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What Dirk did Wednesday, by simply playing, was nothing short of save the Dallas Mavericks season.

This is not hyperbole, simply fact.

No win likely equaled no playoffs.

And in what was the biggest regular-season game of the Mark Cuban era, in a game the Mavs absolutely had to have, The Big German gutted up and led his Mavericks to a 111-86 victory against Golden State.

And as a bonus, Dirk slapped a gigantic STHU on anybody who still questions whether he has the you know whats, the leadership, the "it" factor to lead this team to a championship.

Talk about a redefining moment for a guy. His Mavericks absolutely needed just to see him in uniform and he instead jumped in feet first on an obviously wonky ankle and knee and basically said "I'm not giving up on this season. Don't you guys."

"Yeah," Dirk said matter-of-factly when asked if he played because he felt the season was on the line. "But we have to get this playoff spot. If we had lost this game, it wouldn't have looked good."

Was this his best game? Puh-lease.

He had a respectable 18 points and five rebounds. But the heavy lifting was done by The Other Three Js -- Josh, JKidd and Jet. With a lot of help from Eddie "Yes, He's Alive" Jones.

What Dirk was was there, for them, with them, in uniform, his mere presence signaling how big of a game Wednesday's was. Lose this one and it is "turn out the lights, the party is over" for all intents and purposes on the playoffs. And everybody knew it.

"We didn't necessarily want to be in this situation, but we're here now," coach Avery Johnson said beforehand. "And it's time to fight."

What was problematic was Dallas looked to be walking into this fight undermanned. Dirk had like a .01 percent chance of playing, or so Mavs types and Dirk himself led to believe Wednesday morning.

About the only thing Dirk was missing at shootaround was T.O.'s hyperbaric chamber, dejectedly noting "it's not great" in response to questions about how he felt. Avery and Co. joined in talking about how needing to rally without him.

"Yeah, yeah," Avery confessed when asked if subterfuge had been involved. "Nellie taught me that."

In a genius move, the Mavs Nellied Nellie.

Buzz began building that Dirk may play about 30 minutes beforehand when Dirk was not inactive, building when he stepped onto the floor for warmups and crescendo-ing when Humble Billy Hayes announced him as a starter.

Dirk's presence revved up a normally docile crowd and obviously provided an emotional lift for his teammates.

And this is leadership, not some fiery b.s. speech in the locker room or a serious expression while watching injured from the bench.

Everybody seems to forget this, wanting Dirk to look and sound like what they believe a leader looks and sounds like. When, in actuality, Dirk is very much the emotional and physical leader of his team even though he does not say as much.

So what was his big speech Wednesday?

"Let's hoop," he recounted with a grin. "Let's strap it up and let's do it."

How he led was by strapping up his ankle and joining them. Let's not forget this was a two-week injury, at least, and Wednesday barely marked 11 days. Nobody was going to blame Dirk if he sat this one out, opting to be kind to his ankles.

"I think if I wait until I'm 100 percent, I think the regular season will be over," he said before Wednesday's game. "At some point, I know I have to play through some stuff."

Which is exactly what he did.

He hiked up his big-boy pants and taped his ankles, and walking past him before Wednesday's game, let me just say his ankles had about six rolls of tape, and played his butt off.

We always kind of knew how tough Dirk was, playing through who knows how many ankle twists and sprains and a dislodged tooth and various levels of pain. He reminded us again Wednesday.

This is what MVPs do, what big-time players do. And by doing so, Dirk slapped a bit STHU on every person who has ever questioned his worthiness of being in his category.

Does he still have proving to do in the postseason? Absolutely.

What Wednesday was was a reminder of just how good Dirk is and a hint of what he may be coming when he gets to the playoffs. And, yes, the Mavs are likely going.

Thanks to Dirk.

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