason it didn't happen? The real reason there will be a Game 5 (for what it's worth) on Wednesday night in Denver?

No question, it was Dirk Nowitzki.

The man who was supposed to be so burdened by the fallout from his personal troubles, which included the arrest of a woman at his house, was on fire Monday night. His final two free throws with 8.3 seconds to play gave him 44 points and raised Dallas' lead to four in a game they would win, 119-117.

In the two home games against Denver, Nowitzki scored 77 points and added 29 rebounds. You can't ask for more than that.

No one gives his team more than that.

Carmelo Anthony tried to. It looked for most of the night as if he, not Nowitzki, would be the difference-maker. Anthony finished with 41 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.

I'm not going to go crazy and say that Nowitzki has put the Mavericks back in this series. Although the Boston Red Sox managed it against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series – an occurrence that seems to have reversed fate for both franchises – no NBA team ever has come back to win a series after losing the first three games.

Dallas almost was on the receiving end of such a reversal when Portland rallied to win three in a row after an 0-3 start a few years back. But Dallas won Game 7 of that first-round series and moved on.

There is no way a team as deep and talented as the Nuggets lets this series get away from it now. In fact, the Nuggets weren't as deep in Game 4 when they kept Chris "Birdman" Andersen on the bench with stomach problems.

Expect him to be his rebounding, shot-blocking self in Game 5 in Denver, where the Nuggets won the first two games of this series by an average of 13 points and have won all five playoff games by double-figures.

This wasn't about changing the flow of the series. It was simply about avoiding a sweep and preserving a little Mavericks dignity after their first first-round series victory in three years.

A second-round sweep would have seriously tainted the significance of a first-round victory over the San Antonio Spurs. For Dallas, at least that didn't happen.

Nowitzki prevented that with an amazing 29-point second half in Game 4.

The same guy who was criticized by TNT's crew for saying the Nuggets had three defenders that gave him problems in Denver was absolutely unstoppable in this one, especially after halftime.

This was a game in which Nowitzki started out in attack mode and stayed that way. He went 14-for-25 from the field, 16-for-17 from the foul line.

Most interesting Nowitzki stat: No 3-point attempts.

Nowitzki went to the rim in Game 4 and with regular success.

So at least the Mavericks live to fight another day. It only made sense.

Had Dallas gone out in a sweep in this series, it would have meant an 0-8 record against Denver this season (regular and postseason). And that's despite the fact that while they have their differences, they were fundamentally the same team against other competition.

Both went 50-28 against other teams. The only reason Denver was a No. 2 seed and the Mavs a No. 6 seed was the Nuggets' 4-0 regular-season mark against Dallas.

At least Denver is going to have to work a little harder in the postseason.

Maybe not a whole lot harder. But a little is better than none at all, and Nowitzki made sure it happened.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...w.45eee0f.html

[mktackabery]

Dirk's lawyer doubts Taylor is pregnant

Thursday, May 21, 2009

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

After Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki boarded a flight home to Germany on Thursday afternoon, his Dallas-based attorney expressed strong doubt that the woman arrested earlier this month at Nowitzki's house is pregnant. Robert Hart, Nowitzki's lawyer, pledged in a statement that his client will "do whatever can be done to ensure the health of the child" if Crista Ann Taylor -- arrested May 6 after the discovery of warrants in two states -- is indeed carrying his baby.

"We have been told that she was not administered a pregnancy test [in Dallas County Jail]," Hart said, responding to one of Taylor's claims this week in an interview she granted to The Dallas Morning News. Taylor, 37, told the newspaper that she did not know she was pregnant until she was tested twice at the Dallas jail. "In fact, we found it strange that a friend of hers was at Dirk's house right after the arrest telling anyone who would listen that she was pregnant," Hart's statement continues. "As with all things coming from this woman's mouth, we are highly skeptical. If in the remote instance there is any validity to this woman's claim of pregnancy, Dirk will do whatever can be done to ensure the well being of the child."

In a telephone interview Monday with the Morning News from jail in Beaumont, Texas, Taylor said she is pregnant and that she and Nowitzki were engaged with a wedding date scheduled in July. Taylor told the newspaper that the sudden end to their engagement stemmed from Nowitzki's longtime personal coach, Holger Geschwindner, urging a private investigation into Taylor's past as part of a prenuptial agreement.

