Dirk Nowitzki is one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time
One of the six best basketball players in the world — the one currently and forever better than Amar’e Stoudemire and Chris Bosh at their own position — hit the free agent market this summer, and it seemed the vast majority of the basketball world either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
Almost as quickly as he became available, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks for $80 million over four years. And then, like Keyser Soze, he was gone for the rest of the summer media frenzy. Did I miss something? Maybe it’s because the prospect of Dirk signing anywhere but Dallas seemed as likely as Chuck Hayes winning the All-Star Weekend three-point shootout, but while we debated and spent hours breaking down Matt Barnes and Mike Miller‘s respective summer moves, Dirk ensured Dallas will be a title contender for at least the next four years, and it barely made a ripple.
Then last weekend I’m in an NBA fantasy draft, and Dirk is being treated like broccoli: You know it’s good for you, but there’s a clear reluctance when it’s time to commit to the purchase.
“He’s been as steady a fantasy basketball player as you can ask for, but that doesn’t mean it makes it any more appealing to take him,” wrote Dime’s Fantasy Doctor in the October 2010 issue of the magazine. “He’s the wisest pick … but if you just can’t stand the boredom that’s included in this package of fantasy goodness, feel free to take a risk on someone who offers more excitement.”
OK, back to real basketball.
Am I the only person who thinks Dirk is a Top-6 player in the League right now? Am I the only person who realizes he’s become underrated, or just taken for granted?
The 32-year-old Nowitzki kicked off his 13th NBA season with a 28-point, 13-rebound effort against the Bobcats on Wednesday, and the mainstream coverage of his game paled in comparison to Kevin Durant‘s 30-point, 7-rebound effort against Chicago, or Blake Griffin‘s 20-point, 14-rebound line against Portland. I get it. Durant is the brand new flavor of the year, while Blake was making his long-awaited pro debut. Dirk doesn’t offer any of that glossy intrigue; in a lot of ways he’s become like the San Antonio Spurs dynasty wrapped up in one individual. Everybody knows he’s good, everybody knows he’ll be there come playoff time, yet to a growing number of observers, it’s gotten boring.
Meanwhile, Dirk has done more than simply put together a Hall of Fame career. He has reached (or has done enough to reach) that immortal tall-tale status. If the NBA made a new list of its all-time 50 Greatest Players, Dirk would be included.
In NBA history, Dirk ranks 27th in total points, 22nd in scoring average, 14th in free-throw percentage, and 61st in rebounds. For each of the last 10 seasons, Dirk (and All-NBA pick for the last decade straight) has been the best player for a Mavericks franchise that has won at least 50 games every year — an average of 56 wins per season — and never missed the playoffs. He has the league MVP from ’07, and seven other Top-10 MVP finishes. He ranks 26th all-time in total points in the playoffs, and is 10th in postseason scoring average (25.5 ppg). Dirk led Dallas to the Finals in ’06.
Beyond the numbers, though, Dirk is a truly unique talent. The NBA has never seen a 7-footer with his skill set utilize those talents so effectively; Dirk is the best shooting big man of all-time, and after being pigeon-holed as a three-point gunner early in his career, he’s modified his game to achieve a mastery of mid-range offense. (From 2000 to 2003, Dirk shot 4.5 to 5.0 threes per game; last year he shot 1.5 threes per game.) At the same time, Nowitzki goes inside enough to have averaged 8.5 rebounds per game for his career.
Dirk’s $80 million deal was also unique. It includes a no-trade clause, making him one of only two active players with that kind of luxury. One is Kobe Bryant. The other? He is one of the best players in the League — one of the best players of all-time — who has somehow become one of the most underrated.
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October 28th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Steve Nash says:
Dirk REVOLUTIONIZED the game like Garnett did… GM’s went looking for the next KG in HS and when Dirk did what he did… they started to look for the next DIRK ABROAD…
I agree Dirk top 50 of all time hands down… amazing shooter and can fight for a rebound… his passing was never the best but reliable enough to make the right play… He is in the Kobe league as in when he has the ball almost a certain a score!
