New NBA Logo - The Dirk Goose-Step

Should the Mavericks win, the finals MVP will be Dirk Nowitzki. His playoff run thus far has been nothing short of legendary, and this is as objective as it gets for me. You see, I never liked Dirk. It's easy to hate Mark Cuban and Texas for being themselves and I did, but Dirk was another beast entirely. When the Mavs chose Dirk and parted ways with Steve Nash, I hated Dirk. I called him Dirty Dirk, and many other fun jaunts. When a young Dwyane Wade met Dirk in the finals in 06 with a still-serviceable Shaq, I was a big Wade fan and cheered my guts out for Dirk to lose. He was easy to hate as a choker as well. I was as excited as anybody when Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes led the 8th-seeded Warriors over the first-seeded Mavericks. And lest we forget the first round Easter "resurrection" game of Brandon Roy when the Blazers miracled their way to an emotional 23-point comeback in This 2011 post-season Dirk has proved the haters wrong. And I am one of them. It doesn't change the fact that he averages too few rebounds for a 7-footer, his transition defense is suspect, and his face is a turn-off. I can respect him in the context of NBA greatness and achievement, but it doesn't mean I like him. Good luck in the finals,