Taylor was transferred from Dallas to Beaumont on May 13 after being taken into custody on warrants accusing her of violating a probation sentence for two counts of forgery and one count of felony stealing in Missouri and a theft-of-service charge for failing to pay a Beaumont dentist for dental work ranging from $1,500 to $20,000.

She was booked into Dallas County Jail as Crystal Taylor but told a judge Monday during her appearance in a Beaumont courtroom that her birth certificate carries the name Crista Ann Taylor. Authorities in Missouri and Texas have linked at least eight aliases to Taylor, while court documents in Beaumont still list her at Crystal Ann Taylor.

Since her arrest, the Morning News has published stories about Taylor's ex-husband, James Westerhaus, seeking a 2001 divorce after Taylor allegedly accrued more than $300,000 in debt and former NFL quarterback Tony Banks saying Taylor was "planted" into his life in 1997. "I've known Dirk for seven years -- and, no, I didn't tell him everything about my past because I was afraid," Taylor told the newspaper. "But I mean, now I'm pregnant and alone and broke because he is my only source of income."

Taylor told the Morning News she and Nowitzki lived together for a year and a half but she has been unable to contact him since her arrest because Nowitzki changed his phone numbers. "Not only that, but [the Mavericks] pretty much told him, after [the media] put out all that crap on me, to just wash his hands of me -- and I think he pretty much did."

Taylor's next appearance in court is scheduled for June 8 after Don Duesler was appointed Monday as Taylor's attorney. Nowitzki -- whose end-of-season custom is returning to Germany shortly after Dallas' final game -- has mostly declined to field questions about his relationship with Taylor beyond acknowledging to reporters that he's "going through a tough time in my personal life."

Taylor was arrested the morning after the Mavericks' Game 2 loss in the Western Conference semifinals in Denver. Nowitzki averaged 34.4 points and 11.6 rebounds as Dallas' only consistent threat during the five-game series.

"It's a very difficult time for me and my family," Nowitzki told ESPN.com during a brief interview before Game 3. "This is a private matter and it's going to be worked out in private." In his last public comments on the subject, Nowitzki said last Thursday, "It's been a tough two weeks, or however long it's been. That's really all I can say about it."
Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com

[Khalid80]

Nowitzki filing seeks custody of unborn child

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/06/19/n....ap/index.html

[rikhardur]

Dirk Nowitzki is rested and ready for the season

It’s hard to miss what you never had.

But if Dirk Nowitzki knew how good he would feel after taking a summer to let his body rest and his mind clear, he probably would have taken a couple of more stress-free off-seasons in the last decade.

Nowitzki is "bouncier" than ever, he says, after taking a summer to relax for the first time in his NBA career. Every previous year, there were Olympic qualifiers, European championships or other responsibilities to the German national team.

After realizing a dream and getting Germany to the Olympics, where he was the country’s flag-bearer in Beijing last summer, Nowitzki finished the second round of the playoffs in May and then did ... nothing.

Now, he’s found himself more Dirk-like than ever in training camp. And people are noticing.

"Physically, Dirk’s in a lot better shape than he was this time last year in terms of his energy level," coach Rick Carlisle said. "And it’s mentally draining going to Beijing and flying all over the world and playing in qualifying tournaments.

"This year, it’s different and his play is reflective of that."

The Mavericks seem to have a lot of players on their team right now who are tired of resting and can’t wait to get cleared medically to play, such as Shawn Marion, Josh Howard and Tim Thomas. Meanwhile, Nowitzki has only now realized how good it is to be well rested.

"I definitely notice it," he said. "It usually takes me awhile to get rolling, but I feel a lot more energetic than I normally do in the preseason. I basically didn’t compete at all this summer. No three-on-three or anything. I feel great."

Nowitzki has been shooting 63 percent over the last four exhibitions.

Tonight, he’ll get a little bit more of a challenge, most likely, when the Mavericks meet Cleveland for the second time in four nights, this time at the University of Pittsburgh’s Petersen Events Center.

Carlisle said Cleveland coach Mike Brown told him before Saturday’s game that Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams — all of whom sat out at American Airlines Center on Saturday — would play tonight.

