Apr.30 at 12:01 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
Dirk sucks.

Apr.30 at 12:04 pm

Captain America says:
JoHo = reefer madness. Team catches playoff sadness

Apr.30 at 12:12 pm

namik says:
We’re still blaming Dirk? Josh Howard’s only fault was his love for reefer in the off season? Not his complete breakdown in this series and the miserable numbers he put up? This from the guy many were describing as the new center piece of the Mavs? C’mon now. And how about Mr. Kidd? Wasn’t this guy acting like if he got a new squad he would automatically deliver them the chip? Who let CP get a great start in pretty much every game? Don’t I ask a lot of questions?

Apr.30 at 12:20 pm

lol says:
it’s funny how khalid-retard said dirk sucks. He’s damn right better than you.

Apr.30 at 12:24 pm

Captain America says:
CP3=MVP, Hornets hope has turned to gladness.

Apr.30 at 12:26 pm

peteb80 says:
Urgh Khalid. Weak. Josh Howard in the playoffs: 12.6 ppg on 29 percent shooting. That’s what’s up.

Apr.30 at 12:29 pm

Eboy says:
I concur, Dirk sucks.

Apr.30 at 12:31 pm

derek says:
Dirk was the only reason the mavs competed in this series. and im proud to say i was the only mavericks fan at game 5 in new orleans and yes, we did get beat by a better squad. Josh howard really let me down… ps-i miss devin harris. we used to have a future.

Apr.30 at 12:32 pm

derek says:
excuse me…dirk and brandon bass were the only reasons.

Apr.30 at 12:33 pm

dpak says:
dirk’s a baby.

Apr.30 at 12:34 pm

canadian says:
Dirk was the only Mav who showed up for the whole series. Terry played well too but this can’t be blamed on Dirk.

Apr.30 at 12:37 pm

canadian says:
Dirk. 27, 12, 4ast, 1blk per game for the series. I think he played alright.

Apr.30 at 12:37 pm

Young Chris #3 says:
Face it Derek, Dirk sucks.

Apr.30 at 12:38 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Dirk does not suck. Does no-one else think that Devin, Jet, Josh Howard, Dirk and a better Brandon Bass would’ve been a solid starting 5? Stack sixth man and that’s it

Apr.30 at 12:39 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
But Kidd is still fairly new to the team to be honest, Next year will be a very good year for Dallas in my eyes

Apr.30 at 12:40 pm

Allenp says:
I think Denver will take AVery once he gets fired. Oh, and Dirk played all right this series. He didn’t dominate, but he didn’t disappear either.

Apr.30 at 12:40 pm

TADOne says:
Dirk may not suck, but he definitely blows.

Apr.30 at 12:41 pm

H to the izzo says:
It’s all Dirks fault obviously,not the idiot who thought it would be a good idea to admitted smoking during the offseason and putting in performances that would make you think he wanted to be in the offseason.Yup,defintely Dirks(who averaged 30points a game)fault.F*ck TJ Ford.

Apr.30 at 12:41 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
Support dirk all you want. Deep down you know the truth. U people are funny to me.

Apr.30 at 12:43 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
26, 12 and 4 for the playoffs is not sucking. KG is averaging 21, 9 and 2 for the playoffs and he was a possible MVP candidate and please no-one tell me about defense because if he’s that bad now how did he win the MVP a year ago?

Apr.30 at 12:45 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Tim Duncan is averaging 24, 13 and 2

Apr.30 at 12:45 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Rasheed Wallace is averaging 16, 7 and 2

Apr.30 at 12:46 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Amare Stoudemire is averaging 23, 9 and 0.5

Apr.30 at 12:47 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
David West is averaging 22, 7 and 3

Apr.30 at 12:48 pm

Jackie Moon says:
Dirk is way better than Yi Jianlian.

Apr.30 at 12:50 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
During the season people were asking if it’s Josh Howard’s team…

Apr.30 at 12:50 pm

H to the izzo says:
Dirk was not the reason the Mavs lost this series,neither was Howards stupidity.It was the mediocrity of the Mavs team(Kidd especially),Dirk played well and as he should.You can carry on saying that Dirk sucks(although his career averages would suggest to anyone with a brain otherwise).
I don’t even particularly like Dirk.

Apr.30 at 12:50 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Neither do I but people should stop hatin’

Apr.30 at 12:53 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
I live in the U.K too so haven’t been able to watch vast amounts of the DAL-NO series but was an all-star guarding Dirk for most of the series too?

Apr.30 at 12:54 pm

s dot says:
Its the off season now for the mavs, now Josh Howard can go do his thing

Apr.30 at 1:04 pm

KA says:
j ho did have that bday party despite the no party rule. just sayin.

Apr.30 at 1:04 pm

Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
I’m with you Eazy-Yi, Dirk had one chokingly bad series against the Warriors, and now everybodies hating on him, saying he’s no-good - come on people your the same people who are cheering for Carmelo and T-Mac, Dirk has more juice than both of these cats. First of all he’s got his team out of the first round, which none of the aforementioned gentleman can brag about even though they both have another superstar besides them (yes yes Dirk has Ason but Avery kind of limited him with all his restraints). But it’s probably just because of him being German, I dare anyone to give me critiquepoint of Dirk you couldn’t transform to Melo. Howard played like he was sipping bong-water not Gatorade during this series. If theirs a reason for Mavs flaming out, besides Hornets being a better team, it’s Josh’s horrible play.

Apr.30 at 1:05 pm

Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
And I don’t even particularly like Dirk either.

Apr.30 at 1:06 pm

Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
*There’s

Apr.30 at 1:11 pm

Eboy says:
izzo, you’re a foreigner, it’s expected that you’d support a tenderfoot player.

Apr.30 at 1:14 pm

TADOne says:
Ok, regardless of Dirk’s stats, would people call him a top dog or a leader? And just because you score the most points doesn’t mean your the top dog or a good leader. There is a reason they bought in Kidd.

Apr.30 at 1:14 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
J Ho for A.I

Apr.30 at 1:15 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
I’m a joker, I’m a joker

Apr.30 at 1:16 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Is Tim Duncan the top dog in San Antonio?

Apr.30 at 1:19 pm

Mark Z says:
Howard’s love of weed wasn’t why they tanked the series. Howard’s lousy play, Dirk letting West get up in his face, Avery’s overmanagement, etc. They truely stunk it up AS A TEAM.

Apr.30 at 1:21 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Dirk didn’t need to react to David West overall it could be argued he outplayed him

Apr.30 at 1:26 pm

G Diesel says:
I remember the first game Jason Kidd played for Dallas. He was benched for the last seconds of the game against San Antonio. Everybody was bashing Avery Johnson for benching him. I remember posting here that Jason Kidd was doing anything special in New-Jersey and that he wasn’t gonna do anything in Dallas. He’s finished. (Just because he had a great summer with the US national team does not make him franchise savior).