Top 6 now is arguable… i don’t think so because of his age and defense… but arguable
October 28th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
ecco says:
dirk sure is an amazing player and as a german iam very proud of him.
i watched him in some all nba vs young german talent game when he was like 17 and you could see in that game that he was able to keep up with nba stars ( barkley pippen payton etc. where in the us “showteam ), but even back then who would imagine that he could become a real star in the nba even better then schrempf
( who was really good as well, for some reason there are so few german players but the ones we have do good at least ).
he will never win a ring i think but oh well, hes career is still awesome!
October 28th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Sporty-j says:
When i think of Dirk. The first thing that comes to mind is incredible talent but SOFT. Hes not nearly half the man that Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are and he just started late in his carrer to try and play a little defense and rebound since the media and everybody started calling him out. Dude let Jackson and the Warriors take his lunch money lol… I guess the refs cheated to huh???lol
October 28th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
That's What's Up says:
one of the 50 greatest shooters of all time…sure.
but 50 greatest players? The guys defense is non-existent. In my mind…no D, no respect. He gets paid to shoot, and that’s it
October 28th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Lee says:
If the Golden State series never happened, he’d get a lot more love, and GS only made the playoffs on the last game of the season. If he’d faced the clippers it’d be a different story.
October 28th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
smarty-j says:
since you seem to have an intimate knowledge of kg and td’s manhood, i advise you get off their dick and recognize how great dirk has been. he’s the only player of the three to average over 25 and 10 in the playoffs, something only five other Bob Pettit, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elgin Baylor, and Shaquille O’Neal.
That said, Duncan is handsdown a better player than Dirk. KG, on the other hand, isn’t. KG could never beat Duncan in the playoffs – Dirk has done it twice. Statistically, KG averaged .5 more steals and .4 more blocks in the playoffs than Dirk and never came close to scoring the same amount as Dirk. KG left the team he was supposed to champion in Minnasota and pulled a LeBron to join a superstar laden team to get his ring. Dirk didn’t. Does that mean he’s less of a player? Only if you’ve got KG’s nuts in your mouth.
October 28th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Chris says:
He really should have that championship, but the crooked refs stole it.
October 28th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
King says:
I’ve been saying that KD reminds me more of an althletic Dirk.
Dirk is still. A top ten player
October 28th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Sporty-j says:
@SMARTY-J!!! If you would just get off you knees and just take about 2 inches of Dirks GERMAN SAUSAGE out of your mouth. I promise you that you will see the light. Dont tell me about stats. If we based everything on stats than Lebron would have 2 rings by now and Monty Ellis must be the best SG in the NBA. My eyes dont lie to me just like everybody else eyes dont and i dont need people to tell me Lebron is the best player in the NBA, next coming of Jordan, when he is clearly not and i dont follow the HYPE machine that the media trys to feed us and tell us. I have my own mind bra and let me see a player play and i will tell you whos the best. KG leaving the wolves is totaly different than Lebron leaving the Cavs and it way later in his career and he was traded after he gave his heart and soul to that city and they were not going to win a CHAMPIONSHIP. So are you saying that Dirk is tougher, better than KG, and has more HEART??? lol
October 28th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Taj says:
Diggler’s always been nice, except for that forgettable rookie year.
October 28th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
ballin says:
I love it when guys like sporty-j talk a bunch of nonsense about toughness and heart and ignore the shit that counts.
If it’s all about toughness and heart, then Kenyon Martin would be crowned the greatest basketball player of all time. Clearly, he’s not.
Anyway, I agree with the article’s main points… Dirk is easily a top 50 player of all time. The fact that he’s won an mvp alone pretty much proves that… less than 50 players have ever done so (once you take away the multiple mvp’s jordan got, along with dudes like nash and lebron and other two-timers, you’re left with like around 35 dudes who have gotten mvp awards).
