T/F: Dirk's reputation will never recover unless he wins a title

[mlh1981]

He is at the point in his career where nothing he achieves during the regular season will enhance his legacy. It's all about the playoffs. Some people will say he choked vs. Golden State, other will say it's because Don Nelson knows him inside and out and if Dallas had been matched up against someone else, they would've gotten out of the first round. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

[imjustlikemusiq]

True

[dejordan]

true, because people are unfairly harsh to him.

Dirk has had more playoff success than Iverson, KG, tmac, Vince, Lebron and 95% of other "#1 options" out there.

This year is actually the only year he lost to a team he "should have beaten". Even the Heat last year... people forget that team WAS STACKED. Just because they underacheived in the regular seeason and got a poor record doesn't mean nothing... people were picking them to come out of the East before the season.

The years before, Dirk's team either lost to a team with more talent (suns) or a team with a superior superstar (spurs). He's always torched the inferior teams he should be torching-- Portland, Utah, Minnesota (torched KG in 03), he has had two WCF runs and been the #1 guy on multiple 60 win teams. But now people wanna take all that away because of this year. While guys like Iverson never seem to get any flack because he's a popular dude. (cue the guys saying "but he led his team to the finals!"....)

this is a good point. i think the serious flack from the 06 finals was the way they lost rather than the fact that they lost, but you're right. it's not like they got schooled by some pushovers.

i wouldn't say that iverson and garnett get no flack, kg in particular gets quite a bit of choker hate, but it is hard to deny that neither of them has consistantly played with the talent or had teams as healthy as dirk has, so there may be some extenuating circumstances regarding why one guy seems to be held to a higher standard.

it is a little bizarre how harshly he's being judged. maybe it's because he has such vocal fans? you see the same kind of thing happen to kobe. when you get a ton of praise for your great regular season, you are likely to get kicked pretty hard if you don't have a great post season as well. right or wrong.

[Rasheed1]

True...

But now people wanna take all that away because of this year. While guys like Iverson never seem to get any flack because he's a popular dude. (cue the guys saying "but he led his team to the finals!"....)

Iverson's finals trip was different from Dirk because the Mavs were the favorites and got upset... People had brooms out in LA for Game 1 of the 2001 finals, so the fact that 6ers werent even expected to win a game makes the two different...

cant give AI flack for losing to a dynasty with a team that people say shouldnt have even been there...Plus AI numbers were on Wade's level during that finals

bottomline: AI didnt choke

[TMacsOneGoodEye]

AI and Dirk are also different in the sense that Dirk is better than AI.

But what AI lacks in size & skill, he makes up for in will.

Dirk on the other hand, has all the skill in the world, but he's a mental idiot who has a clock that eventually strikes midnight in the post-season.

[Rockets(T-mac)]

True...



Iverson's finals trip was different from Dirk because the Mavs were the favorites and got upset... People had brooms out in LA for Game 1 of the 2001 finals, so the fact that 6ers werent even expected to win a game makes the two different...

cant give AI flack for losing to a dynasty with a team that people say shouldnt have even been there...Plus AI numbers were on Wade's level during that finals

bottomline: AI didnt choke

Great post. You can't come pair AI and Dirk because AI clearly didn't choke he was facing a team that very little teams in the NBA now could even dream of beating. For then go against everyone and win a game was amazing and better than losing a 2-0 nothing leading in the finals like Dirk. Cue Primetime to come and say that the Mavs weren't aloud to play defense that series.

[Rasheed1]

I think Dirk is still getting adjusted to the concept of being "the man" in America..

I think some foreign guys have trouble with all the pressure that is put on one guy. Dirk happens to be that one guy on his team and he looks uncomfortable being the main focus..

I think he needs help too...He needs a low post presence on the team. I dont think he'll ever dominate down low like 7 footers should.

[EricForman]

True...