Apr.30 at 1:27 pm

G Diesel says:
I’m so glad Mitch Kupchak saw that.

Apr.30 at 1:29 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Kobe would’ve assasinated Kidd in a shoe commercial accident

Apr.30 at 1:39 pm

underdog says:
I’m curious when Stern announces the League’s new drog test policy.

Apr.30 at 1:41 pm

BETCATS says:
Easy Yi over Dirk

Apr.30 at 1:42 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
fo’ sho’

Apr.30 at 1:42 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
go ahead keep defending dirk. Now imagine dirk on your team, in a game deciding situation. he’s open. the pg of your team see’s him and passes him the ball. are you excited? are you optimistic?…..yeah i didn’t think so.

Apr.30 at 1:45 pm

BETCATS says:
Khalid is correct. Dirk = Greatest 2nd Bannana ever

Apr.30 at 1:46 pm

BETCATS says:
wait, no 2nd best. Pippen is 1#

Apr.30 at 1:57 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Did you watch Game 7 of the San Antonio Dallas series in ‘06? Yeah to be honest I would rather have Kobe but Dirk carried this team as far as he could this year so why are people hating?

Apr.30 at 2:01 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
turn the music off though

Apr.30 at 2:01 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
I’d love to see the Bulls give up any combination of two players on the team for Dirk, and I would GLADLY see him get the ball with the game on the line. Are you kidding me? Yes, he has his limitations, and I’m not totally amped on a seven-footer spending most of his time on the perimeter. But this series wasn’t on him. Was he the one who let Chris Paul do whatever he wanted all series? Nope. Oh, that’s right though, he got disrespected by David West. He should have swung on him and got ejected or suspended–THAT would have shown everyone. Dallas has plenty of problems. Dirk isn’t even in the top FIVE.

Apr.30 at 2:03 pm

Alpha-bet says:
Dirk is a Failure!

Apr.30 at 2:05 pm

Eazy-Yi says:
Yeaaaaaah Russ

Apr.30 at 2:11 pm

Bro. D. says:
Dallas is just a hastily built race car with only two parts working consistently (Dirk and Bass). End of story.

Apr.30 at 2:11 pm

phil says:
Dirk haters are ignorant and have short memories. Dirk had one bad playoff series last year and he sucked. Apparently everyone forgets about 2006 where he was the most dominant player of the decade until the Stern and the referees decided they wanted to give D-Wade that title. If we just rebuild around Dirk, we’ll be fine.

Apr.30 at 2:15 pm

Eboy says:
So giving up the Bulls two best players (whoever they may be) and putting Dirk there would do what for them? Make them a contender in the East? Please. They’d be a step closer to nothing. Take away Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden and add Dirk. What then? 35 wins? Maybe? That would be another shi*ty 8th seed team. Dirk’s not the main reason they lost the series, but he also, once agian, didn’t do enough to make up for his teammates shortcomings, something that still seperates him from being “That” guy.

Apr.30 at 2:17 pm

Eboy says:
phil, “best player of the decade”, just made your observation completley null and void.

Apr.30 at 2:21 pm

phil says:
Alright, that was a little bit of an over exaggeration, but the guy averages 27-12-4, with a block a game and going to the line over 10 times a game and somehow he wasn’t doing enough for the team? How much more does he have to make up for the team? Does he need to throw in 100-50 for you guys to even say “I guess he’s alright”?

Apr.30 at 2:22 pm

Diesel says:
I’m with Eboy Russ. I’m from Chicago and the last thing we need is to bring in Dirk. I’m not gonna say he sucks because he doesn’t, but he doesn’t make the players around him better. And I’m guessing Gordon would be involved in any trade for Dirk. So basically we’re giving up one 20 point scorer that can’t defend for another.

Apr.30 at 2:24 pm

Art Vendelay says:
No, I am NOT a Dirk-Fan, but isnt it ironic that now, that he was really leading his team (in contrast to last year), and the only one (besides Brandon Bass) fighting against the loss, his teammates played VERY disappointing?

Apr.30 at 2:27 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
You hate Shawn Marion, so your observation is completely null and void as well. Apparently Dirk sucks because he’s not Kobe or LeBron. Yeah, man, I’d hate to be stuck with him. What a POS. (And yes, I’d trade Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden for him in a HEARTBEAT.) You’re telling me a lineup of Kirk, Thabo, Luol, Dirk and Joakim with Gordon and Tyrus coming off the bench doesn’t make moves in the EAST??? And why is it up to Dirk to “make up for his teammates shortcomings?” Wasn’t Josh Howard an All-Star? Didn’t he get outplayed by Julian f*cking Wright (among many, many others)? Oh, that’s right, Dirk is the Designated Scapegoat. Keep on hating.

Apr.30 at 2:28 pm

Eboy says:
phil, that would help. Just kidding. Look, we all know dirk is talented, has a incredible offensive skill set, but as Diesel pointed out, he’s not a distributor of any kind and he doesn’t do enough in the post or off the dribble to give him unlimited attention. Sure he get’s free throw attempts, half of those are off of flops (thanks D-Wade). That’s part of the problem. If you are 7′0″ should you be cowering in fear when guys 6 inches smaller than you are in your chest, manning you up, or should you be punishing them with hard drives and strong post work? For all that talk early in the season about dirk working SO hard on his post game, it sure never turned up in another first round flameout. Ever think drawing a double now and again would help your teams offense instead of running off brush screens at the three point line Dirk? No? That’s why you’re home again before May. Get back to me when he does that consistently.

Apr.30 at 2:29 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Diesel, as a Bulls fan I would trade Gordon for a new fat guy for the stupid dance team, let alone Dirk Nowitzki.

Apr.30 at 2:29 pm

Eboy says:
Russ, continue reading.

Apr.30 at 2:31 pm

Art Vendelay says:
Saying so, I think Dirk wouldn’t want a trade (even though his team might think different). I don’t think he’s the kind of player who leaves a team when they aren’t successful, I think he gets even more motivated by that. Give him other players to ball with instead of a 35-years old point guard who can’t shoot.

Apr.30 at 2:32 pm

phunkykarma says:
My 2 favorite teams got eliminated the same day. It sucks.

Apr.30 at 2:33 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
I did, and I would still take him eight days a week. But that’s fine, blame him instead of everybody else. It was Dirk’s fault that Chris Paul ate up Jason Kidd like he was a beignet (what did Ason shoot for the series again?). It was Dirk’s fault that Josh Howard played like he was, um, high. It was Dirk’s fault that the Mavs traded away their best post defender and the guard that COULD have given Paul a hard time. It’s Dirk’s fault that the Mavs chose Erick Dampier over Steve Nash. And it’s totally Dirk’s fault that Avery Johnson was badly outcoached again. F*ck that guy.

