Dirk Nowitzki: He is the biggest mismatch in the NBA and anytime you take something away from his game, another opens up. He is a skilled 7 footer with the best ball handles for a guy his size and can drive past other bigs. He also can shoot from anywhere with the %s of (47-50%FG, 37-41%3pt) therefore he lures bigs away from the hoop so that teammates can drive without being blocked. He doesn’t need to touch the ball AT ALL to have an impact on the offense. Teams try to go small on him because of this and all that leads to is less rebounds for them and post up opportunities for Dirk which lets him get doubles and pass out to open shooters. He has the dimensions of a guard (passing off the dribble, creating his own shot, making FTs, outside shooting) which other bigs have a weakness in and the dimensions of a post player (shot blocking, post player for double teams, passing out the post, rebounding at 11per game in the playoffs yet he plays far from the hoop etc.) which the guards like Kobe/Wade would need a great big to help them in that (Shaq/Gasol/Duncan) and vise versa. Dirk didn’t need either one to make the finals and none of the others made the finals in the tough west conference without that.
MAKING TEAMMATES BETTER:
Dirk’s ability to stretch out the defense and create easy shots for his teammates is severely underrated as well.
Jason Terry’s FG% with Atlanta 42.5%
Jason Terry’s FG% with Dallas 47%
Terry is scoring the same amount of points he did as a Hawk while playing a full four minutes less. Plus, Terry won the Sixth Man of the Year Award, largely thanks to Dirk.
Jason Kidd’s 3pt% before Dallas 33.5%
Jason Kidd’s 3pt% with Dirk 43%
Kidd, is also averaging career lows in turnovers thanks to Dirk stretching the floor and creating wider passing lanes
Dirk is one of the most efficient players in the game. Dirk averages 1.9 turnovers per game for a 12 year career while missing only 32 games.
There is a reason why teammates shoot better around him, he makes people better.
The CLUTCH Factor:
Dirk Nowitzki is the most clutch player in the game today.
*According to this link, in the top 50 greatest elimination game performances since the year 1991-2010, Dirk’s name comes up the most times.http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog…
That’s right, Dirk’s name even comes up more over Jordan, Kobe, Wade, Hakeem, Malone, Duncan and any great you can think of from this time period when it comes to elimination games.
*Dirk has hit the most gamewinners since 2005-2006, and has a great efficiency and % in the fourth quarter)
** According to Elias Sports Bureau, in the ENTIRE history of the NBA, in elimination-games, Dirk Nowitzki has 13 30+ point performances. Only Wilt the Stilt, tied at 13, and Jerry West at 14, have achieved similar results! (Bird not on)
* Dirk career game 7’s
Dirk game 7 vs Kings: 31 pts and 19 rebounds (shot higher than 50%)
Dirk game 7 vs Blazers: 31 pts and 11 rebounds (same)
Dirk game 7 vs Rockets: 14pts and 14 rebs (But his team won in blow out fashion) (5-14)
Dirk game 7 vs Spurs: 37 points and 15 rebounds with the clutch three point play. (above 50%)
So his game elevates the most under clutch pressure situations.
EFFCIENCY & Impact:
Dirk shoots anywhere from 47-50%fg, 37-41%3pt and 88-91%ft. He turns the ball over less than any superstar. This means running your offense through Dirk doesn’t waste as many possessions as running it through Kobe and LeBron who turn the ball over more and don’t shoot as efficient all over the court.
Win shares is basically a stat that shows the total amount of impact a player has on their teams winning out come. Dirk Nowitzki this past decade has led the NBA in win shares more times than any other player, including Kobe. So even the years Kobe’s team had the best record, he didn’t necessarily impact the winning % as much as Dirk did. There is a reason why.
Proof: http://www.basketball-reference.com/lead…
- Rebounds (He averages 11+ for his playoff career and he plays far from the hoop, some nights he will have low rebounds but again, he plays away from the hoop often).
Post game (He dominated the nuggets series in the post against Kenyon Martin, Nene, Chris Anderson averaging 34.4ppg and 11.6rpg. He has spin moves, up and unders, and one foot fadeaways).
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Here Is My New, Updated Reasons For Why Dirk Nowitzki Is The Best Player In The Nba. Your Thoughts?
By NBA Rumors Posted in: Dirk Nowitzki
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YES!!!!!!
everything you wrote is true!!!
Good to know. He is a great player.
Not true
What Tony said.
he’s a great player but not the best.
if he was so beastmode how come he let his team get swepped 4-2
I think Dirk is a great player he is not considered an elite alpha dog in the NBA right now because of his defense and rebounding. As you explained Dirk is one of the best scorers in the NBA but at 7′0 a great power forward should be grabbing 11 or 12 rebounds a game. Same goes with his defense he has only averaged 1 block a game for his career. You want to build around a big man that is great all around, offensively and defensively.