As for top six in the league today… (no particular order)
lebron
kobe
dwayne wade
dwight howard
kevin durant
Those are the only guys that are DEFINITELY better than Dirk, so yeah I guess it’s plausible. You could say you’d take somebody like Melo over Dirk but honestly in just about every real comparison Dirk comes out on top. Melo fanboys will probably drop some shit about Melo being the “best scorer in the NBA” or whatever while ignoring that Melo is mad inefficient for an elite scorer. It aint like Melo’s D is any better, either.
October 28th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Hucklebuck says:
ReDIRKulous!
Don’t worry about what he can’t do, but what he can do and has done. I agree with 50 all-time an current top 6.
October 28th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
collin says:
thank you. thank you. thank you. most underappreciated player of the past decade.
October 28th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
jm says:
I wouldn’t call Dirk soft. Why is he so soft, because he doesn’t scream like KG and try to intimidate others, especially smaller players?
Dude has hit some clutch buckets in his career. If you are soft and weak minded, those moments eat you up. I would probably agree that he is a top 50 player. Dirk has put up crazy #’s in the playoffs in his career…like 26 and 11 over the last decade. Not saying he is better than KG because they are different players and who you want on your squad depends on who else is on the team that benefits most from their skill set.
But, if KG is so much better than Dirk how come he didn’t carry the T-Wolves further in the playoffs more often? He was their go to guy just as Dirk is. T’Wolves were basically a first round KO most of KG’s career there. KG has a title because he is on the same squad with Pierce, Allen, and over the last few seasons Rondo. They both are great players in their own right. It is really hard to compare KG and Dirk. They are different type of players.
I just think it is crazy to say Dirk is soft. When you are the absolute “go to guy” on your squad and have been for the last decade+ and you put up the numbers for a winning franchise who before you got there was an absolute doormat, you are not soft. Everyone knows you are getting the rock and they still can’t stop you. Don’t see it.
October 28th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
dagwaller says:
Great article. I see him as the opposing side of Tim Duncan. Better J, worse D.
As much as I love Dirk, those are the reasons TD has rings and Dirk doesn’t.
But that doesn’t mean he’s not an all-time great, and still going.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
datdood says:
super underrated. i am constantly defending him to my boys. one of the only players in the league that can completely win a game by himself. he has done it time and time again.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
b says:
he’s a great scorer but i never really thought he had that killer instinct most legit stars have. maybe he’s a great regular season player, but it’s hard to forget that series with GS in ’07.
Give me Duncan, even with the couple extra years.
Dirk definitely looked soft last year after his elbow lost a battle with carl landry’s teeth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaVAL3DBauU
October 28th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
yoda says:
you compare who has bigger balls, dirk or kg? dirk wants ball in his hands late in the game, while kg would rather be somewhere else than on court when game is on the line. kg has been known as a choker for years, and only die hard fans tried to find excuse for him when he pass the ball instead to shoot is that hes a team player. kg chokes and you can’t count on him to deliver when it matters. dirk lives for those moments.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
karizmatic says:
Dirk isn’t even a top 10 player in the league at this point I have Kobe, LBJ, Wade, Melo, Durant, Williams, Howard, Paul, Gasol, Duncan all ahead of him at this point and you might take him ahead of Duncan, but I think that’s debateable. He might be top 50 at this point but the problem is Dirk just isn’t going to get you to the promised land. His “unique set of skills” is not a winning formula at his position he is living proof that having a 7’0 guy who can shoot jumpers without any discernable post game and lackluster defense is not really a dominant force in the NBA….unfortunately his skill set will not get you a ring. So that’s what drops his rating and makes him even more than boring…he’s nothing but a glorified scorer who adds little else to your team. That’s cool for fantasy but in real life it means very little.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
karizmatic says:
@ King
I’ve been saying it to a lot of people myself. KD is going to be the player Dirk should have been.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
gast says:
Duncan played with all NBA Defense players, the same goeas for garnett and Gasol. It is easy to shine on D when you play with Kobe, Manu, Bowen, Robinson, Pierce, Billups or Robert Horry.
Dirk had to play with Barea, Terry, Nash, Jamison, Finley and co.
Kidd and Marion are too old.