Apr.30 at 2:33 pm

whooo! says:
i just read an article this morning about the mavs after game 4. apparently josh howard was hadning out flyers for his birthday party after game 4. they lost, and he still ahd the party, with a couple players attending. avery got so pissed off when he found out that he shouted at them, cancelled practice, and left. the mavs had to run a players only practice, in the midst of an elimination game.

Apr.30 at 2:34 pm

Diesel says:
Kirk Thabo Luol Dirk and Joakim??? That’s the same lineup we had. You’re just swapping Gooden for Dirk. Gooden was scoring 15-20pts a game as a bull (same as Dirk would do only minus the D). Who’s going to get rebounds or stop big men with that starting front court?

Apr.30 at 2:35 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
He’s not a stiff and he’s a very good NBA player. But if he’s the best player on your team then your team has problems. For all of you who love dirk so much here’s why i don’t like him. He doesn’t inspire confidence. He doesn’t use his height to his advantage. He doesn’t make his teammates better. He’s not clutch on either side of the court. He doesn’t get tough rebounds. He’s psychologically fragile. He doesn’t defend well. He almost never dominates games. He makes excuses. He gets punked out on a regular basis by dudes that are 4 and 5 inches shorter. I can do this all day.

Apr.30 at 2:39 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
26.8, 12 and 4. Terrible. He should be shot.

Apr.30 at 2:40 pm

Eboy says:
Russ, you are 100 percent correct in your observations about the Mavs, but you seem to be skirting around Dirk’s deficencies. He’s a top 10 PF, no doubt, but year after year after year, it’s the same thing with dude. Just like Nash. Not enough when it matters most. You don’t need to be Lebron or Kobe to do more than expected. Stats are nice to look at, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that he is limited in his role as team…….what is he really. Pariah? Crybaby? Hero? Wunderkid? Dominating presence? Jersey salesman? Misunderstood supertalent? I’m still trying to figure it out too.

Apr.30 at 2:41 pm

Eboy says:
King K is pretty efficient in his cutdowns.

Apr.30 at 2:43 pm

Diesel says:
There’s good players, then there’s Superstars/Dominant Team leaders. Lebron, Howard, Wade, Kobe, Paul, KG, Duncan…these are Confident, Dominant, Team-Leading Superstars. Dirk is a great player but does not fit this mold. Dallas is trying to pe on their fans and make them believe its raining.

Apr.30 at 2:45 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Jason Kidd averaged 8.6, 6.4 and 6.8 and shot 16-38 for the series, but it wasn’t his fault. Josh Howard averaged 12.6 points (seven below his season average) and shot 21-72, but it wasn’t his fault either.

Apr.30 at 2:48 pm

albie1kenobi says:
i’m with Russ here. if kidd and josh howard at least held up their own roles, the mavs would still be playing. they didn’t even show up for this series.

Apr.30 at 2:49 pm

Son of Shawn says:
Has J-Kidd demosttrated in this seriers that´s actually better than Devin Harris (nowadays)?; no, he´d been a pain in the wrist for their teammates, and Dirk didn´t struggled like past year, he played at a good level, these are the facts

Apr.30 at 2:49 pm

henry says:
avery is done. releived of his duties as head coach..

Apr.30 at 2:50 pm

Nick says:
Khalid, I think you’re a great writer and you usually bring up valid points, but Dirk is a top 10 player in the L. He would be the best player on about 20 teams.

Apr.30 at 2:50 pm

Kevin says:
i don’t think Dirk sucks, to be honest.. and this is coming from someone who really doesn’t even like him much. Dirk’s probably the most solid/reliable player out of their 3 stars.. Josh Howard has allll that athleticism and year after year he jus never seems to become that complete player everyone knows he can be.. didn’t he used to be an amazing defender who could slash but couldn’t shoot? now he can hit a few jumpers, but he can’t play D anymore? as for Jason Kidd, he’s old and this squad wasn’t built for him to run in the first place.. that being said, i still don’t understand how such a gifted basketball player never figured out how to at least shoot 45% from the field. :/

Apr.30 at 2:51 pm

Son of Shawn says:
*he´s been, sorry

Apr.30 at 2:51 pm

Eboy says:
I didn’t know either of those guys were the “face” of the team. If they are, they both sucked, while Dirk was above average, regardless of his nice state line. How’d he do shutting down his Hornets counterpart? I read the mention of how Kidd was abused by the real MVP, so where was the shutdown of the other All-Star PF?

Apr.30 at 2:53 pm

H to the izzo says:
This is an anti-German conspiracy,the war is over folks.And Khalid I would gladly have Dirk take the last shot for my team.If Dirk sucks because his team under-performs or just not that good,what does that make Kobe?What had Kobe ever done with a bad team?Dirk performed in this series his teammates didn’t,yet Dirk gets the heat,where’s the logic?

Apr.30 at 2:54 pm

jgrey7 says:
I think Dirk has had = sucess in the playoffs as AI. Does that mean that AI sucks

Apr.30 at 2:54 pm

henry says:
was avery deserving of his firing? is it his fault his player didnt show up, but one game? though i would assume its the coaches job to get the players ready and focused, which they havent been for the past 2 postseason series’

Apr.30 at 2:55 pm

Diesel says:
I’m not arguing that its just Dirk’s fault. It absolutely is Kidd’s and J-Ho’s too. I’m saying if you’re going to blow up this team now and hire a new coach and develop a whole new team, building around Dirk would not be a good idea.

Apr.30 at 2:56 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
yes jkidd sucked but we knew that cp would kill him. cp is the best pg in the f*ckin world right now. josh howard never showed up and has been on some bs for some time now. yes this is true. But doesn’t dirk need to dominate david west? doesn’t he see that his team need him to go ape-sh*t for them to win? did you also notice how when west touched his face that none of his teammates retaliated? Ask your self why? Name me another so called superstar player in which this scenario would have similarly taken place. his teammates don’t believe in him and they don’t support him. neither did avery. why should the fans?

Apr.30 at 2:56 pm

Nick says:
Wow, 2 of the most recent “Coach of the Year” award winners don’t have jobs.

Apr.30 at 2:57 pm

Cheryl says:
Well, Avery is gone. where will he land, you think?

Apr.30 at 2:57 pm

H to the izzo says:
Diesel:And building it around Howard is.And are you gonna get equal value for Dirk when you try to trade him or just a pretty good PF and a few picks?

Apr.30 at 2:58 pm

Eboy says:
Well with Avery gone now, let’s see how Cuban decides to go, since there’s not much left out there that would be a good fit for the current roster (coaches).

