Opinion: 11 Best Performances In Mavs Playoff History
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – While the Mavericks have caught a lot of flak for falling short in the playoffs, they've made the summer tournament for 11 straight years.
In light of that fact, as well as Dirk Nowitzki's incredible performance in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder this year, here's a look back at the 11 greatest single-game performances in Mavs playoff history.
#11: Derek Harper vs. the Los Angeles Lakers in game 4 of the 1988 Western Conference Finals
Many Mavs fans forget the franchise had a pretty good thing going way back in the 80s.The team's current TV color commentator had a lot to do with that – and he showed up big in this matchup.
Harper scored 35 points and dished out seven assists without committing a single turnover. And if one needed extra proof of his impact, Lakers Coach Pat Riley diagnosed his team's loss: "He kept sticking the dagger in our heart any time we got close."
#10: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the Denver Nuggets in game 4 of the 2009 Western Conference Semifinals
A series that amounted to much dejection for Mavs fans did feature one great game from their superstar. Nowitzki went head-to-head with the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, who scored 41, by contributing 44 of his own and bringing in 13 rebounds.
He did it without taking a single shot from behind the arc, building his performance on 17 free throws, only one of them a miss. Unfortunately, this game alone was only a small bump in the road for the Nuggets, which closed out the series two days later.
#9: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the San Antonio Spurs in game 7 of the 2006 Western Conference Semifinals
Stop the presses: Dirk Nowitzki was heavily involved in the most exciting and legendary game in Mavs history. He scored 37 points, collected 15 rebounds and completely neglected to turn the ball over. Oh, he also sank the most iconic shot in the franchise's history, driving to the hoop with the team down by three, making the layup and the accompanying free throw.
He capped it off by stopping Tim Duncan on the opposite end of the floor as the clock wound down, then leading Dallas to the overtime victory and the Western Conference Finals.
#8: Mark Aguirre vs. the Houston Rockets in game 4 of the 1988 Western Conference Quarterfinals
Another big part of those 80s Maverick squads, Aguirre was one of the league's most prolific scorers. He demonstrated that in an absolutely undeniable way by scoring 39 points in an intrastate matchup which eliminated Hakeem Olajuwon's Rockets.
Aguirre poured in a staggering 27 in the third quarter, the second highest mark in any playoff quarter. The forward was traded to Detroit for Adrian Dantley the very next season, and proceeded to capture something that had always eluded him in Dallas – a championship ring.
#7: Nick Van Exel vs. the Sacramento Kings in game 3 of the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals
Van Exel played fewer than 100 games for the Mavericks, but this phenomenal performance cemented an eternal legacy for him. The 6'1 combo guard took a game featuring 278 points into his own hands, scoring 40 while dishing out seven assists and grabbing seven boards.
He took 12 shots from behind the arc and made half of them. One final fun fact: Van Exel finished the double-overtime affair having played 48 minutes. Off the bench.
#6: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the Portland Trailblazers in game 3 of the 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals
Efficiency is the name of the game, and this performance shows how aware of that Nowitzki is. He took 20 shots and made 15 – took six three pointers and made five on his way to 42 points. The Nash-Dirk combo reigned supreme during this game, as ball distribution and smart shooting helped Dallas overcome a 49-34 rebounding disadvantage. Random tidbit: the Blazers came out ahead in the next three games, only to see the Mavericks wrench the series right back in number seven.
#5: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the Portland Trailblazers in game 1 of the 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals
This was clearly a banner series for Nowitzki. While this performance wasn't quite as surgical as the one he contributed in game 3, the term that best describes it would be "unstoppable."
Dirk's 46 points came in every imaginable way – he pushed across 12 from long distance, 10 from free throws and 24 inside the perimeter. Coach Don Nelson's message to his star? "I told him at the end of regulation that he will eventually be one of the best all-around players to play the game."
#4: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 3 of the 2002 Western Conference Quarterfinals
For a while, Garnett-Nowitzki was one of the most talked-about rivalries in the league. Dirk embraced the competition during this series, putting up at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in each game.
Game 3 was the true masterpiece, as Nowitzki finessed, muscled and schemed his way to 39 points and 17 boards. Keep in mind that the other team's power forward was one of the best defensive players of the last decade and a half, and the showing looks truly momentous. And what did he decide to say after the game? "It's about winning, not scoring." How can you not love the guy?
#3: Dirk Nowitzki vs. The San Antonio Spurs in game 5 of the 2001 Western Conference Semifinals
This is the only performance on this list which wasn't enough to salvage a win. It's lofty ranking despite that fact should speak for itself.
A 23-year old Nowitzki decided to man up to the Spurs' Tim Duncan in his prime. Despite being mostly a perimeter player at that stage of his career, he only attempted one shot from long distance. He managed just fine, putting up 42 points and 18 rebounds while coming up with six steals on the other end. The rest of the team? Michael Finley put up 17 attempts and only made one. Juwan Howard tried 16 and made five.
To many, this is the game that elevated Nowitzki's role and made him the true face of the Dallas Mavericks.
#2: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in game 1 of the 2011 Western Conference Finals
From an overall statistical perspective, there's a very legitimate argument for making this the top-ranking game on the list.
Fresh off a series sweep of the Lakers and nine days of downtime, Dirk was essentially automatic. He shot the ball 39 times and missed three. Dirk took every bit of aggression a man could exert and shoved it squarely into the flailing, mystified defenders assigned to him. He made every one of his 24 free throws – and only two even touched the rim. He also blocked four shots and dished out his share of pretty passes. The Thunder tried six different defenders on #41, but not a single one was up to the task.
#1: Dirk Nowitzki vs. the Phoenix Suns in game 5 of the 2006 Western Conference Finals
Nowitzki's performances have been attached to a bevy of adjectives throughout this list, but this game merits a new one: Dominating.
After scoring a mere 11 points in game 4, The Big German roared back with a vengeance and showed off with a real tour de force. A clean 50 points, well distributed all over the floor, with 22 of them in the fourth quarter. He notched 15 consecutive points in under four minutes.
Tim Thomas famously blew Nowitzki a kiss during this game. But by its end, he may as well have done it to his own team's playoff hopes. Memo to defenders: You won't like Dirk when he's angry.
What do you think of the list? Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments section.
