Dallas Mavericks: Happy Birthday Dirk Nowitzki

5. Game Winner of Game 2, NBA Finals

If there is any shot better than the And-1 against the Spurs in 2006, this is the obvious choice. For a guy that has scored over 29,000 points in the league and will probably finish with over 30,000 it is hard to believe that one single shot could define that kind of career.

This play may do just that for Nowitzki. Forget the fact that we came back from 15 points down with only 6 minutes left in the game. Forget that Dirk scored the final 9 points for the Mavs during that streak. But never, ever forget this shot.

4. 2007 NBA MVP

The 2006-07 NBA season is probably the biggest ‘what if’ season in Dallas Mavericks history but, no matter the outcome, Dirk Nowitzki was the man that year. On his way to winning the MVP award over Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Lebron James, Dirk led the Mavericks to a 67-15 record.

That record is not only the best in franchise history but also tied for the 7th best win percentage in NBA history. Dirk also joined the .50/.40/.90 club that season while averaging nearly 25 points and 9 rebounds per game.

The ’07 season is the only MVP award for one of the greatest players the league has seen and, for that reason, finds its way into the top 5 greatest Dirk moments of all time.

3. #6 NBA Scoring List

This number is subject to change! Dirk Nowitzki has been underrated his entire career. Everyone wrote him off from the day he walked in the gym as just another soft european player. No matter what he did, he couldn’t receive the credit for it.

Now, 29,491 points later and counting, an MVP award, a championship, and a Finals MVP award, Dirk has written his name in as one of the greatest to ever step foot on the hardwood. This could not be more evident than with his surpassing of one of the legends of the game on the all time scoring list, Shaquille O’Neal.

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