Apr.30 at 2:58 pm

Nick says:
i say keep Dirk and Brandon Bass, and maybe JET, then get Rose somehow, Dwight Howard wouldnt be bad either.

Apr.30 at 2:59 pm

H to the izzo says:
Khalid:I don’t think there is much belief in teammates in the Nuggets lockeroom,TBH.

Apr.30 at 2:59 pm

Cheryl says:
I’ll take Dirk for the Heat, cuz he doesn’t have to be the “man” on that team, just hit outside shots and be the defensive nightmare for the opposing team’s coach.

Apr.30 at 2:59 pm

henry says:
how about bringing back nellie, since hes been on the hotseat after keeping the baron grounded

Apr.30 at 3:00 pm

Diesel says:
‘Gordon for a new fat guy for the dance team’ Haha I just saw that. I’d trade Gordon for a bucket of chicken. Gordon, Hughes, and our 1st round pick for Dirk. I’d do that.

Apr.30 at 3:02 pm

Eboy says:
Cute, Cheryl. So give up the Heat’s only defender in Haslem and what else, to get a guy who may or may not play at a high level if the balls not in his hands every other play? The Heat have one of those guys on the roster right now who’s jumper is not quite as pretty as Dirk’s but at least he plays D and rebounds in traffic.

Apr.30 at 3:02 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Dirk’s biggest sin, best I can tell, is not being Kobe or LeBron. Who else consistently lifts their team—BY HIMSELF—to new heights? Duncan has Manu and Tony Parker. The Pistons all have each other. Garnett has Pierce and Allen. And by the time this is all over, every one of those guys, save one, will have been eliminated. Every one of those guys will have failed. As for Howard and Kidd being faces of the team, HELL YES. Look what they gave up for Kidd. Doesn’t that make him a prominent part? Howard’s been an All-Star (and has probably benefitted somewhat from being able to play in Dirk’s shadow). I’m not saying Dirk is perfect. Far from it. But ever since the Miami series fell apart (how did they reach the Finals, by the way?), he’s been getting absolutely killed for EVERY Mavs failing. Which is just incredible to me.

Apr.30 at 3:03 pm

Diesel says:
Izzo - I wouldn’t say build around him, but yes, keep Howard over Dirk. Other than this series, Howard has played tough all around basketball his whole carrer and has generally met expectations in the clutch

Apr.30 at 3:05 pm

H to the izzo says:
How about the Mavs try and discover a good European coach,there’s a few good ones,and many of them actually have offensive philosophies.

Apr.30 at 3:06 pm

Levon J. says:
Dirk is wack! and J Howard is a junkie!!

Apr.30 at 3:06 pm

Eboy says:
Russ, you could probably get a healthy fee for writing rebuttals on the Mavs website. I swear Cuban would pay through the nose for that type of support.

Apr.30 at 3:06 pm

Nick says:
Diesel, you are an idiot. Dirk is top 10 in the NBA, Howard isn’t even a top 10 guard.

Apr.30 at 3:07 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Don’t get me wrong, the star player is going to take the heat for any series loss, it just seems that with Dirk it’s always very personal.

Apr.30 at 3:08 pm

Eboy says:
Nick, if I name 10 players better than Dirk, will you take back that statement?

Apr.30 at 3:10 pm

Diesel says:
Dirk is top 10? You must have low expectations. I didn’t say build around Howard. I said keep him over Dirk. I’d much rather have a long, quick defender who poses mismaches on the offensive end than a softie that gives you 25 and gives up 20 and avoids the post at all costs at 7feet tall.

Apr.30 at 3:11 pm

Cheryl says:
You’re right, E. I just am feeling like taking in all the cast aways today. I need to stay out of the puppy shelters…

Apr.30 at 3:11 pm

Eboy says:
Probably because people always have inflated ideas of Dirk doing some ungodly type of sh*t that would make his detractors run away and hide but it just doesn’t happen. It sucks for him, but high expectations (thanks J-Ho) are hard to overcome.

Apr.30 at 3:12 pm

Nick says:
Give me 10 better, and i’ll tell you why you are wrong.

Apr.30 at 3:13 pm

Eboy says:
Cheryl, if Dirk would play that role, it’d be a good move, but Marion would have to be the bait, not Haslem, otherwise we’d have no roughnecks on the frontline unless Zo comes back.

Apr.30 at 3:16 pm

Eboy says:
Ok, Nick, you asked for it. (of course if all are healthy and playing) Kobe
Lebron
CP3
Dwight
Duncan
Amare
KG
Wade
Pau
Deron

Apr.30 at 3:19 pm

albie1kenobi says:
food for thought: iverson-kidd swap.
nuggets will finally have a point guard who can get all the scorers the ball and kidd will never have to shoot.
mavs will have a leader with heart and passion, and it’ll make dirk a very good second banana.

Apr.30 at 3:19 pm

Nick says:
Dirk > Pau, Deron, and Wade. You have got to be kidding with Pau, Deron is nice, but not better than the German, Wade fell off 50x harder than Dirk after the Finals.

Apr.30 at 3:19 pm

Diesel says:
Kobe, Lebron, CP3, KG, Duncan, Howard, Melo, Wade, Stoudemire, Boozer…all better than Dirk Not to mention Caron Butler, every player on the Pistons, DAVID WEST, Manu, T Parker, Bosh, Nash, AI, Gasol, E. Brand, and so on and so on

Apr.30 at 3:19 pm

henry says:
you could add t-mac and boozer to that list

Apr.30 at 3:21 pm

Nick says:
Diesel you are still dumb

Apr.30 at 3:21 pm

albie1kenobi says:
eboy, top 8 i can’t argue. pau and deron you can put a healthy debate on.
btw, the top 6 guys make a FRIGHTENING team USA. ducan won’t be on the team but the other 5 make a dominant starting 5.

Apr.30 at 3:22 pm

Nick says:
None of ya’ll were questioning his top 10 status last year, and it’s not as if he is playing substantially worse

Apr.30 at 3:22 pm

Eboy says:
Nick, do you watch basketball or just read about it? Have you seen Pau in a Lakers jersey? Wade’s injuries killed his season, not his stats, if that’s your endline for comparisons. Deron is 20 times more valuable to a playoff team than Dirk, everytime. He’s a distributor and a finisher and plays some semblence of defense. C’mon buddy, you got to do better than that.

Apr.30 at 3:23 pm

Diesel says:
Good one. Do you think Dirk is better than David West? Afetr he just got done outplaying him the entire series?

Apr.30 at 3:24 pm

albie1kenobi says:
melo doesn’t play defense either so he’s not better than dirk. david west’s go to move is the 17 footer from a CP3 assist, so you can’t say he’s better than dirk. for the rest, you are just naming names.