October 28th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Cage says:
Dirk has a “soft” label because of the Miami and GS series. When you are TRIPLE teamed, and you pass it to an open teammate that misses the shot or commits a turnover…..that does not mean soft!! That is smart basketball, just because he does not jack up ill advised shots, his numbers were down in those series. It is a TEAM game, HE did not loose those series, the Mavericks did. He did all he could – that does not equal soft!!
October 28th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Mavs all the way says:
he.is.the.man.
October 28th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
yeah right says:
“Meanwhile, Dirk has done more than simply put together a Hall of Fame career”
When did you guys do the HOF check thing – two years ago? Dirk was out at that time. Called BS back then of course. What has he done differently over the last two years that makes you change your mind?
October 28th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Promoman says:
I’m not a Dallas fan but I can’t argue. Dirk’s one of the best Euro players of all-time. The only guy I’d take before him is Arvydas Sabonis. Dirk is up there with LeBron and Kevin Garnett in terms of revolutionary factor and probably is the best scorer, not player, of these three. At least until LeBron fully develops anyway.
October 28th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
nizzio says:
Dirk a top 6 player? More like a top 10 player to me. Top 10 are Kobe LeBron Wade Durant Howard Melo CP3 then Dirk. I probably missed someone. Dirk doesn’t play great defense so he can’t really lead a team.
October 28th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
dagwaller says:
@ 24 – eh, he was in a couple years ago. Since then, he led the German National Team to their first Olympics since 1992 along with a couple more 50 win season and a First and Second All-NBA team, soooo…yea, he’s still in.
To give you some perspective, Dirk has played on 10 STRAIGHT 50 win teams. KG played on FOUR TOTAL in his entire career with the Wolves.
Meanwhile, TD has finished as the Second and Third All-NBA team (behind Dirk) for the last couple years.
Who has had a better career? Tim Duncan, hands down. He also has a long list of 50 win seasons, plus rings.
But he’s the best PF of all time. Dirk? He’s not there, nor will he probably ever be. A HoF lock and top 50 of all time? Sure.
@ Karizmatic: Pau Gasol? You’re a Lakers fan, aren’t you? Hm.
Melo is the SF version of Dirk, really. What kind of sick defensive plays have you seen Melo make? He’s known as a scorer. Ditto Durant. Neither has led their team deep into the playoffs yet. Someday? Who knows? But neither has the game that Dirk has TODAY.
October 28th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Sporty-j says:
I cant believe that we are even sitting here comparing Dirk to KG. Nobody ever asked him to go out there and try to intimidate his opponent like KG does or scream as loud as he can or grab the ball in the air when the other team shots when the play is over like KG does lol. Tim Duncan played with all defensive player teammates??? Yes he did but did you ever think that they were all defensive because maybe Tim Duncan made those players look better than they really were because he was such a DEFENSIVE presence down low like Dwight Howard is now??? Dirk always reminded me of Amare on defense and seemed like he only cared about offense. The guy is a unique skill set dont get me wrong, but KG is a ALL-AROUND basketball player. KG in his prime would kill Dirk 1 on 1 and its not even a debate. If KG was drafted to the SPURS instead of Tim Duncan, he would be the 1 considered the best PF of all-time. KGs mid-range jump shot was just as good as Dirk and his post game was better. Dirk has a little more range because he can hit the 3 and thats all he has ever done better than KG in his career. He let 6-8 Haslem and 6-8 Steven Jackson D his a$$ up with that pretty a$$ jump shot shooting sh!t he likes to do at the top of the key. He was suppose to kill those guys down low the AMERICAN way and than take guys like Tim Duncan, KG, Gasol, or whoever to the top of the key with his Fiba play so his teammates can have an easier time down low. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to tell you. Hes a regular season monster like Lebron and thats why people dont care because he always left a lot to be desired with his game. BORING!!!
October 28th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Sporty-j says:
I keep telling you cats that you cant just judge guys like Durant, Melo, and Dirk. Against guys like Kobe, James, Wade, Duncan, KG until they are dominant on the DEFENSIVE end of the floor as well as offense. In all sports except golf. You cant play offense without DEFENSE which WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS…
October 29th, 2010 at 12:00 am
KB8toSG8 says:
Uuuh…..no. Dirk might be in the 60s or 70s but not in the top 50. There have been to many great players in the L that also don’t choke.
