So what will be the perception of nowitzki if he doesnt win another ring?

[DMAVS41]

11+ years of winning 50+ has only happened 4 times in the history of the NBA. Dirk has been the only consistant piece over those years. It's pretty special, payroll be damned.

Plus.. Cuban has been notorious for vastly overpaying players.. Just because he gives Dampier "elite player" money doesn't make Dampier an elite player so the payroll number is a little misleading when trying to figure out how talented the teams were.

As someone pointed out in the other thread, Dirk and the Mavs have upset the team with HCA more often than they have been upset themselves.

yep. i think its the russell led celtics (along with 5 hall of famers or more), magic/kareem lakers, duncan led spurs, and dirk led mavs

i love how people act like dirk hasn't had historic success throughout his career.

nobody is saying he's played with scrubs. but talented teams and championship teams are just different.

[Shepseskaf]

Dirk solidified his position as the best European player in league history. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way that he managed to finally get to the mountaintop after the debacles of '06 and '07.

The one thing that sticks in my mind, though, is the episode with that crazy chick. The one who he was reportedly thinking of marrying. I just can't figure out how a person on his level, with the access to women that he obviously has, couldn't see through that scam artist immediately.

[knickswin]

Dirk is great. I am known as a Carmelo homer, but I think Dirk is the best player in the league right now hands down. I had so much fun watching him this past post season. It's always impressive when really good players elevate their games late in their careers. Dirk won a championship this year largely because he worked on his flaws. He developed a good post game and a better triple threat game throughout the years. His passing ability this post season will probably get overlooked because the assist numbers are not high, but make no mistake he moved the ball beautifully.

I DREAM that a player on the Knicks will elevate his game like Dirk did. Ewing never learned how to pass and make his teammates better, and maybe that's why he always came up short. I hope Amar'e and Carmelo can one day add that foil to their games.

[RRR3]

Dirk is great. I am known as a Carmelo homer, but I think Dirk is the best player in the league right now hands down. I had so much fun watching him this past post season. It's always impressive when really good players elevate their games late in their careers. Dirk won a championship this year largely because he worked on his flaws. He developed a good post game and a better triple threat game throughout the years. His passing ability this post season will probably get overlooked because the assist numbers are not high, but make no mistake he moved the ball beautifully.

I DREAM that a player on the Knicks will elevate his game like Dirk did. Ewing never learned how to pass and make his teammates better, and maybe that's why he always came up short. I hope Amar'e and Carmelo can one day add that foil to their games.

Carmelo knows how to pass, he just chooses not to.

[knickswin]

Carmelo knows how to pass, he just chooses not to.

that is actually true which is why I have a lot of hope with him. Part of that's on him because I think 'Melo does have that Kobe problem where he thinks a shot by him against a double team is better than a wide open shot from a teammate, but part of that is playing under Karl and his random ball offense. If he can buy into D'Antoni's ball movement, he will be a much more effective player.

[ACCBaller1403]

Not winning another ring can't hurt his legacy at this point. He's proven everything he's had to to be a 1st ballot HOF'er and one of the defining players of the 2000's.

Unless something crazy happens off the court, the perception of him will be a very loyal, highly skilled, winner by those in the know.

I'm watching DVDs of the Mavs playoff run this evening and it's truly amazing what he was able to do the first 3 rounds, and to a lesser extent, the Finals.