Apr.30 at 3:26 pm

Khalid Salaam says:
I say the mavs need to get younger. right away. they don’t even have a 1st rd pick this yr. what can they do? trade dirk or howard..i say dirk, teams still will give up a lot for him.

Apr.30 at 3:26 pm

albie1kenobi says:
switch david west and dirk and do a mental experiment. i bet it’s not even close.
with that said, i do have a hard time saying he’s definitely in the top 10 category.

Apr.30 at 3:27 pm

Nick says:
Look it’s ridiculous to say Gasol is better than Dirk, Pau when asked to be the superstar didn’t take his team tot he finals. Kobe can make anyone better, i might be an all star candidate if i was on kobe’s team. Wade is a good player but id like to see him do something wihtout Shaq. Deron is borderline, but he doesnt provide the matchup problem that dirk does. Dirk has never been a great Defensive player, but he does get rebounds.

Apr.30 at 3:27 pm

albie1kenobi says:
he meaning dirk of course

Apr.30 at 3:30 pm

Diesel says:
Just naming names?? Caron Butler carried the Wizards to the playoffs. Rasheed Wallace, Chauncy Billups, Rip Hamilton all score as much as Dirk and win Championships. Manu Ginoboli is better than Dirk. Allen Iverson scores 5 more points per game than Dirk, hence he is better. Bosh puts up better numbers than Dirk. T Parker’s play just won his team a series and a chip last year. Which one of these guys is me just saying names???

Apr.30 at 3:30 pm

Myles Brown says:
Dirk doesnt do enough when it matters most, but Pau Gasol is better than him? Pau hadnt even won a playoff game before he became a Laker.

Apr.30 at 3:30 pm

H to the izzo says:
If the Mavs want change,I’d give up Howard(whos effort and focus was practically non-existant this year-now we know why),I’d only give up Dirk if I could get Elton Brand or better.Get rid of pretty much everyone else except for Kidd who would be a useful mentor for Ricky Rubio who they will get by tanking next season.

Apr.30 at 3:32 pm

Cheryl says:
the nickname “J-Ho” just took on a whole new meaning, didn’t it?

Apr.30 at 3:33 pm

Eboy says:
Nick, in regards to Wade, and the popular opinion of 99% of the people that freguent this place and many other basketball forums, he alone won the title for the Heat two seasons ago, with little to no help from the Big Finacial Disaster. Just saying. And in a face up matchup with the German machine, Wade took that discussion by the throat and shook it away from Der Kommiser like he was shaking him down for lunch money.

Apr.30 at 3:33 pm

Myles Brown says:
Dirk is best as a complement to a star rather than being the primary guy himself, because he is a bit fragile. But hes also one of the top talents in the league. And this revolving door or teammates and coaches doesnt help. Maybe trading him would be best for everyone.

Apr.30 at 3:35 pm

Eboy says:
Myles, I’m talking about today, not the past. Sorry for the confusion, if there was any. Phil, you too, I’m speaking today going forward, not past performances from any of these guys.

Apr.30 at 3:37 pm

Co Co says:
Dirk is fragile, but he sure does make a lot of shots late. Just not late enough I guess.

Apr.30 at 3:38 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Y’all are freaking crazy. And caught up in preconceptions. Carmelo Anthony (for one) more or less admitted to quitting a playoff game, was on a team with a former MVP (who NEVER gets questioned in terms of heart) and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and got SWEPT in the first round, but he doesn’t catch half the grief Dirk does. And now we’re gonna quabble whether he’s top 10? At absolute WORST he’s top 20, no question. And the Pau Gasol stuff is a joke. Where’d he lead Memphis again?

Apr.30 at 3:39 pm

Eboy says:
Co Co, would you give up Josh for Dirk? Clearly that would be the better move for the Hawks, right? Dirk scores much more and is playoff tested. (whispers….please sense the sarcasm, please)

Apr.30 at 3:39 pm

albie1kenobi says:
Diesel, “just naming names” was my lazy response because i didn’t want to spend time making a case against each, so my bad. most of them (besides AI) are on the level of dirk and you can’t say they are all DEFINITIVELY better, unlike the top tier superstars.

Apr.30 at 3:41 pm

Eboy says:
Uhm, I never named Melo. Gasol played on a sh*t team, for a sh*t organization, who never did one thing to try and help dude play until they finally traded him. Let’s not compare that to the sugar daddy that does anything for wunderboy in Dallas.

Apr.30 at 3:42 pm

what says:
I guess it’s fine to go get drunk with Steve Nash and take pictures and post it on the Internets but you can’t smoke a blunt? WTF?

Apr.30 at 3:43 pm

Diesel says:
I just started on this because Nick made it sound ridiculous to not include Dirk in the top 10. I agree with top 20.

Apr.30 at 3:44 pm

albie1kenobi says:
(i’m really enjoying this discussion today, even my attempts at throwing tangents with the mention of kidd/AI swap and team USA didn’t sway the focus off dirk)

Apr.30 at 3:44 pm

Myles Brown says:
Pau Gasol never won a playoff game. Not one. Ever. As much as I like him in purple and gold, if Cuban offered Dirk straight up, id take it in a heartbeat. Half a heartbeat.

Apr.30 at 3:44 pm

Eboy says:
Dirk’s a top 10 PF in the league. End of discussion. Please?

Apr.30 at 3:45 pm

albie1kenobi says:
that i can definitely agree with, Diesel.

Apr.30 at 3:45 pm

Diesel says:
Can we all just agree that Lebron is overrated?

Apr.30 at 3:45 pm

albie1kenobi says:
that too Eboy.

Apr.30 at 3:45 pm

Eboy says:
Myles let a good thing be. You actually think Dirk would survive a 82 game schedule playing with 24 and getting insults from Phil weekly? Hardly.

Apr.30 at 3:45 pm

Diesel says:
That was a joke by the way

Apr.30 at 3:46 pm

albie1kenobi says:
Diesel, why open another cans of worm? why risk bringing Mr Jones into this madness?

Apr.30 at 3:47 pm

albie1kenobi says:
okay that makes sense. whew.

Apr.30 at 3:47 pm

Co Co says:
If the Mavs are choosing between Dirk and Josh then they gotta stay with Dirk. He’s not a bad player. Is he the easiest guy to root for? No, but he’s a good player. I mean I don’t particularly like 7 foot jumpshooters who have no interest in post play, but on a few occasions Dirk will go in the paint. They just need to surround him with a different cast of characters.

Apr.30 at 3:47 pm

Eboy says:
Maybe a topic changer? Since Avery is gone (and still not reported here, WTF Marcel?) will he wind up somewhere next season or take an analyst role somewhere?

