Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki slighted in ESPN rank of best seasons

2006 season should be higher

Dirk Nowitzki was at the peak of his powers in 2006. At 27 years old, he could not be stopped. Nowitzki set a career-high in points per game at 26.6 over 81 regular season games. He shot 48.0 percent from the field and 40.3 percent on his 3-pointers.

The advanced metrics tell a similar story. Dirk led the NBA in offensive win shares, win shares, offensive box score plus-minus, and win shares per 48 minutes. In fact, his win shares per 48 minutes is the 37th best season in NBA history. Dirk somehow finished third in MVP voting behind Steve Nash and LeBron James.

Nowitzki also led the league in playoff offensive win shares, win shares, win shares per 48 minutes, and value over replacement player (VORP). He had the 52nd best win shares per 48 minutes in NBA postseason history.

His 50-point playoff explosion against the Suns in game five of the Western Conference Finals was one of the best games of Dirk’s first-ballot Hall of Fame career.

Put it all together and Dirk’s 2005-2006 season should have cracked the top 40. He was exceptional over 104 games. Nowitzki was the best player in the NBA that year, and it was certainly one of the best seasons in the league’s history.

Next: A few left off