NBA Rankings: Top 10 power forwards for 2014-15

5. Dirk Nowitzki:

2013-14 Stat Line: 80 games, 32.9 MPG, 21.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, .497/.398/.899 shooting, 23.6 PER

After struggling with injuries during the 2012-13 season, Dirk Nowitzki came back stronger than ever, missing only two games and putting up nearly 22 points per game. Though the Mavs fell to the eventual NBA champions in the first round, they took the Spurs to a hard-fought seven-game series and actually gave San Antonio their toughest series of the entire postseason. It basically just went to show that a healthy Dirk plus Rick Carlisle plus the right role players equals yet another incredibly tough playoff team in the West.

Heading into his 17th season, the big German has a ton of mileage on his NBA odometer just like Duncan. But he’s also two years younger than Duncan and after such a superb season shooting the basketball last year, you can be guaranteed that the Mavericks’ improved supporting cast will make things even easier on Dirk in 2014-15.

Monta Ellis had an extremely efficient season playing alongside Dirk and the arrival of Chandler Parsons gives Dallas another scoring punch and perimeter threat. Tyson Chandler’s presence in the paint will bolster the defense and make things easier for Dirk and his “old man at the YMCA” defense. Like Duncan, Dirk has playoff experience and although the West is pretty much the lion’s den, no one would be surprised to see this Dallas team make another postseason run behind Dirk.