Apr.30 at 3:48 pm

Eboy says:
Answer my question, sweet lady. Please?

Apr.30 at 3:49 pm

H to the izzo says:
Just to play Devil’s Advocate here,is a 6′0′’ ballhog with a shot quota and no interest in playing D who’s had the exact same playoffs success as Dirk really easier to rot for?

Apr.30 at 3:50 pm

Diesel says:
I think he’ll end up somewhere, but not this year. Milwaukee and Chicago are the only openings that I know of. It sounds like Bulls are zeroing in on Carlisle, and I just don’t think Avery fits with Milawukee. I don’t know if his squeaky voice would test well with basketball audiences as an analyst. So I htink he takes a year vacation then joins a team in 2 years.

Apr.30 at 3:50 pm

Eboy says:
Yes.

Apr.30 at 3:51 pm

Eboy says:
Meant for izzo’s ridiculous comment.

Apr.30 at 3:53 pm

H to the izzo says:
It was purposely ridiculous,as ridiculous as the “Dirk sucks” argument.

Apr.30 at 3:53 pm

phil says:
LOL, Pau better than Dirk? Whoever wrote that has never watched Pau Gasol play, that guy is probably the softest player in the league, he is the epitome of Eurogarbage.

Apr.30 at 3:53 pm

Eboy says:
And izzo, since you’ve been up Dirks’s ass all day like a favorite butt plug, imagine AI as a 7′0″ forward and Dirk as a 6′0″ guard. See some semblence of difference there? AI would be ridiculous, Dirk would be a high school coach.

Apr.30 at 3:54 pm

albie1kenobi says:
wait, which 6′0″ ballhog are you talking about, izzo? AI?
if avery replaces george karl, i guarantee the nuggets will have home court in next years’ playoff. but not before a head or two rolled in denver.

Apr.30 at 3:56 pm

albie1kenobi says:
eboy, i think the upbringing of AI and dirk would probably have to be swapped too, and that may just make the difference in their personalities and style of play.

Apr.30 at 3:56 pm

H to the izzo says:
Well.If AI was 7′0′’ he’d be ridiculously skinny and beasted around the place.Conversely Dirk would be a tank.Now,who’s making ridiculous comment.

Apr.30 at 3:56 pm

albie1kenobi says:
hahaha. izzo.

Apr.30 at 3:57 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Dirk is just a fragile little German flower who could never handle someone like Phil Jackson insulting him. And there’s NO WAY he could ever, say, drop 37 and 15 in a Game Seven win in San Antonio. Oh wait, he did do that.

Apr.30 at 3:58 pm

H to the izzo says:
I’m not up Dirk’s ass,just adding a bit of perspective to the stupid Dirk sucks comments.I actually love AI.

Apr.30 at 4:00 pm

Eboy says:
That one example of “showing up” is worth the fight, Russ. Seriously. izzo, since I know you are half crocked right now, your attempts at levity are looked upon with a glare of stupidity pointed your way. I do love you though, except at this moment.

Apr.30 at 4:01 pm

Diesel says:
Who do you think is bigger in Germany: Dirk Or The Hoff?

Apr.30 at 4:02 pm

Eboy says:
“Dirk sucks” sounds a bit better than “Dirk is ok.”

Apr.30 at 4:02 pm

Eboy says:
Schnitzels.

Apr.30 at 4:05 pm

Myles Brown says:
This is officially a worthless conversation.

Apr.30 at 4:07 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Right, that was the one time he showed up. Oh yeah, except for the 24 and 10 in the series-clinching win over Phoenix. Also on the road. None of that stuff counts, though. He’s just a soft Euroloser that isn’t worth a plugged nickel. He should probably just go back to Germany since he’s never going to accomplish anything in the NBA like lead a team to 67 wins. What a looooo-ser. He’s the worst thing to happen to the NBA in years. He can’t even win a championship by himself! He sucks.

Apr.30 at 4:07 pm

H to the izzo says:
How about actually evaluating him fairly and comparing him to players that so many love,he’s not very different,yet he’s seen and judged differently,how about actually thinking instead of relying on hyperbolic-popular opinion bullsh*t.

Apr.30 at 4:08 pm

Eboy says:
Hey, you making your own arguments right there, Russ. Go with it!

Apr.30 at 4:09 pm

TADOne says:
This really made 176 comments?

Apr.30 at 4:10 pm

Eboy says:
izzo, how about when I referenced twice in this “worthless” conversation that Dirk was a 10 ten power forward in the lig. Did you read that or skip over various posts like others do here when all aren’t in agreeance with them?

Apr.30 at 4:10 pm

Diesel says:
Call me crazy Russ, but I think you’re being sarcastic. Its almost like you’re arguing for Dirk NOT being a loser…

Apr.30 at 4:10 pm

J Howard says:
Is weed really that bad?

Apr.30 at 4:11 pm

H to the izzo says:
Myles:Better than a redundant Kobe argument.

Apr.30 at 4:11 pm

Eboy says:
TAD, go away, this is a worthless ocnversation even though it completley involves a basketball discussion without outside interference.

Apr.30 at 4:12 pm

Chou says:
Can we give Dirk a rapper analogy too?

Apr.30 at 4:13 pm

H to the izzo says:
Eboy:I’m not talking about you,just Dirk haters in general.

Apr.30 at 4:14 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Izzo, logic is entirely worthless here. Just give up. I did! Dirk is awful. It’s obvious. It’s not that people are predisposed to think of him as soft and cast off all evidence to the contrary. That can’t be it at all. Everyone who hates him is right and I’m obviously wrong. As usual. I’m done here.

Apr.30 at 4:15 pm

albie1kenobi says:
SLAMONLINE: where worthless discussions about dirk and kobe over and over and over again happens.

Apr.30 at 4:15 pm

Myles Brown says:
It isnt the ever popular redundant Kobe argument, but the redundant Dirk argument is a distant second. And gaining ground.

Apr.30 at 4:18 pm

Eboy says:
I wish the SLAM staff (anyone of them) would write a piece about Dirk’s performance in this years playoffs so those of us in the dark can be enlightened about what he did to change the perception of him being underachieving with a underachieving supporting cast and coach right along with them. I’d like to see the reasonign of why I would be persuaded to choose Dirk’s talents over those of some of the other guys in the league at his position. Seriously. Anyone.

Apr.30 at 4:19 pm

Eboy says:
*reasoning

Apr.30 at 4:19 pm

Brandon says:
Wow the Dirk haters never fail to let their agenda get in the way of the actual discussion.

Apr.30 at 4:21 pm

Myles Brown says:
Im more interested in you writing a coherent explanation as to why “Dirk sucks” sounds a bit better than “Dirk is ok.”

