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Dallas Mavericks: The End is Near for Dirk Nowitzki

By Greg Chin

Apr 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) reacts after being called for a foul during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) reacts after being called for a foul during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dirk Nowitzki is a living legend for the Dallas Mavericks. Acquired by the Mavericks in the famed draft-night trade involving Robert Traylor, Nowitzki is one of the few “one-team” players in the NBA. His journey from a relative-unknown to one of the greatest international players to have played in the NBA is an amazing one, and one that endears him to the Dallas’ faithful.

However, fans need to face the harsh truth: the end is very near for Nowitzki.

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On the surface, this seemed like a given. Entering his 18th season in the league, Nowitzki is no spring chicken. Still, he managed to average 17.3 points per game last season, on 45.9/38.0/88.2 shooting splits – respectable numbers for a 37-year old power forward.

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In fact, the Mavericks’ record-setting offense during the first half of the season (before the Rajon Rondo trade) was largely centered around Dirk’s ability to spread the floor – proof that the German could still be a focal point of an NBA offense.

But if Dirk’s EuroBasket performances are anything to go by, his decline is going to be a very sudden one. Playing in five games (averaging 28 minutes per), he averaged just 13.8 points on 36.4/33.3/85.7 shooting splits.

An easy response would be to shift the blame on the German offense, which outside of Dirk and Dennis Schroeder, lack NBA talent (Tibor Pleiss is on the Utah Jazz roster, but is yet to play a single NBA game). However, Dirk has always been able to take advantage of the international style of play, and his lack of dominance this time is alarming.

In his previous international tournament (2011 EuroBasket), Dirk averaged 19.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, with similar playing time per game. The Germans missed the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Dirk’s play the previous few seasons has been very encouraging. The Mavericks were a real threat to upset the eventual champions in the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2014 playoffs. In 2013, the Mavs missed the playoffs due to Dirk’s injury, ending their 12-year playoff streak. But like many aging stars before him, when the decline hits, it tends to hit hard.

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    • Still, Dirk’s NBA career has been an incredible one. Every Mavs fan will remember how he led the team to victory in Game Four of the 2011 NBA Finals despite carrying a fever, which evoked comparisons to Michael Jordan’s infamous “Flu Game.” With 28,119 points, he is seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and could very well finish sixth by the end of the upcoming season.

    He is the Mavericks’ greatest player in franchise history, as evidenced by his status as their all-time statistical leader in games, points, rebounds, field goals, three-point field goals and free throws. He is one of six members of the 50-40-90 club, and is the only big man to feature on that list.

    He was won nearly every individual accolade there is to win in the NBA, including NBA Finals MVP, NBA MVP, All-Star, and First-Team All-NBA.

    When Dirk finally decides to call it quits, it won’t be long before his jersey is raised to the rafters in the American Airlines Center in Dallas. While his won’t be the first jersey to be retired, it will arguably be the most deserving one. And when the time comes, he will be a first ballot in the NBA Hall of Fame.

    The end to an incredible career is near, so enjoy the rest of the ride, Mavs’ fans.

    Next: 25 Greatest Individual Seasons in NBA History

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