Hardwood Paroxysm Presents: We’re not mad, we’re just disappointed and sad
Watching the Dirk Domination Come to an End
By Dan Lewis (@minutemandan) – Hardwood Paroxysm
It wasn’t supposed to end this way, Dirk. You and Rick Carlisle were supposed to make sweet music together one last time, playing those notes across the hardwood, into the cameras, and straight into my living room.
I sat on the edge of my seat at the beginning of every game this series, proudly wearing my No. 41 Nowitzki shirzee (hardcore) hoping for something amazing to happen. I wanted to see the tongue-wagging, finger-raising performances from years’ past, where you lead your team to victory one fadeaway jumper at a time.
In the end, the Mavericks just couldn’t field a competitive enough roster around you, Dirk. Chandler Parsons hurt his knee, and he might be out all of next year recovering from surgery. Tyson Chandler gave ‘em hell, backtapping every loose ball he could get his fingers on for rebounds, yapping on defense, and roaring after dunks. Monta Ellis figured out how to play a sweet two-man game with you, and was a dynamic scorer.
But you guys were done in by what you hated the most. Just one year ago, Mark Cuban was mocking Daryl the Dork after the Rockets GM called and asked if Dirk was on the trade market. The Mavericks were, unlike the Rockets, a team with an identity, a culture, something tangible that people wanted to be a part of. But Ellis never really meshed with the team that way, and Rajon Rondo just was the worst. Watching him quit on the Mavericks in the playoffs was just the cherry on the top of the shit sundae that this season became.
Worst of all was watching you, Dirk, doing all you physically could and failing. It’s hard to play defense now, more than ever, and that lateral movement just isn’t always there. Father Time has taken what was once the NBA equivalent of Doryphoros and turned it into a Mega Bloks creation. For the first time, I realized that soon I won’t be able to watch you play anymore, and that makes me sad.
In conclusion, I guess I’m not really disappointed in you personally, Dirk. I’m just disappointed it had to end this way. Next year, let’s see if Donnie Nelson can scrap together a contender and we can take one more ride off into the history books. It’s the true Texian way to go out. Davy Crockett, grab your violin, it’s time for the last ride of Dirk Nowitzki.