Apr.30 at 4:21 pm

Brandon says:
There are people who straight up REFUSE to believe a European player is any good. Call them racist or self hating or whatever but their bias is obvious and its disgusting.

Apr.30 at 4:23 pm

H to the izzo says:
How dare Dirk be anything less than Kobe or LeBron.Why should any of his teammates get any blame for this?They probably stopped trying on purpose because he sucked so much.Again,Dirk’s fault.
I despair.

Apr.30 at 4:27 pm

Harlem_World says:
Pau better than Dirk? Heeeeeeeeell no. I’m no Dirk fan, for pretty much all the reason Khalid laid out, but Pau? No way. Yes, he looks much better in LA, but how do you think Dirk would look playing with Kobe? Dallas got bounced because of CP3 above all else. Howard and Kidd were terrible too, but don’t take away from CP3. That boy is ice cold.

Apr.30 at 4:28 pm

Eboy says:
I could do that Myles. Pretty simply, actually. I can say “Myles sucks at writing” even though I know it’s not true and don’t feel that way in the least but if I say “I love Myles writing and feel he is underappreciated” I’d be on the slurp tip. But as an easy way to rile up a group of people who are uber forgiving, saying “sure, Dirk is good” is too easy. There’s no heat surrounding that comment. Every talking head can say the same thing. Much like Khalid, I got nothing against the dude, and just like the guys I root for take criticisms and I try to back them, and run into the same ignorant walls that appear here today, it’s just conversation. Nothing life changing. We ain’t paying Dirk’s bills, he ain’t writing checks for ours. So really, it’s not a terrible thing to be in disagreement, it just always turns out that way ’cause we all think we’re right!

Apr.30 at 4:34 pm

Diesel says:
It’s official, Mavs just fired Avery. Whoever made that comment about Dirk and the carousel of players and coaches around him, it looks like that’s not going to stop anytime soon.

Apr.30 at 4:34 pm

memyselfand9 says:
LOL if you have a player that is regularly popping his collar bad after hitting a three in the third quarter (you all know those faces he makes) like he just decided the game with a buzzer beater aka dirk *scream on your team* nowitzki, how can anyone be surprised that this dude has so many haters? especially after being so hyped up last season (after being elminated in the finals after a historic choke), getting the mvp and then choking big time and taking another monumental L?
please.
he has a nice J and he devoloped a lot of drive to the basket. but if you can’t see how dirk is an easy target for some good old sports hate something must be wrong with you or you are simply a fan.

Apr.30 at 4:36 pm

albie1kenobi says:
indeed eboy. that seems like a good wrap up with this convo. i REALLY need to get back to work (or at least go have my lunch).

Apr.30 at 4:36 pm

Eboy says:
Whoa. I like that guy.

Apr.30 at 4:47 pm

namik says:
People here make retarded comments, then make personal comments to cover it up and then act like they were joking to cover it all up when they come up looking like idiots. Dirk is clearly a top 10 player in the L. Kobe got knocked out in the first round 2 years in a row. Wade couldn’t even win 10 games. Nash, a 2 time back to back MVP just lost in the first round. Ditto Amare, Shaq etc. TD thanks the stars he has TP. Dirk has a washed up PG who thinks he is better than he is at this age and an over-rated SG who talks about getting high before the playoffs and refuses to cancel his party after getting blown out in a playoff game. But yes, Dirk is the choker here.

Apr.30 at 4:55 pm

The Promise says:
Lets review the facts: Dirk is a choke artist, and hes proved this 3 years in a row. 2005: They win the first 2 in the Finals and they choked away 4 in a row…anybody remember Dirk throwing a tantrum after game 6(I think)? By that time, they had already lost the series…they had no chance after they lost the 3rd one in a row…and it was because Dirk could not hit the ones he needed to hit…2006: Everybody remembers the choke job he pulled last year. His teammates were the ones that kept them in the game while he was shooting 20 foot bricks all night…he forgot what made him the MVP that year…he stopped driving to the hoop and getting easy shots, and instead taking the hardest shots available…2007: plays decent in some of the games, sucked in the others…he is just not a playoff star…he dont understand what it takes to win the championship… Im not a Dirk hater, but I just dont think he can handle the pressure and he has proved he cant.

Apr.30 at 5:00 pm

speedy says:
People tend to forget that Dirk ignored the injury this year to bring his team to the playoffs and was the only player on this team to bring constant numbers in a series where he was let down by nearly everybody on his squad .

Apr.30 at 5:04 pm

The Promise says:
@speedy: None of us have said that it was all Dirks fault. What we have said is that he could have played better when they still had a chance against the Hornets. By the way Namik, Dirk is NOT a top 10 player in the league. No way.

Apr.30 at 5:05 pm

speedy says:
The Mavs-Nets Trade was the dumbest move made this year in the league.
They gave up to much and got a player they overrated .
How could the management think that a change at the Point would be that easy.

Apr.30 at 5:16 pm

john says:
they loose to the heat in the finals in ‘06, they loose to a 8th seed warriors in ‘07, then they loose in the first round with a 1-4 record. wats next not making the playoffs. real talk

Apr.30 at 5:17 pm

speedy says:
Shut up Promise shut up Eboy shut up Khalid…
There is always space to do better for every player . (I never saw a player who was perfect from the field with no turnovers an incredible handle the best D on the planet and so on. )
But hey if your team doesn’t support you or isn’t able to do so you can do what you want it wont help .
Go and ask Kobe.

Apr.30 at 5:27 pm

The Promise says:
Speedy has lost his mind… Kobe is the best player in the league and he is showing it. And he does NOT have a “superstar” playing with him…Pau is the sideshow… Dirk has good players around him…problem is they smoke weed.

Apr.30 at 5:32 pm

tt says:
Yes Kobe got knocked out in the first round 2 years in a row, but i think his team won more than 1 game & they didn’t get beat by an 8th seed. Wade has been most of the season.

Apr.30 at 5:34 pm

speedy says:
The problem is that they didn’t contribute .

Apr.30 at 5:37 pm

speedy says:
The problem with the Dallas squad in the last two years was the lack of intensity but that is problem of coaching and the motivation of every single athlete on the squad .

Apr.30 at 5:52 pm

Young Chris #3 says:
Dirk still sucks.

Apr.30 at 5:58 pm

speedy says:
@Monsignore Promise
I never said that Dirk is as good as Kobe .
I just wanted to show that even better players can’t leave the first round with no supporting cast.
And that you are thinking that the Lakers are only that good because they have Kobe is dumb he is a big reason but not the only one.
They have an excellent coaching staff inclusive Mr. Phil Jackson that worked out a great system and every piece of the puzzle is working great and because of that Kobe is winning and is able to shine . Without his team supporting him he would still just have good stats.