October 29th, 2010 at 12:41 am
KB24 says:
I’m not getting this “Gasol is better than Dirk” garbage. Pau didn’t accomplish anything in Memphis. The one time they played in a playoff series Dirk averaged 31ppg to 50%fg to Gasol’s 20ppg and completely destroyed him. People tend to underrate Dirk’s D and overrate Pau’s, especially us lakers fans. Honestly, even though Pau fits perfectly in the triangle offense, we would probably be going for our 4th straight title if it was Dirk instead of him. Dirk would not let KG punk his ass.
@Sporty-j
Tim Duncan is hands down better than Dirk, the man’s probably the best power forward of all time. But with KG its not that clear.
“KG in his prime would kill Dirk 1 on 1 and its not even a debate.”
Back in 2002 when the Mavs played the T-wolves Dirk killed KG in that matchup averaging 33ppg on 55%fg and 77%3pt. This is KG in his “prime” too.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:40 am
Chise says:
I agree with this article 100%. Yeddir!!
October 29th, 2010 at 1:57 am
Fertsy says:
When ya global nickname is No-WIN-ski you are not a Top 50 All player… and D can only be disregarded if you are averaging 35ppg
Oh he revolutionised the game?!? He’s the German Sam Perkins aka the same as any other Euro big man who plays the perimeter… granted he does it better but he ain’t a revolution.
Real revolutions are KG – 7 footer that can guard 5 positions and Magic – PF body with PG skills (Lebron is an evolution) and who ever was the 1st Euro big man to play the perimeter (not Dirka-Dirka)
October 29th, 2010 at 3:31 am
K Dizzle says:
Here’s the top 50 Greatest List.
I don’t know who Dirk would replace…
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Nate Archibald
Paul Arizin
Charles Barkley
Rick Barry
Elgin Baylor
Dave Bing
Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain
Bob Cousy
Dave Cowens
Billy Cunningham
Dave DeBusschere
Clyde Drexler
Julius Erving
Patrick Ewing
Walt Frazier
George Gervin
Hal Greer
John Havlicek
Elvin Hayes
Magic Johnson
Sam Jones
Michael Jordan
Jerry Lucas
Karl Malone
Moses Malone
Pete Maravich
Kevin McHale
George Mikan
Earl Monroe
Hakeem Olajuwon
Shaquille O’Neal
Robert Parish
Bob Pettit
Scottie Pippen
Willis Reed
Oscar Robertson
David Robinson
Bill Russell
Dolph Schayes
Bill Sharman
John Stockton
Isiah Thomas
Nate Thurmond
Wes Unseld
Bill Walton
Jerry West
Lenny Wilkens
James Worthy
October 29th, 2010 at 3:42 am
dagwaller says:
Can we say “Top 30 of the last 30 years”, since no one here (probably) has ever even seen highlights of Lenny Wilkens or Dolph Schayes play?
LOL @ Sporty-J, I know you’re joking around when you say you can’t compare Dirk to guys like LeBron or D Wade who are “dominant” on D lol pretty good…
Also, I would guess that Austin, when he says top 6, means that LeBron, Kobe, D Wade, and Durant are all better than Dirk is. So…what are you arguing against, exactly?
Dirk’s nickname on the global level is far from No-Win-Ski. Fertsy, I can tell that you’re new around here, or maybe don’t read so good. 10 50 win seasons in a row? Yea, he never wins, you’re right. Your argument is that other big men have shot the ball before…ok, so Kevin Garnett wasn’t a revolution, because other big men have dribbled the ball before. Clever.
I don’t think I read anywhere in Austin’s column that KG wasn’t as good as Dirk was, so I don’t know why everyone’s panties are all bunched up. I simply pointed out that KG, for all his greatness and leadership, couldn’t get HIS team as far as Dirk got his, nor could he even win in the regular season as much as Dirk did. Those are facts.
