Can Dirk Nowitzki possibly win the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the second time in his great career? In the 2006-2007 NBA season, when Dirk won the NBA's MVP award, he led the Mavericks to an incredible 67-15 regular season record, home court advantage throughout the playoffs, with the No. 1 seed in the tough, Western Conference.
Yes, he was the best player in the NBA during the regular season that year, but all that was quickly forgotten when the Mavericks were defeated in the first round by the eighth seeded Golden State Warriors.
In the regular season, Nowitzki averaged 24.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, and almost one block per game, and scored a total of 1,916 points. When the Mavericks needed Dirk the most though, the playoffs, his numbers drastically fell. In the first round loss to the Warriors, Dirk only averaged 19.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and 1.3 bpg. His rebounds and blocked shots per game increased, but what Dirk is known for and counted upon is his scoring. It decreased, and the Mavericks lost in six games to the eighth seeded Warriors, which is one of the biggest playoff upsets in the history of sports.
Even though Dirk is still one of the greatest players in the NBA, as long as there are players such as Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James in the league, don't even count on him being in the MVP discussion.
Is that a good or bad thing? Honestly, that's a good thing. Less pressure and less load off Dirk, can only help him and the Mavericks to have a better season than last year and hopefully, take them deeper in the playoffs this year.
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