Homer Warning: Dirk was an absolute boss

[Metallikid]

The only player I’ve ever seen that I felt like literally every shot was going in.

I miss that one legged fadeaway so much

I had that for one season. It's incredible.

[elchengue20]

He was ahead of his time. He was a 2020´s basketball player, playing in the early 2000's. Most teams weren't prepared to guard him.He changed the game.Plus, he was a winner and very clutch, especially in his prime.

Funny enough, his biggest blunder came against a team who was ahead of his time also, and they overachieved in that Playoff run. They surprised a Mavericks team who wasn't prepared for them.

[Texas Chuck]

Are you implying that Dirk is the clutchest player ever?

Implying? I'm pronouncing it.


More seriously I think his and Paul's clutch numbers speak that they are the best of the best and considering that Dirk did it much more often in the playoffs, I think yeah Dirk probably is the clutchiest of clutchers.

I'm also a homer and you should definitely factor that in at least a bit. I think I'm being objective, but its Dirk so I'm probably not.

[Metallikid]

Are you implying that Dirk is the clutchest player ever?

Implying? I'm pronouncing it.


More seriously I think his and Paul's clutch numbers speak that they are the best of the best and considering that Dirk did it much more often in the playoffs, I think yeah Dirk probably is the clutchiest of clutchers.

I'm also a homer and you should definitely factor that in at least a bit. I think I'm being objective, but its Dirk so I'm probably not.

Chris or George?

[shotsquatch]

He was ahead of his time. He was a 2020´s basketball player, playing in the early 2000's. Most teams weren't prepared to guard him.He changed the game.Plus, he was a winner and very clutch, especially in his prime.

Funny enough, his biggest blunder came against a team who was ahead of his time also, and they overachieved in that Playoff run. They surprised a Mavericks team who wasn't prepared for them.

Imagine Dirk averaging 7-8 threes a game. He'd be dropping thirty every night. Would be hard to hide him on defense against modern small ball lineups though, I don't remember Dirk ever being a positive defender.

[Harry Garris]

Are you implying that Dirk is the clutchest player ever?

In a vacuum, yes. Dirk was one of the most effective 4th quarter offensive performers ever. If it was a close game late there are very few players you'd rather give the ball to than Dirk if you just needed a basket.

[Texas Chuck]

Are you implying that Dirk is the clutchest player ever?

Implying? I'm pronouncing it.


More seriously I think his and Paul's clutch numbers speak that they are the best of the best and considering that Dirk did it much more often in the playoffs, I think yeah Dirk probably is the clutchiest of clutchers.

I'm also a homer and you should definitely factor that in at least a bit. I think I'm being objective, but its Dirk so I'm probably not.

Chris or George?

Chris from State Farm

[shi-woo]

It's always fun as a huge Dirk fan to look back on his career. Dirk always led these mediocre teams with guys like Terry, Stackhouse, Finley, and Howard to 50+ wins, and deep playoff runs, but the narrative for almost the entirety of his prime was "Doesn't bang in the post or play center," "Does protect the rim and is super soft," and my favorite after the GSW upset them, "Just isn't a winner, and doesn't have the it factor."

Dirk was always awesome, and none of those things were ever true about him outside of his first couple of years. I feel bad for him, because the Mavs blew it big time in 2004. They had a super talented team with the likes of Dirk/Fin/Antawn/Walker/Nash/Howard and somehow in their ineptitude entered the next season with Jason Terry as Dirks robbin. Kind of a real let down, and shaped the entirety of his career.

Letting talent like Nash (two time all-star at the time, future MVP), and Antawn Jamison (Fomer 25/9 player in his prime, just won 6th man of the year, would be an all-star the following year), was absolutely mind boggling, and Don Nelson should have been let go sooner for not realizing that. Especially when you realize both players signed for less than what the Mavs gave Keith Van Horn...

Flipping through those rosters, and man, I have no idea how Dirk dragged them to 60+ wins in deepest conference in modern history. The dude was it to the finals in 2006 with a team of misfits, and people are shocked that he lost to a team with Shaq, Wade, Toine, Payton, Posey, Zo, and J-Will...

Dirk man, true warrior for sticking it out and getting one, and is a prime example of how narrative and player perception by the media plays a role in shaping how fans think of a player.

[Sixersftw]

Billy King's first move as a GM, iirc, drafting Larry Hughes over Dirk and Paul Pierce. Pretty cool..... Not a harbinger of coming doom at all....

[kobe24_818]

I miss Dirk

[Texas Chuck]

I don't remember Dirk ever being a positive defender.

Defensive metrics are hard to trust, but pretty much all of them have Dirk as a positive defender his entire prime. Euro reps are hard to shake though.

As a scouting report from a biased source who watched every second he ever played:

Great defensive rebounder
Great at getting back on defense
Great at closing out on shooters--and he's 7 ft tall
Good solid post defender with great hands--mastered the Karl Malone strip/block to make up for his lack of leaping
Never turned the ball over as a guy the offense ran through limiting transition--this definitely helps a defense

Also would concede layups in the 1st half because the team post-Nash couldn't survive offensively without him. Avoided cheap fouls leading to easy buckets.
Poor lateral mobility particularly in his 30's -- could not defend on the perimeter.
Was frequently given the easiest defensive assignment -- would often stand in the corner with Bowen or Fisher when playing the best teams in his conference.

It's really difficult to be a negative defender when you are 7 feet tall unless you have no instincts or give no effort. Neither of which describe Dirk.

OTOH, most centers and PF's would have provided more defensive value than Dirk so by replacement value he probably is a bit of a negative.

[Jasen777]

Are you implying that Dirk is the clutchest player ever?

[Jasen777]

Billy King's first move as a GM, iirc, drafting Larry Hughes over Dirk and Paul Pierce. Pretty cool..... Not a harbinger of coming doom at all....

Allegedly they felt obligated to take Hughes because they had offered him a guarantee of taking him if he was there, never imagining that Pierce was going to be. Dirk was a huge gamble at the time, harder to blame them for that one.

[jpengland]

I can't understand how anybody could dislike Dirk. Supremely talented, loyal, clearly loves life and laid back on and off court.

Oh and his reaction to that juvenile taunting from LeBron and Wade...

[KnicksGadfly]

When people argue that all rings are the same, I point to Dirk. Some guys have 3 rings and I respect their rings less than Dirk's single chip.

[UcanUwill]

Put Dirk in todays game, and hes over 30 points per game scorer, guy would be jacking shots.

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Read on Twitter

Over on the PC board last year I commented that I had a feeling future metrics will eventually surface which demonstrate Dirk to have been one of the most elite offensive anchors in NBA history. Another poster asked me what these metrics would be, and since I was talking about unknown future metrics, I obviously couldn't answer him. So thanks for this, perhaps I should try to dig that thread up lol

[AussieBuck]

The guy's bread and butter was the shot you most want to give up, a heavily contested long two. That made him impossible all game long and then the game wasn't any harder for him when the screws tightened un the last couple of minutes. Every year if you were projecting season wins in any model you'd have to make a Dirk adjustment because Dallas always smashed the win total their point differential suggested they should have. What a dude.

[Jadoogar]

It's really difficult to be a negative defender when you are 7 feet tall unless you have no instincts or give no effort. Neither of which describe Dirk.

[Mavrelous]

A truly amazing player, that series against Miami in 2011 was something else, even though Miami has the star power almost everyone outside of Miami wanted Dirk to have his ring.