That should make this a good dress rehearsal for the regular season. The preseason ends Friday in Houston.

The regular-season opener in a week can’t come soon enough, especially given that Nowitzki is clearly in midseason form.

Carlisle said that the situation with Nowitzki and the German team was somewhat different than J.J. Barea, who was disappointed this summer that shoulder surgery kept him from playing for the Puerto Rican national team.

"You have some situations where you have younger guys that you would like to play for their national teams because they’re at a stage where they need competitive, high-level international experience to help their NBA careers," Carlisle said.

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236591/

[rikhardur]

Fewer points by Dirk Nowitzki could equal more Mavs wins

Mark Cuban made the proclamation on the first day of training camp that fans will see a different Dirk Nowitzki this season, and not just because he hasn’t had a haircut since the Beijing Olympic rings were shaved into his scalp.

"I promise you Dirk’s numbers will drop this year," the Mavs’ owner said. "Dirk’s numbers go down when he has confidence in the rest of his team and he doesn’t have to score."

Of all the things Nowitzki has done in his massive and still growing career, proving that less is more is still on the to-do list. History tells us it might be the best thing that could happen to him and the Mavericks.

The last two NBA champions have featured superstars whose numbers dropped significantly from previous seasons. They were surrounded by better talent and therefore deferred more often, scored less and won big. It happened with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers and with Kevin Garnett and the Celtics.

Could it happen here? Could Nowitzki, the face of the franchise and the man who has done everything in his career except win a title, see his scoring average dip from the 25.3 he’s averaged the last five seasons?

"I’d love that — if we win," Nowitzki said. "That’s the most important thing."

The additions of Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden, and the growth of J.J. Barea and continued scoring of Jason Terry give the Mavericks far more weapons than they’ve had in recent seasons.

Last year, only three teams in the NBA had less than four players average double-figure scoring.

New Jersey and Oklahoma City were among the league’s worst. And then there were the Mavericks, who had only Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jason Terry averaging more than 10 points.

That will change this season.

"Just look at the numbers of the guys we acquired," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Those guys are all double-figure scorers. I don’t know that they’ll be double-figure scorers here. But Marion will be. Josh will be. Jet will be. Dirk will be.

"It’s become a strength-in-numbers league in terms of scoring balance. You’ve got to have five or six guys who have consistent ability to score, even if they don’t average double figures."

Nowitzki is all in. But let’s not kid around. He’s still a scorer at heart and he knows that’s not going to change drastically.

"I’m sure there will be nights when things aren’t going right and I have to score more," he says. "And there will be nights when things are working and guys are cutting and shooting and I might only score 15 or 20 points. It just depends.

"I think I’m good at adjusting on the fly. Whatever comes at me, I’ll try to do. But obviously, I’m still at my most efficient and best when I score and shoot and get to the foul line. I’m sure I’ll get my opportunities to score. But some teams like San Antonio might still double-team me. If that happens, we’ll have to make them pay in other ways."

Nowitzki is going into this season as optimistic as ever — not only about the Mavericks, but about his individual game. He went more than two months without picking up a basketball and spent a lot of time playing tennis to keep his stamina up.

He lost 12 pounds.

And you get the feeling that he’s in better shape mentally. He had a summer to get over the life-altering tribulations with ex-fiancée Crystal Taylor and seems to be focused on basketball.

Plus, he likes the look of this team. Who doesn’t like having more help to do a job that can get dirty at times.

"It’ll all be great and keep us all fresher," Nowitzki said. "Gooden can play the four and five. And Shawn has shown he can play the four. We can go a lot of directions. The main thing is we win."

http://dirk-nowitzki-news.newslib.co.../2465-3236592/

[mktackabery]

Dirk And The Mavs: 'A Grip In The Toilet'

As Lakers Await, Nowitzki Helps Me Translate His German 'Potty-Mouth'