I believe that is why you see Kobe and Lebron considered the greatest players right now because they get it done on both ends of the floor.
i didnt read quite all of that, but he is one of the best players in the league without a doubt, he’ll also be in the MVP race this year i believe, but there are just some overhyped trash players that will be considered best for whatever reasons. AKA lebron, hes great in the regular season but after that hes trash. thats somewhat like dirk though, his team is always a top 5 seed or in recent years it has been, and they get knocked out, in what 05-06? they had a 2-0 lead vs heat n got beat by wade and a declining shaq? thats probably why hes not looked at as the greatest, i dont think he has a ring at all does he? people say tim duncan is the greatest foward ever and hes really not talked about much either but the thing is he has the rings, but hes also had an excellent team. i think rings make a player overrated or underrated, steve nash has no rings, therefore no one thinks hes good, same thing with allen iverson, but kobe on the other hand has like 5 and there are people trying to convince me kobe is the greatest player ever, more like hes had one of the greatest supporting casts ever…no disrespect to kobe, hes definitely one of the greats but still.
you cant exactly go off stats, but u did add in impact and effiency as well, and many people dont do that, you have a great argument, but hes not an overhyped guy, if dirk was #1 pick coming out of high school theyd be saying hes the greatest ever just because of the hype.
You have a strong case for Dirk being the best PF in the game. It’s a stretch to consider him the best player in the league.
All I have to say is one word:DEFENSE!!!!!!
I take that back one more word:CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!
He hasn’t ever won anything and probably never will, so until then all those stats are interesting but I would take Kobe,LeBron,Wade,Chris Paul,Steve Nash and even Rajon Rondo(I love his intensity) before Dirk
@ Baller for life: I have to correct you on something. You said Kobe is more worthy to take a last second shot?
Dirk career game winning shot % (34%)/ Kobe (25%)
Dirk career playoff game winning shot % (50%)/ Kobe (50%)
Next,
* Dirk career game 7’s
Dirk game 7 vs Kings: 31 pts and 19 rebounds (shot higher than 50%)
Dirk game 7 vs Blazers: 31 pts and 11 rebounds (same)
Dirk game 7 vs Rockets: 14pts and 14 rebs (But his team won in blow out fashion) (5-14)
Dirk game 7 vs Spurs: 37 points and 15 rebounds with the clutch three point play. (above 50%)
Kobe career game 7’s
vs Celtics: 6-24 (23pts)
vs Rockets 4-12 (14pts)
vs Suns 8-16 (1 pt in second half) (21pts)
vs Kings 10-26 (30pts)
vs blazers 9-19 (25pts)
He played better in more game 7’s and more elimination games (read above). And to you and all the people bringing rings into this, Kobe has been on a better team than Dirk every single year of their entire career except for 4 seasons. Also if one bad moment for Dirk disqualifies him, why doesn’t Kobe’s 2000 or 2004 finals disqualify him? He performed worse. Why the double standards.
best player on the planet? no. He is very very good. But he is not the best. And is not the best shooter.
he is good but all he is is a big tall *** german that can shoot. no post game whatsoever. his defense isnt that good. he is not clutch. and HONESTLY AND TRUTHFULLY THE ONLY REASON WHY HE IS PLAYING PF IS BECUZ PPL LIKE HOWARD WILL EAT HIM FOR BREAKFAST LUNCH AND DINNER. btw if he really made teammates better he would have rings. the ppl that have made dallas better are jason kidd and steve nash. but not dirk
I got to disagree with you with going small on dirk
Remember the success that the kings had with turk on him. Dirk posting up on a smaller guy is what you want you can bring the double team and dirk has had problems with passing the ball out of that
He is a good player
Why did you type all that?
LOL
If he was the best, he wouldn’t have choked away a 2-0 lead in the Finals.
1 MVP
9 time All Star
4 All NBA 1st team
No defensive teams. NONE. Not even 2nd or 3rd.
Sorry, bro. He’s definitely one of the most unique players at 7 feet and can shoot very well and move well for his height.
Seriously, you’d rather have Dirk take the game winner instead of Kobe? Wow…
Kobe is the best, simple and plain. Most skilled player to ever live.
Scoring: Kobe
Shooter: Kobe
Defender: Kobe
Post-up: Kobe
Fundamentals: Kobe
Off-Hand: Kobe
Footwork: Kobe
Clutch: Kobe
Killer instinct: Kobe
5 Championships in 7 Finals appearances this decade
2 Finals MVPs
MVP
12 time All Star
2 time scoring camp
8 All NBA 1st Team
8 All Defensive 1st Team
3 All Star Game MVP
81 points
62 in 3 quarters
9 straight 40+ point games
4 straight 50+ point games
11 straight 35+ point games
12 3’s one game
Averaged 40+ ppg in a month
2nd ALL TIME in playoff 30 point games
3rd ALL TIME in 40 point games
3rd ALL TIME in 50 point games
3rd ALL TIME in 60 point games
Only player in NBA history to score over 600+ points in 3 straight post seasons
OVERALL:
2000 – NBA Champion
2001 – NBA Champion
2002 – NBA Champion, All-Star MVP
2003 – 30 ppg, 7 rpg, 6 apg, 2.2 spg
2004 – Finals Appearance
2005 – 27.6 ppg, 6 apg, 6 rpg, 1.3 spg
2006 – 35.4 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg, Scoring Champion
2007 – Scoring Champion, All-Star MVP
2008 – MVP, Finals Appearance
2009 – NBA Champion, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP
2010 – NBA Champion, Finals MVP
Kobe has had the BIGGEST impact of any player this decade. Not just the championships but the games he has had.
Kobe Bryant, the best player RIGHT NOW and soon to be the GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME.
32 years old
*Kobe holds the record for most 30+ point games in an elimination game on the road.
As good a Dirk is he is not clutch. He choked in the Finals and has been choking in the playoffs ever since. Dirk is bad man but not the greatest.