I just think it's ridiculous to go to one end of the spectrum or another on Dirk. It's ridiculous to label him a closer, and it's equally stupid to call him a choker.
Updated my post..^^^
Yeah, but I guess the deal is SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE THE BLAME. It's always the leader. Even the most balanced champion in recent memory (Pistons) still had a leader. Chauncey gladly took much of the glory. The way I believe he took the blame the next year (at least he claimed to blame himself). He took the glory in victory, he took the in defeat.
I think we're pretty much on the same page now.
I think Dirk is one of the most maligned stars in the NBA. Yes he deserves most of it, but he has still led the Mavs to the finals which is more than what most stars can say. And if you look at the roster, he isn't playing with any closers or bonafide all stars.
I think Dirk is soft but not to the extent people make him out to be and the whole choking label on him has gotten way too far-fetched. The way some people make him out to be, you'd think the Mavs were a below .500 team.
Nevertheless, the label will not be shed until he does something significant in the postseason this year.
Make sure you don't choke while downing that KFC bowl, you know, like Dirk...
I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Fin? (oh yah, updated the last post too)
I don't think Dirk is a choker, but he sure likes to miss a of a lot of free throws at the end of tight games. You can almost count on him going 1 for 2 at some point in the last 5 minutes of a close one. He's had plenty of clutch moments but that free throw worries me, he's been doing it for years.
came back from a high ankle sprain faster than humanly possible, and hits a gamewinning 3. you really have a great case
Dirk has never shied from taking the blame. He never points fingers. I know he yelled at JET on the court after Nash hit that three, but he does NOT call out teammates in the media. He manned up and took the blame for GS.I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Fin? (oh yah, updated the last post too
I think that those continue to call Dirk a choker are racist. He is definitely clutch.
Actually...that might be pretty inaccurate. I remember sound bytes on the radio and the Chuckster publicly calling Dirk out for talking about the "team effort" and using the word "team" with regard to performance right after the GS series man. Now he may have come back and tried to do some damage control after his first few interviews, but he definitely did NOT want to be thrown under the bus after the series.
I'll look for a link, but I remember it very vividly.
Whatever he said was mild, nothing like Peyton Manning complaining about "protection problems."
Dirk did call out Dampier for playing like a puss....but that was entirely justified. And he's also matured since then.
So what? Sometimes players deserved to be called out in the media. Shaq was a fat arrogant piece of and Kobe called his ass out in the media, and you know what it was the right thing to do. Shaq was rehabbing on company time and waltzing through the regular season while his teammates were working their asses off trying to get them into the playoffs.
I agree basically. As long as you're not ducking blame you yourself are due, then you have a leg to stand on to criticize a teammate.
I think Mr. Chug said it best........somebody on DAL had to be blamed for their playoff failures. Dirk was the leader and all the criticism got piled onto him no matter how unfair it was.
Anyone who can still call Dirk soft after watching him basically play on one leg is just a hater IMHO.
Hey im a Laker fan and was talking to another big laker fan recently and we were giving The Diggler his props BEFORE last night's game ...that OT classic against Kobe & Lakers in OT proved he is clutch...he killed the suns and the Jazz who just both whiped your precious Spurs. Dirk is an MVP he just had two bad series at the WORST time ... he is a top 5 PF in a league full of good ones
Dirk is a warrior. A really great player.
Unfortunately, he's not a showboat, so it's hard to sell him. He doesn't have the swagger, his killer's instinct is at best, inconsistent. Nevertheless, outside the Spurs, he must be my favorite player.
Yes, I'm dreaming we can trade Horry+Vaughn+draft picks for him so he can wear black and silver. It's crazy I know but who would ever thought of Kwame for Gasol???
He hits a few here and there. I wish he would stop flopping and falling trying to draw a foul everytime he drives to the basket. I wish he would stop crying so much when he doesn't get the call. Otherwise, Dirk's OK, I wish he played for the Spurs.
i haven't seen him back down from a potential game-winning shot.
atx er am cry
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailyd...ge=dime-080411
Dirk's Winner In Perspective
By Elias Sports Bureau
Dirk Nowitzki hit a tie-breaking three-pointer with 0.9 seconds to play, giving the Mavericks a 97-94 win over the Jazz. During his NBA career, Nowitzki has made only five of 24 potential game-tying or go-ahead field-goal attempts in the last five seconds of regulation or of any overtime period (2-for-11 on three-pointers).
20.8% ... Just saying.
You realize that shots within 5 seconds are usually hurried up shots. I don't think there are many guys with much better stats to be honest.
The guys that missed the most 'clutch' shots last year according to 82games.com were Arenas and Billups, yet we know them as clutch. Dirk meanwhile led the league in 4th quarter scoring.
This means that it's all about the image that people wanna portrey you by. Jordan missed a ton of these 'clutch' shots, but because he hit a few big ones he is now remember forever as one of the most clutch players ever.
To be honest, it's amazing that Dirk had to go through this run to sort of improve his image. Guys doing half of this would be getting much bigger credit. But because it's Dirk he is held to a different standard, just like the one ESPN showed. And I am sure that next time he misses a shot people will be all over him again.
I must have missed the memo.
America, eatin' my lunch from a single bowl in my parents basement, where I'm livin'. Happy Birthday, I'm forty-three.
Don't want to waste those precious calories...chewin'. Jesus come move my jaw for me, help me get my sloppy food down my throat
I actually remember when he missed a big free throw with 30 seconds left in game 3 of the finals, when they asked why he missed the big freethrow he said he was trying to shoot the freethrow perfectly and that he always tries to shoot end of game freethrows perfectly. I think that is exactly why he misses big freethrows, he has to shoot them the same way he has been shooting them all game.
Last edited by The Nba Is Rigged; 04-11-2008 at 08:32 AM.
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