Sources: Karl to start Nowitzki

[duncan228]

Sources: Karl to start Nowitzki (http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/news/story?id=4907314)
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

DALLAS -- Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has informed league officials that he plans to start Dirk Nowitzki for the West in place of the injured Kobe Bryant in Sunday's All-Star Game, sources told ESPN.com.

Sources close to the situation confirmed that Karl -- who is not scheduled to arrive in Dallas until Friday with the Nuggets playing host Thursday night to the Spurs -- will move Nowitzki from the hometown Mavericks into the starting lineup even though he's obviously not a guard.

Nowitzki narrowly missed winning a starting spot in fan balloting for the first time when San Antonio's Tim Duncan made a late surge in the final round of ballot returns to pass the German.

Karl's decision will reunite Nowitzki and former Mavericks teammate Steve Nash as starters in Dallas along with Duncan, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire.

After Bryant bowed out Thursday because of an ankle injury, NBA commissioner David Stern picked Dallas' Jason Kidd to replace him.

But choosing a starter to replace Bryant was Karl's call, just as East coach Stan Van Gundy will select the player -- likely Boston's Rajon Rondo or Atlanta's Joe Johnson -- to start in place of Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, who withdrew Thursday because one of his young children is ill.

[adidas11]

Sound decision.

[Xylus]

I can't BELIEVE that Kidd got robbed of a starting spot.

[Rogue]

Dirk is indeed a 7ft shooting guard.

[JamStone]

Well deserved.

Nash and Dirk are going to have a lot of "fun" out there starting together.

[Xylus]

So this is the starting lineup for the West?

Nash
Melo
Nowitzki
Duncan
Amare

LOL, that's a sick-ass lineup.

[alchemist]

I knew he was gonna take Kobe's spot, good for him he should start anyway considering Melo's time missed.

[HarlemHeat37]

Awww, cute story, Dirk gets to start..

http://www.interbasket.net/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/cristal-taylor-dirk-nowitzki.jpg

[crc21209]

Who cares? :lol

[dirk4mvp]

Who cares? :lol

Is this the only kind of shit you post?

[crc21209]

Is this the only kind of shit you post?

How about you go look at my post history and see what kind of shit I post then...

[mavsfan1000]

Dirk finally in his natural position.

[mavs>spurs2]

How about you go look at my post history and see what kind of shit I post then...

epic combeback son, how bout u check my post history too! we'll show eachother a couple things

[crc21209]

epic combeback son, how bout u check my post history too! we'll show eachother a couple things

combeback? :lol jk...

[mavs>spurs2]

combeback? :lol jk...

doesn't that make sense to you? or is your brain too dumb that you can't even get that?

[Will Hunting]

lol pussyface

[BRHornet45]

sons this script also reminds me of Wrestlemania 17 whenever they let Stone Cold win the title because the show was in his home state of Texas.

[Fpoonsie]

Good. Dirk deserves it.

...and I can't help but hope that w/ the lineup change, Duncan won't be AS ill-received as he might've been had Dirk remained a reserve.

[blkroadrunners]

So this is the starting lineup for the West?

Nash
Melo
Nowitzki
Duncan
Amare

LOL, that's a sick-ass lineup.

Large ball, not like small ball.

[mavs>spurs2]

sons this script also reminds me of Wrestlemania 17 whenever they let Stone Cold win the title because the show was in his home state of Texas.

son stone cold was a badass no matter where he went. god bless

[mystargtr34]

Dirk play's like a guard anyway.

[mavs>spurs2]

Dirk play's like a guard anyway.

krofl and you post like a bitch

[CubanMustGo]

Good for Karl. Nash should have no problem racking up assists with that lineup.

[hater]

:lmao Dirk back at his natural position

[Ditty]

with kidd in the game now and dirk starting who really wants my ticket now

[badfish22]

:lmao Dirk back at his natural position

A little late there jizz breath. Thats okay though, spurfan has never been known for originality.

[IronMexican]

The rightful starter

[badfish22]

Nash and Dirk are going to have a lot of "fun" out there starting together.

Dirk could never match Stevies level of fun.

tdNiXidfLcc

[8FOR!3]

So this is the starting lineup for the West?

Nash
Melo
Nowitzki
Duncan
Amare

LOL, that's a sick-ass lineup.

6'3, 6'8, 7', 6'11, and 6'10. Is George Karl like The Anti-Pop or something?

