Dirk Nowitzki 12-of-15, 24-of-24 FT for 48 points in Thunder-Mavericks WCF Game 1!

[LA_Showtime]

wow. just wow. shooting 80% for the entire game.
its scary to think that dirk has actually improved his shooting since his MVP year.

also ive noticed that dirk actually thrives on contact in the post now. he doesnt mind contact as much as he used to in 2007.

#1 unguardable player in the NBA. (unless LMA is alive in the Finals, i think Dirk will be winning his first ring)

Yeah, he's a completely different player. Someone send Pau Gasol tapes of Dirk's transformation.

[chazzy]

I read somewhere that this was the most efficient 45+ game ever

[LA_Showtime]

I read somewhere that this was the most efficient 45+ game ever

92% overall. Shit. I couldn't even shoot that well in a gym by myself.

[DirkNowitzki41]

I read somewhere that this was the most efficient 45+ game ever

[QUOTE]Fewest FGA in 40-Point Game
NBA Playoff History

Year Player Pts FG Opp.
1992 Terry Porter 41 12-14 UTAH
2011 Dirk Nowitzki 48 12-15 OKC
2000 Shaquille O'Neal 40 11-18 IND
2000 Reggie Miller 40 11-18 PHI
1995 Clyde Drexler 41 12-18 UTAH
1992 Karl Malone 44 11-18 LAC
1991 Malone 40 10-18 POR
1989 Michael Jordan 47 12-18 NYK

Most FTs Made Without Miss
Postseason History
Year Player FT Opp.
2011 Nowitzki 24-24 OKC
2003 Paul Pierce 21-21 IND
1997 Malone 18-18 LAL
2003 Nowitzki 17-17 Spurs
1993 Miller 17-17 NYK
1975 Bob Love 17-17 GS
1971 Gail Goodrich 17-17 CHI

[DMAVS41]

Yeah, he's a completely different player. Someone send Pau Gasol tapes of Dirk's transformation.

Aside from the 07 Warriors series really Dirk has always done stuff like this.

He's put up some legendary games against far better teams/players than the Thunder or the Lakers this year.

Dirk went crazy on KG in 02 and Duncan in 06. This is the kind of stuff Dirk has done for a long time. Its just sad people don't know because he's been stuck on good, but not great teams.

Now his teammates are stepping up and he's coming through in a big big way.

Great to see.

Van Gundy even called him a top 25 player of all time tonight. Love it.

[LA_Showtime]

Aside from the 07 Warriors series really Dirk has always done stuff like this.

He's put up some legendary games against far better teams/players than the Thunder or the Lakers this year.

Dirk went crazy on KG in 02 and Duncan in 06. This is the kind of stuff Dirk has done for a long time. Its just sad people don't know because he's been stuck on good, but not great teams.

Now his teammates are stepping up and he's coming through in a big big way.

Great to see.

Van Gundy even called him a top 25 player of all time tonight. Love it.

He actually called him a top 5 player.

And I was referring to the way Dirk handles physicality now. He's definitely improved, and if anything, he thrives on it these days.

[chazzy]

He's also reading double teams better and making crisp passes to his shooters, along with being tougher defensively. Would you say this is Dirk at his best ginobli? I know he's always been good and that his supporting cast is stepping up this year, but he just looks better as well.

[KDthunderup]

Dirk and JJ played the best games of their lives, and it was still close towards the end, I think we are in with a good shot.

[ErhnamDjinn]

we get it your GF is the GOAT but stop posting the same pics again and again and possibly contribute to the board fool

[28renyoy]

From ESPN

Durant scored 41 tonight on 18 FGA. He's on that list now too.

[DMAVS41]

He actually called him a top 5 player.

And I was referring to the way Dirk handles physicality now. He's definitely improved, and if anything, he thrives on it these days.

He was joking about that though. He wasn't joking about top 25 though.

[thomaspynchon]

Dirk and JJ played the best games of their lives, and it was still close towards the end, I think we are in with a good shot.

Durant had the game of his life and Mavs won despite Kidd/Chandler/marion playing like shit.

[DMAVS41]

He's also reading double teams better and making crisp passes to his shooters, along with being tougher defensively. Would you say this is Dirk at his best ginobli? I know he's always been good and that his supporting cast is stepping up this year, but he just looks better as well.

Dirk has been better at two things since the 07 warriors series.

1. Handling more physical play in the post
2. Passing out of doubles

However, he's now worse on the boards than he was in his prime, and he doesn't get to the rim like he used to. Dirk actually used to rack up a ton of easy buckets and fouls attacking the rim.

I'd still take 2006 Dirk over the current Dirk, but its very very close.

But the Mavs winning really has more to do with Terry and Barea and Chanlder and Kidd and Marion playing so well on both ends overall. As great as Dirk was tonight, the Mavs don't win without Terry and Barea really stepping up.

Which has been my theme of posting here since day 1. Its too much to blame or credit 1 player as everyone here does with winning/losing.

Take the 09 series from Dirk against the Nuggets. I heard that idiot Skip Bayless say Dirk disappeared in that series. Really? I think Dirk averaged like 33/14/3 on like 62% TS or something. It was just an insanely good series from him and we got blown out in 5 and pretty much every game we lost was a blow out.

Dirk just has a personality that doesn't come out and beat his chest in the media. He said again tonight that Terry is our closer. Of course, that is simply not true. We run everything through Dirk late and Dirk takes most of the big shots and virtually all of the game winners run through Dirk.

But that is what Dirk does. He tries to spread around the credit. He knows that Terry loves to get praise and he knows that Terry's confidence sometimes falters.

But then people turn that against Dirk and say he's afraid to be the closer and more BS.

I've probably only missed 50 of Dirk's games his entire career. He's been doing shit like this for a long time. I'm not sure if its available, but his 02 series against KG and the Wolves was just off the charts good. If you didn't see it you should check it out.

I'm obviously a huge Dirk homer, but I really don't see more than about 20 players all time I think are better. And to be honest, a few of those guys like KG/Barkley/Malone/Robinson/Baylor are all very debatable.

[thomaspynchon]

Just as an aside--imagine if Lefraud James did what Dirk tonight. We'd hear comparisons to Jordan nonstop.

[28renyoy]

Durant had the game of his life and Mavs won despite Kidd/Chandler/marion playing like shit.

Uh..that was Durant's 4th best game of this postseason alone. You're a fool.