October 29th, 2010 at 5:06 am
yeah right says:
@dagwaller, Dime:
http://dimemag.com/2007/10/hof-watch-dirk-nowitzki/
October 29th, 2010 at 5:27 am
KB8toSG8 says:
@k dizzle…..how could you leave out KB and Duncan and even KG?!
October 29th, 2010 at 5:28 am
cdubb says:
Dirk is a top 50 player of all time, hands down. And oh yea, the refs ruined his championship run in ’06. Thanks Tim Donaghy
October 29th, 2010 at 7:24 am
EN FUEGO says:
Give or take, there are only about 26 players that have been NBA MVP. Dirk is currently 27th all-time in points. He led a Dallas Mavericks franchise to reach a level of success that no player has ever done before.
Those facts alone automatically makes him a top 30-35 player all-time, much less 50. Done, done and done. Nuff said.
October 29th, 2010 at 8:50 am
Simon says:
@KB8toSG8, I believe that is the list the NBA produced as part of their 50th anniversary there young blood. K Dizzle just be posting it to remind people and drop some knowledge.
October 29th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Nat says:
“KG in his prime would kill Dirk 1 on 1 and its not even a debate.”
Sporty-J is an idiot. Dallas swept Minnesota in the 2002 playoffs, during KG’s prime.
KG’s stat line Game 1 – 19 pts, 21 reb, 5 assists, 33% FG, Game 2 – 31 pts, 18 reb, 4 assists, 47% FG, Game 3 – 22 pts, 17 reb, 5 assists, 47% FG
Dirk’s stat line Game 1 – 30 pts, 15 reb, 0 assists, 53% FG, Game 2 – 31 pts, 15 reb, 2 assists, 43% FG, Game 3 – 39 pts, 17 reb, 0 assists, 65% FG
Know your facts before you go making declarations. Dirk has more than held his own during the playoffs. Its his teammates who have let him down. During both Miami and GS series, he was double and triple teamed and his teammates did nothing to help him out. If he is so soft and nothing more than a jump shooter, how could he average 25 pts and 11 rebounds per game in the playoffs? Even KG didn’t do that. Dirk is top 50 no question.
October 29th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Nat says:
More evidence to Dirk’s top 50 status:
Dirk Nowitzki remains 25/10 millenium man
October, 28, 2010 Oct 283:02PM CT
Email Print Comments By Marc Stein
Can you name the NBA’s most reliable source of 25-and-10 games since the start of the new millennium?
Mavs fans get one guess.
Dirk Nowitzki’s 28 points and 13 rebounds in Wednesday’s season-starting victory over Charlotte marked his 196th 25-and-10 performance since 2000-01.
That’s tops in the NBA in that span, as confirmed by the following Elias Sports Bureau list:
196: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
182: Tim Duncan, San Antonio
177: Kevin Garnett, Boston
166: Shaquille O’Neal, Boston
120: Antawn Jamison, Cleveland
October 29th, 2010 at 10:54 am
karizmatic says:
LOL
@41
What does this stat really prove? I got another stat
Rings
TD -4
Shaq – 4
KG – 1
Dirk – 0
October 29th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Sporty-j says:
lmaol!!! More evidence lol??? You guys are killing me with your jokes and im going to have to go to a mental hospital from laughing so hard. I guess that means Dirk is better than Shaq, Duncan, and KG than right??? Where was that 25/10 when 6/8 Steven Jackson was taking his man hood. To the guy that said Dirk swept KG in 2002 playoffs. I would have to go and google there rosters from back than but didnt Dirk have Steve Nash on that team? I guess if Kobe would have somehow been able to face Wade and my Heat last year in the playoffs and swept us. That it means Kobe is better than Wade when Kobe is on an all-star team and there team just got even better this year. Im not saying hes not top 50 and never came close to saying that in any of my posts. I think hes top 50 and always remember this saying. Stats can lie sometimes about a player and its best to see what they can do with your own EYE. Dont tell me how a man ranned for 2500 in a season playing against division 3 scrubs even though its still impressive and there record was not even .500 so he got as many carries as he wanted. Dont tell me how Monte Ellis scored 26 points per game last year when most of the time in was in blowouts and garbage minutes. He will always have the label as choker from when my HEAT and GS spank that a$$. He will be remembered by SOME PEOPLE as a GREAT SCORER and still have the soft label next to his name and he still left a lot to be desired on the