Every NBA team’s MVP, from Kevin Durant to LeBron James
By Tom West
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
Even though he’s 37 years old and has lost any kind of reliable speed or defense (which would not be excused so easily for others), it’s hard to name someone other than Dirk Nowitzki as the Mavericks’ MVP. He doesn’t have the explosiveness to elevate for blocks and he certainly doesn’t have the speed to defend effectively away from the basket, but what he brings as the focal point on offense is so impressive for someone nearing their 40s.
He still has the signature, one-legged, turnaround fadeaway, and he can still score in a hurry. 17.9 points per game is respectable by itself, and then it’s even better when you counter in his shooting numbers.
So far, Dirk has been shooting with more accuracy than he has in years. His field goal percentage (50.2) is the highest it’s been in five years and his three point percentage (43.8) is the best mark of his entire career. Very few players could say something like that at 37, even if we are only a quarter of the way into the season. And if he wasn’t already doing enough, he’s even averaging more rebounds (7.1 per game) than he has in six years.
Just like other timeless legends such as Tim Duncan, who keep on playing and delivering no matter how hard Father Time tries to stop then, Dirk is still stepping up. He raises the Mavs’ offensive rating by 8.8 points per 100 possessions whenever he’s in the game and he has more win shares than anyone else on the team. He’s simply doing his best to ignore age to keep on playing.
Dirk will be remembered as the greatest shooting big man in NBA history, and he’s using this season to show just how remarkable the longevity of his skill is. Until someone else takes a major step up, Nowitzki has to be the Mavericks’ MVP.
Next: Memphis Grizzlies