Like the old saying goes, if everyone believes something it must be wrong.
Come to think of it, does someone actually say that? Or is it just me.
Either way, I believe it. Now more than ever—especially in the NBA.
Case in point—I have been hearing over and over since the NBA Finals when the Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks how Dirk isn't a leader, and this is why the Mavs can't win a championship.
I find this opinion incredibly ridiculous. Where does this come from? What is the logic behind it?
How can anyone try to diminish what Dirk has accomplished, even without winning a championship? Not only is he the first European player to lead his team to the finals in NBA history. He is also the first white player to truly lead his team to the NBA Finals since Larry Bird, 20 years ago! Think about that.
And Dirk did it through an incredibly tough conference and through
the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. And he did it without getting the respect other
NBA superstars get, because Dirk has always been treated like a second class citizen in the NBA.
I am sure Phoenix Suns fans can understand how this feels. They saw Bruce Bowen and the entire San Antonio defense get away with the same "bear hug" defense Bowen and company employed against Dirk. Because with players like Nash and Dirk it pays to foul them. Because the ratio of fouls committed, to fouls called, will always be lower than other, more preferred, superstars. Especially guys with a lot of highlight dunks that fit the standardized mold of NBA superstar.
Yet Dirk got through his "bear hug defense" and went to the NBA Finals and Nash didn't.
And Nash had two other superstars playing around him and a team full of talent and a team built perfectly to complement his skills—while Dirk had no other All-Star caliber player and a team built to actually hurt Dirk's game rather than complement it.
Dirk was even lambasted for not being able to beat Shaq and Dwyane Wade—two mega-superstars who are given carte blanche in the NBA.
Dirk supposedly choked because he couldn't beat a team with two superstars without another superstar on his team other than himself?
Even now, because of this Kidd trade to Dallas, you have people saying the Mavs didn't believe in Dirk as a leader. It's not Dirk people don't believe in—it's Dirk's second banana that is in question. That's why what Dirk has done is so incredible, because he is truly carrying that team entirely.
And this is why Kidd was brought in. No team wins with only one leader. You need multiple leaders to win championship. The Mavs have a great one in Dirk, but that's all they have. And that's why Kidd's experience is so important on the Mavs. Because if anything killed the Mavs in the NBA finals, it was his supporting cast's total lack of experience. Even Avery was completely inexperienced. There wasn't an assistant coach in the NBA with less coaching experience than Avery and he was coaching in the NBA Finals.
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Anonymous about 1 year ago
No, people are saying that Dirk isn't a leadaer beacause of what he did in the playoffs last year. You know when he couldn't do a thing to stop a team called the Golden State Warriors. You know, when he was thourly out played by everyone on the court and only averaged what 15 points a game?
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Max Fischer about 1 year ago
He was "throroughly outplayed" while getting doubled and even tripled throughout that series and while creating open shot after open shot for his teammates in that series. Dirk did his job. No one else on his entire team including his coach did theirs. It's an indictment of Avery's coaching and his teammates leaderhship not Dirk's leadership.
No leader, no matter how great, can continually carry their entire franchise by themselves. That's the point. It's a miracle he has accomplished what he has with such an inept supporting cast.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
I agree with your analysis. I have been saying the same things you are saying in your article. Dirk tries his best, but is constantly double or triple teamed. Everyone always wants to lay the blame on Dirk for the team not getting it done. But, when you score 30 and your team can't win because no one else makes shots, it isn't your fault! One of your other articles mentioned that the team has sub par talent, and I agree with you there as well. I think they should trade Josh Howard. He hogs the ball and shoots whether he is hitting or not. I know a shooter is supposed to shoot even when he is missing. But, the problem is when he misses, he does nothing else to help the team. Either he is on, or he bricks the ball so hard off the rim or backboard it bounces back to half court. I can't really figure out why they keep him when they could be trying for someone with more talent. I think Dirk has amazing talent, and what makes him even better is that he is low-key about things and doesn't whine like other superstars. I am a Dallas fan, but only because of Dirk. If he ever leaves that team, so will I.
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Max Fischer about 1 year ago
Thanks anonymous. It's nice to hear that someone sees things the same as myself. sometimes I feel like it's just me and I'm talking to myself. haha. I just don't understand why everyone doesn't see this stuff. I guess people just assume Dirk isn't good because he doesn't fit the mold of a great basketball player. I will keep trying to inform people though.. Also, people are under the hals assumption that Dirk has a great supporting cast. I don't think people understand Dirk's game -- how unique it is and they don't realize how Dirk makes everyone around him so much better.
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