Apr.30 at 6:01 pm

speedy says:
@Young Chris #3
Great comment and so surprising .

Apr.30 at 6:04 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
The Washington Wizards are about to lose in the first round for the third straight year. Is Caron Butler soft? Antawn Jamison? Gilbert Arenas?

Apr.30 at 6:09 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
The Denver Nuggets have lost in the first round FIVE straight times. Yet no one questions Iverson’s status as a warrior. (I know he hasn’t been there for all five, but Melo and Camby have.)

Apr.30 at 6:18 pm

Adam says:
I hate Dirk but it wasnt his fault for not winning the series. Really he is there best player, and he showed why in that series. Kidd played terrible, which doesnt surprise me, and so did Howard. Look he is talented and im sorry but you dont win an MVP by accident. Maybe he wasn’t the most deserving but you still aren’t even considered for it if you arent a good player. This series was lost for several reasons none of which should be blamed on him. And i agree about Melo and Denver. There is no excuse for the way they played. None.

Apr.30 at 6:29 pm

speedy says:
No Russ they ain’t .
The thing about Dirk and why he doesn’t get the respect he deserves is to complex for me to understand, especially if you see what he acomplished.
But all those guys that rode the ‘Dirk sucks bandwagon’ will always stick with that because…because…yes now I have it because he all alone lost three series three years in a row and never won a chip .
So for every NBA star that didn’t win a series/chip : You Suck.
Sarcasm is infiltrating my comments.

Apr.30 at 6:45 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
He’s a lot like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Dominique Wilkins and Elgin Baylor, who all relentlessly sucked their way to the Hall of Fame. P.S. Dirk has led his team to the Finals as many times as Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Gilbert Arenas, Pau Gasol, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined. Who sucks?

Apr.30 at 6:45 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
^^ Add Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire to that list.

Apr.30 at 7:09 pm

Captain America says:
Dirk surely does not suck, but he swallows bratz whole.

Apr.30 at 7:10 pm

Captain America says:
Russ, don’t go bad on Elgin Baylor! Elgin and West were huge for the Lakers.

Apr.30 at 7:28 pm

Russ Bengtson says:
Elgin Baylor never won a championship, therefore he sucked.

Apr.30 at 8:28 pm

Nick says:
how many people have dropped 50 in the playoffs? short list, but Dirk is on it.

Apr.30 at 8:39 pm

Bubba Chuck says:
Fire Coach Karl!

Apr.30 at 8:40 pm

Krishan says:
I am confused as to how you can define “fragile” in a basketball manner, especially since a lot of you guys keep recycling that word. How is Dirk fragile? Does he break down in the baseline when Dwest/Amare/TD scores a fieldgoal? Does he weep when he misses a freethrow? Or is he like Samuel L. Jackson in that M. Night movie, where his bones break easily? Seriously, anyone?

Apr.30 at 8:42 pm

Krishan says:
Oh wait, he’s fragile cause he hasn’t won a chip. I’m finally figuring out this discussion. Thanks russ.

Apr.30 at 8:48 pm

Eboy says:
Poor Russ. Always looking for that elusive championship, even when NO ONE mentioned it.

Apr.30 at 8:51 pm

Dacre says:
Russ Bengtson owns this thread - All the Dirk haters out there need a wake up call.

Apr.30 at 8:53 pm

Nick says:
Eboy, you usually make sense. I am very disappointed at your stance on this argument. It shouldn’t be an argument.

Apr.30 at 9:06 pm

Eboy says:
Nick, what part do you disagree with? I said Dirk is talented, a top 10 PF and his talent misread. Supporting the idea that he disapeers when it counts most shouldn’t be debated, it can be supported by very few instances in his career. When Russ references great names of the past and present that never have won a chip (which I normally have used in past discussions, but not this one)I can only say that the effort of Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson, Elgin Baylor, Kevin Garnett, etc. allcould NEVER be questioned, even while falling short. Dirk has never seemed to, to use a shi*ty sports cliche, “put it all on the line” giving up his body, fighting for his place on the court, doing the unimaginable to will his team beyond expectations. If no one can see THAT, then the “blind hatred” that is perceived by Dirk’s supporters in question of his game, is even more questionable for those that can’t.

Apr.30 at 9:21 pm

Nick says:
I wonder why he is questioned, in all reality he fell off in 1 playoff series. There is no way i would question his performance in 06, in 07 he wasnt good, but to blame and question him in 08 is ridiculous. He came back from a sprained ankle and knee to will his team into the playoffs, put up very respectable averages in the playoffs, it’s a shame that people think he isn’t competitive.

Apr.30 at 9:30 pm

Eboy says:
Not that he’s not competitive, Nick, but imagine if his competitve drive matched his talent level, which we know is exceptional? Does that make more sense?

Apr.30 at 9:34 pm

Nick says:
A little bit, I still would consider him a top 10 talent, and the most famous German since Hitler, but I’m a huge Mavs fan. I have questioned Dirk many times, which may be indicative of your argument, but he is definitely more good than bad.

Apr.30 at 9:40 pm

Eboy says:
I put him third in the “foreign” player parade in the league behind those two Spurs that always seem to step up when needed. Not on stats, but on continued impact.

Apr.30 at 9:42 pm

John E. Sanford says:
I’m sorry, but there really wasn’t too much more Dirk could have done against the Hornets. That Dallas team was a team in turmoil. As far as making his teammates better, there wasn’t much he could do about that either. Josh “Pass the L” Howard had checked out on the season mentally and the rest of his teammates aren’t that good to begin with. A majority of that squad is either too old(Jason Kidd) or too bad(Erick Dampier). The real culprits for this 1st round flameout are Mark Cuban and Avery Johnson. Just my humble opinion.

Apr.30 at 10:03 pm

Eboy says:
That’s pretty accurate, John. I guess the change in guard will aleviate the coaching issue and any changes the new coach makes should motivate the rest of the Mavs who stay to be better still.

May.1 at 12:57 am

Nashty says:
Wow, it’s amazing how people jump on Dirk here after the Mavs got eliminated. Dirk was the only reason they competed. As much as I like Kidd as a player, the Mavs really made a mistake by trading for him with like 25 games left in the regular. When the trade went through, I thought about that Cuban only offered Nash 40 mil because he said a 30 years old PG was gonna be heading down hill soon. But then he traded for a 35 years old Kidd……

May.1 at 5:24 am

nick says:
im still in the library studying for a final that starts in 3 hours…i wish i was Dirk

May.1 at 8:10 am

Simone Lawy says:
DALLAS SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS……

May.1 at 1:15 pm

Allenp says:
Damn this was a long discussion. Russ was heated. I think you can make an argument that there are ten players in the league who are better than Dirk. I personally would prefer Elton