defensive end of the floor. The best perimeter players of today are always going to be compared to Micheal Jordan. The best big men are always going to be compared to guys like Tim Duncan. You have to give it on both ends of the floor to be compared to the best of the best and Dirk only gave it on 1 like Amare has so they will always be considered a notch below players Like KG because those guys absolutely wanted to dominate the game on both ends. Nobody has ever talked about Dirks defense. The guy is so slow on his rotations, help defense sucks, and looks like a mummy trying to guard people. Dirk was drafted into a orgazation that knows how to build a team around there star player and has a pretty good owner. Only time KG had a good team with the wolves is that 1 year when they had Sprewell who was offered a sorry contract extension that was not enough money to his kids and family and Sam Cassell. Rather than that, Garnett was slaving in Minny. You stat machine freaks need to leave the stats alone. Theres a reason why Kobes still considered the best. Because hes clutch, has a post game, and can make shots from all over the floor. Also is a shutdown defensive player. Lebron is not clutch, still does not have a post game, jumper is shakey sometimes, and is not all that of a great defender but does get a lot of blocks from behind his opponant. I guess if we want off stats. Lebron would be considered the clear cut best player in the NBA when he still has some weaknesses in his game even though hes so atheltic that it does not even matter because hes a MAN-CHILD…
October 29th, 2010 at 11:55 am
Guitar Hero says:
Dirk is soft?
Please.
The man comes out to play EVERY time. Doesn’t take nights off, plays through injuries and he’s extremely durable.
He’s a finesse player, but he’s not soft by any means.
October 29th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
dagwaller says:
You can really tell who the people are that watch basketball and who just plays video games and sees the jerseys in his middle school class, haha.
@ karizmatic – no one’s arguing that Shaq, TD and KG aren’t top 50 players. I think KG is on the same bubble that Dirk is. Probably not quite as close, but still, all of these points are simply COUNTER points to the children that think Dirk is NOWHERE NEAR their boyfriends in Boston and San Antonio.
@ yeah right – Yea, I posted on that page. He was in back then, too. Austin just didn’t know it yet. As I wrote in my post, “IF Dirk continues on his career arc, then he’ll be in.” He has, so, yea, he’s in.
Unless you’re taking Austin’s vote back then as the Word. In which case, you must think he’s right when he says that Dirk is in now…?
October 29th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
ash says:
dirk has not missed more than 2 reg seasons games in the last 5 years. kg goes down like a feather…so i guess kg is softer..
November 1st, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Ian says:
Sporty j
If the spurs had kg not td then there would be another franchise with 4 titles not the spurs. Please man kg was just roadkill in the playoffs dirk owned him head to head nd let’s not even get into what duncan used to do to him.
Dirk is the second best pf imo this generation. Garnett was puttin up stats and yellin on crappy teams.
November 25th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Sreezy says:
Ok, Dirk is a great player yet, but you can’t really compare him to Tim and KG: Tim and KG are totally different players than Dirk. While Dirk is a more perimeter player, those two are post players (although both have improved their perimeter game) and defensive blocks. All three are great, personally Dirk has a better offensive game than the two, but worse defense. And just because KG and Tim have won a ring(s) doesn’t mean they are necessarily better. They will all go to the hall of fame and will definitely be Top 10 players in a 2000-2010 best players list. Here is my list:
1. Kobe
2. Tim Duncan
3. LeBron
4. D-Wade
5. Steve Nash
6. Shaq
7. KG
8. Allen Iverson
9. Dirk
10. (Either Melo, Chauncey, or Superman)
November 25th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Sreezy says:
And statistically speaking, Garnett has averaged more points than Duncan when they have met in the playoffs. Garnett is a better defensive player than Tim Duncan, but Tim is wayyy more consistent offensively.