The real story is Dallas and its two veteran stars, Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki and Kidd can finally exhale and remove their names from a list of infamy: longtime N.B.A. vets who never won a championship.
In Kidd’s 17th season and Nowitzki’s 13th, they are finally part of the championship club.
“If I would have won one early in my career, maybe I would have never put all the work and the time in that I have over the last 13 years,” Nowitzki said. “So this feels amazing.”
Unfortunately, this story misses the point and poignancy in the Mavs’ championship win — Dirk, Jet, and Kidd weren’t driven by a personal quest for glory, as the LeBron James spectacle was. Obviously, the addition of a Championship ring punctuates their career-long accomplishments individually but this team accomplished as a group and not merely as a collection of individual superstars.
As Terry put it seconds after they won, they played as a team with faith in God and faith in each other. And that made all of the difference. It was a beautiful testament to teamwork — and hard work. No competing egos or sense of entitlement. I am so very, very happy for them — it seems that much of America is. 🙂
Nowitzki is truly amazing. I am ashamed to say I had not even paid attention to the man in previous seasons, so I missed his super talent. Not so in this championship series. . . . that guy is a truly amazing basketball player.
Nowitzki is the reason why I, after a lifetime of indifference, am now in love with the game of basketball as long as its played like the Mavericks have been playing it these past years.
When I first noticed him, there was just something compelling about him. Professionalism? humility? Quiet and unassuming dedication? Maybe all of that and more. Even though they lost in the playoffs that season, I was hooked. Even after the horrific first loss to Miami, I was all in more than ever before. I couldn’t predict that he would win a title, but I knew he was the guy to watch to see something special happen…eventually 🙂
God bless the Mavericks for playing team ball and showing the whole world how it should be done.
Now did I mention Kidd? Terry? Marion? Chandler…. How about the whole supporting cast for the Big German? Wow! I’ll never forget this one. GO MAVS!
Oh and how could I forget the “Streakin’ Puerto Rican” JJ Berea??? My favorite player after Dirk.
Just couldn’t allow such an awful oversight 🙂
Dirk’s the real deal. And it’s amazing that he’s been with the Mavs for his entire NBA career! They gave him time to adjust to the American game and he didn’t seek greener pastures when he became great. 😀
I have to say kudos to Mark Cuban, too. I thought it was a very nice gesture for him to have the trophy presented to the founder of the franchise! Cuban announced that he will pay for the parade expenses, too.
A lot of credit must go to Coach Carlisle, as well. He did a great job! Everything just clicked.