[badfish22]

Dirk gets to guard LeBron

DALLAS -- West coach George Karl greeted Dirk Nowitzki with an interesting way of confirming that the Mavs' star would take Kobe Bryant's place in the starting lineup.

"Good luck," Karl said, "you've got LeBron to start."

Dirk's reply: "Oh, sweet."

Dirk has some memorable defensive All-Star history against LeBron. King James threw down a ferocious dunk on Dirk in the All-Star game a couple of years ago. To Dirk's credit, he at least put forth a legit defensive effort on the play, perhaps not so wisely.

[jazzypimp]

I like how in the denver post he said he was thinkin bout starting Chauncey then decided on Dirk... Chauncey?? Kiss ASS Karl!!

[duncan228]

No rest for the weary (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-afterthebuzzer021310&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)
By Marc J. Spears

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki knew he faced a long list of commitments with the NBA’s All-Star weekend being held in his hometown.

“I don’t have a day off, that’s all I know,” Nowitzki said. “Saturday is the Shooting Stars, Sunday is the game, Monday we have practice because we last played last Tuesday in Oklahoma City. It’s probably the worst All-Star break for me. But it is what it is.

“I basically knew coming in last year when we got the All-Star Game that if I made it they were going to run me in circles. That is exactly what happened. I was kind of prepared for it.

“I’d like a day where I don’t have to be anywhere, but it’s not going to happen.”

[mavsfan1000]

Dallas's 2 most tired players are in the all-star weekend activities. Sucks this team will never get a break. Expect the poor efforts to continue. :(

[crc21209]

doesn't that make sense to you? or is your brain too dumb that you can't even get that?

Riiiiight....:rolleyes

[Sportstudi]

6'3, 6'8, 7', 6'11, and 6'10. Is George Karl like The Anti-Pop or something?

Maybe :lol

I would prefer another lineup though. Put in Durant for Amar'e, switch Dirk to PF and Duncan to C and it would look much better.

Nash
Melo
Durant
Dirk
Duncan

Oh damn... not possible, because Amar'e was voted in...:rollin
Nothing personally against Amar'e, but he isn't a C at all. Based on the available players, that would be my favourite lineup.

[mavsfan1000]

So this is the starting lineup for the West?

Nash
Melo
Nowitzki
Duncan
Amare

LOL, that's a sick-ass lineup.
No it would be this.
PG Nash
SG Nowitzki
SF Melo
PF Amare
C Duncan.

[alchemist]

Dirk could never match Stevies level of fun.

tdNiXidfLcc
:lmao omfg this is genius

[duncan228]

Nowitzki’s All-Star assignment: Guarding LeBron (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txallstarnotebook&prov=st&type=lgns)
By David Jimenez

For earning a starting nod in Sunday’s NBA All-Star game, George Karl had a reward for Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki: the first crack at guarding LeBron James.

“I don’t think it’s really a good matchup for me out there with LeBron,” Nowitzki said Friday of defending the reigning league MVP. “But just being out there, being part of this game, it’s exciting to go out there and represent the Mavericks.”

Defending James is the capper for what’s been a hectic couple of weeks for the nine-time All-Star.

Nowitzki has been an ambassador for the city of Dallas as it hosts its first NBA All-Star game in 24 years. His image is even featured on a downtown skyscraper promoting the festivities.

“It’s a little awkward when everything is centered around me,” Nowitzki said Friday. “I don’t like being the center of attention.”

Nowitzki will have a little more focus on him after Karl, the Western Conference coach, picked him to replace injured Kobe Bryant as a starter.

San Antonio’s Tim Duncan earned the final forward starting spot three weeks ago when he narrowly beat out Nowitzki in the fan vote.

“I love Dirk,” Karl said. “I think he’s had a tremendous career. The circumstances of the game being here, getting him into the starting lineup was a no-brainer.”

Nowitzki said he’s trying to make the most of having the All-Star game in his adopted hometown. A group of friends are flying in from Germany, and he will be playing alongside Dallas teammate Jason Kidd and one of his best friends, former Mavericks point guard Steve Nash.

“It’s special to me,” Nowitzki said. “Everything still feels surreal. It’s been an amazing ride the last 12 years. This kind of caps it off.”

[duncan228]

Art Garcia with a really nice piece on Dirk.

Dirk, Big D's favorite adopted son, takes center stage (http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/art_garcia/02/12/dirk/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1)
Art Garcia
NBA.com