Every NBA team’s greatest playoff moment

CHICAGO - JUNE 7: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls matches up against Karl Malone #32 of the Utah Jazz in Game Three of the 1998 NBA Finals at the United Center on June 5, 1998 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls won 96-54. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1998 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Dallas Mavericks: Dirk silences the doubters (2011 NBA Finals)

He’s too soft. He’s just a jump-shooter in a center’s body. He’ll never be able to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a title. All of these criticisms regarding Dirk Nowitzki for the majority of his career were not only thrown around, but they were also relatively well accepted. There were obviously those that praised the unique challenges that come with defending a player with Nowitzki’s skill-set, but the skinny was that the Mavericks had a ceiling with him and that ceiling didn’t involve a ring.

Since the 2011 NBA Playoffs, that narrative has changed and, moreover, looks downright foolish.

In the wake of “The Decision,” all eyes around the league were on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, Dirk and the Mavericks were plugging away in the Western Conference, winning 57 games (just one fewer than the Heat, mind you) and earning the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. From there, they sent the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder packing en route to the Finals and a matchup with the Heat.

Through the first three rounds of the playoffs, the Mavericks were rolling behind a masterful effort from Nowitzki. The big German, in 15 games in the postseason prior to the Finals, was posting 28.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game with 51.7 percent shooting from the floor, 51.6 percent shooting on 3-pointers and 92.9 percent free throw shooting for good measure. Yet, they were still looked at as the doormat for LeBron’s first title.

Dirk turned the tables, though, and won his first ring instead. Aided by the phenomenal defense of Tyson Chandler and key contributions from Jason Terry and Shawn Marion, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the long-awaited first title in franchise history, much to the delight of Mark Cuban. Fittingly, the big man led the way as he put up 26 points, 9.7 rebounds and two assist per game, decidedly outplaying James in the process and silencing all of the doubters as well.

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