By Mike Fisher -- DB.com

I am graced with a one-on-one moment with Dirk Nowitzki. And while I have in my pocket the knowledge that he thinks this year’s Mavs are better than last year’s edition, that he thinks he’s “at the top of his game’’ and that he can stay there for another three or four years, and that he thinks about winning a championship and wants to strive for that until it’s “torture,’’ I am obliged to ask him about one more thing. I am obliged to ask the Dallas Mavs’ superstar to help me translate a German saying that in English means “a grip down the toilet.’’
I’ll let The UberMan explain ... in “potty-mouthed’’ style.
“What is ‘Ein Griff ins Klo’?’ says Dirk, repeating my question back to me, and then bursting into laughter. “ ‘Griff’ is ‘grip.’ ‘Klo’ is ‘the bathroom.’ Like, ‘a toilet.’ And ‘ein Griff ins Klo’ basically means that you reached your hand into the toilet … it means you really screwed up.’’
Now, to why I am asked to pose the question on the eve of Dirk’s visit to LA, where the Mavs take on the world-champion Lakers tonight. This is all about Dirk thinking Dallas’ Game 1 loss was “a grip down the toilet.’’ Dirk conducted a visit with a homeland media outlet and, basically, I needed him to help me with a bit of the translation. So here goes, from the German FAZ.net:

A four month break from basketball, a rested Dirk Nowitzki is going into the long NBA season. But after the defeat against Washington and before the game against the defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, once again the Mavs are threatened with a false start. Nowitzki talks about the dream to win the title, the lost pounds, and the future in the NBA.

After the defeat against Washington – do the Mavericks again need, like last year, a long time to get going and get in shape?

DIRK: “I did not think so. We have trained very well in training camp, made good preparation for games. Therefore, yesterday's defeat was a surprise for me. I expected the victory a bit - mainly because we have a very difficult start program. We needed that victory, so I was very disappointed after the game.’’

Also last season, the Mavericks were stumbling into the season.

DIRK: “We already said that we want to start better this year, partly because we have so many new people here. It is better to have a good start and everybody is confident. That was already a grip down the toilet against Washington.’’

When will the injured players Josh Howard and Tim Thomas return?

DIRK: “Josh has been involved in the workout a few times. I hope he comes back soon. He is very important for our team just like last year. You could see it against Washington. We did not get enough going offensively - Josh can create his own shot and can go to the free-throw line. Tim Thomas was in his whole career, one of the top 3-point shooters. We miss the two - but I think the moment has the entire league with injury problems. I just hope that Josh can play an injury-free season not like last year, where he would attend in three or four games and then get injured again.

After the reinforcements this year the Mavs seem to be in a similar situation like five or six years ago. At that time there were problems, because many players were there for the same positions and there where complains about the playing time. Will this be a problem this year?

DIRK: “This year we have an older, more experienced team. If we want to be successful, then everyone must take back his ego and subordinate to the team. As a professional you have to present yourself in practice to the coach. And in a long season of 82 games everybody has the chance to get used accurately. I really see no problem, the chemistry is very good and the new players so far fit in. We have a lot of fun in the locker. I think this team is better than last year.’’

Over the summer you lost weight. Does that also mean that you change your game again, playing away from the basket, as it was the case in the beginning of your career?

DIRK: “I wanted to be lighter because it is healthier for the bones practicing after four months of rest - and we have had very long practices in October, twice a day. I did not want to get hurt. Basically, I would like to play like last year: mixing it up from every position. Against Washington, I have once again shot a couple of 3’s, which did not happened in the preparation, although I should have gone more to the line. But the situation will change from game to game - my game will not change at all.’’

You are 31 now. Have you ever thought about when your NBA career will come to an end?

DIRK: “I weigh less, and feel physically very good. I feel at the moment I am still on top of my game. But if you are over 30, you have to think about what you want to do after your career. I think I will remain in basketball, because this sport gave me so much. In what position and where I'm going to live, that is still open. I think that I can play at a high level three or four more years. Let's see whether I have achieved my dream winning the championship. But if everything becomes a torture, I'd rather quit sooner.’’


And there you have it. Here’s hoping for a minimum of “torture’’ ... and for Dirk and the Mavs to keep their grips out of the toilet.

[ArkadiosV2]

New club record. 29 points in a single (last) quarter.

[rikhardur]

Originally Posted by ArkadiosV2

New club record. 29 points in a single (last) quarter.

For a total of 40 (+ 11 rebs + 5 assists + 5 blocks). Mavs were behind by 16 and won by 11.

[rikhardur]