These stats are insane!!!! I think its finally time to honour him is a tough guy who has been ignored as one of the best clutch performer of the last 10 years.
People are always going to remember the missed free throw that cost Dallas game 3 of the 2006 Finals and judge him based on that. The guy is ridiculously clutch, though.
He's not even the person who makes the most clutch plays (pass,score,big rebounds, defensive stops)..That would be Terry,Kidd, Butler, anyone besides Dirk.....It funny how everyone is on Dirk's crotch when they beat the Lakers...Im just glad he's gettin recognized as an one of a kind player
It's amazing how fickle people are. When the playoffs started everyone was like "Lakers are the best team, no doubt"... and all the Mavs now is just ridiculous
Where were you when Dirk was chocking against teams like the Heat and Warriors? Dirk may be the most clutch guy in this years play-offs but lets not get all crazy and post something crazy like, "best clutch performer of the last 10 years".
Dirk's career has been full of failures and chokes in the playoffs. He will never be labelled clutch until he wins a championship. On the other hand I do have to agree that Dirk has been one of the best fourth quarter players in the league this year.
You're mental! Dirk doesn't make the most clutch plays? Who is passing out of double teams at the end of close games to JET to hit clutch shots? Butler has not been clutch since he's been a Maverick so please drop that ish. Kidd is clutch in the first three quarters, and with the exception of these playoffs, not so much in the 4th. I've been in Dallas for all but one of the years Dirks been on the team and unfortunately (I'm a hoops addict as I presume most on here are) I've seen almost every Mavs game, pre, regular and post-season in that time span. It's just nationally he's being recognized differently now.
Which is unfair. He hasn't been full of failures and chokes, his teams have had their fair share but look at the team he led to the finals in 06 and tell me who on there was qualified to be an appropriate second option to his Batman? He hasn't had a suitable Robin since Nash and Finley left.
Where were you when Dirk was coming up clutch in those 06 playoffs against the Spurs?? Where were you when Dirk had to deal with an arrogant coach in Avery who was getting outcoached by Don Nelson in the Warriors series? No doubt Dirk was as bad as every member of his team in the Warriors series and it was a TERRIBLE matchup for the mavs from the start but let's not get crazy and deride his ability to come up clutch because of two series you remember.
I'm not suggesting that it is fair. It is just what would most likely happen. If Dirk never wins a championship his career will always be remembered by how his team collpased after going up 2-0 in the 06' finals and he got elimiated in the first round by the 8th seed team in his MVP season. Dirk needs a ring to make his critics shut up.
I don't think anyone holds the 06 finals against him. No one could stop those refs. But the GSW/DAL playoffs will be held against him, even though it shouldnt be. That GSW team was built by Nelly specifically to beat the Mavericks and no one else. In fact, the GSW swept the Mavs during the regular season that year. And no one will remember that.