Iverson's finals trip was different from Dirk because the Mavs were the favorites and got upset... People had brooms out in LA for Game 1 of the 2001 finals, so the fact that 6ers werent even expected to win a game makes the two different...

cant give AI flack for losing to a dynasty with a team that people say shouldnt have even been there...Plus AI numbers were on Wade's level during that finals

bottomline: AI didnt choke

First, I didn't think the Mavs were the "favorites". The Heat underacheieved in the regular season. You look at that lineup on paper they should have been a top team in the league. ZO AS A BACKUP CENTER?

Second, you misunderstood me, in no way am I saying Iverson should get flack because he lost in the finals, I appreciate that 01 run as much as anyone. But people bash Dirk so much and label him a choker and a failure, when guys like Tmac, Iverson and KG would kill to have his playoff runs. Iverson's had ONE playoff run his entire freaking career, that's what I mean by no one gives him any flack. True he didn't have much help before, but hey if he don't start making some noise in Denver, if he's still going out in the first round, no more excuses.

[EricForman]

Great post. You can't come pair AI and Dirk because AI clearly didn't choke he was facing a team that very little teams in the NBA now could even dream of beating. For then go against everyone and win a game was amazing and better than losing a 2-0 nothing leading in the finals like Dirk. Cue Primetime to come and say that the Mavs weren't aloud to play defense that series.

Damn, everyone misunderstood my post and took it as an Iverson bash or something....

No need to tell me how amazing Iverson's 2001 run was, I MADE this video myself. Took me 7 hours, ripped the footage off my tape, edited, downloaded Rocky soundtrack just to put the music, etc.

It's not hating on Iverson, it's me giving Dirk props because he's had more post season success than any other #1 option currently playing today besides Wade, Duncan, Shaq. THAT'S IT.

And guys like Iverson, Vince, Tmac would kill to have half of Dirk's playoff success. Ask them how it feels to play in like, 5-8 playoffs games every year for most of their careers... oops, scratch that, Tmac's never even played more than 7 per year. HAha

[Doge]

True

Dirk must shed the too soft label and only a Championship will do it.

[Doge]

Just saw AI - Dirk subplot...

But the Mavs DID get schooled by a bunch of pushovers. We're still talking about the Least here. And we are not really talking about the Heat but Wade. The only way you let one person beat you is to melt. Losing one game like that (think L James in the year's ECF) is one thing, but a series! Uh, no. Dirk melted.

AI tangent: AI made it to the Finals because, as Bill Simmons says over and over, 1.5 has-been/overrated All-Stars and 10 guys off the street old get hot enough to make it to the Finals thru the ECF. AI is the most overrated player in the game now. I love it when Holligner thinks the Nuggets will come out of the West next year. Uh, no. Best case scenario for Nuggets is to lose in WCF. I'm waiting for them to trade Camby, who was their best player in terms of impact and winning. Then they're a 7 seed...

Back to Dirk... Since the merger the Finals has seen a few upsets. They are rare in a 7-game series but they do happen. The upsets are: Shaq's first Finals appearance, they lost to the Rockets because the Magic decided they could party instead of actually prepare. Shaq and Kobe's last finals run when the Pistons won 4-1. Total upset, never should have happened. But that last time the Lakers were putting the fun in dysfunctional and just self-combusted. That brings us to the Heats over Mavs upset. And it was an upset. No way the Mavs should have lost more than 1 game in that series. And this was (still is) the era of the Least. Anyway, Dirk will never win a title as #1 option, never.

[BballFan422]

False.

Malone is considered one of the top PFs in the history of the NBA and he choked on the big stage. Barkley never won a title either.

I think it's more a matter of people over-stating who Dirk is (or any star for that matter) and then being let down because he is fallible.

[mavsfan4zindagi]

True.

He can have a million 67 win seasons, but they mean absolutely nothing if he doesn't win a title.

Right now what is Dirk remembered for? His choke against Miami and GS.

Co-sign.

He'll only be remembered for his choke jobs if he doesn't win a title before his career ends.

[LakerWarrior12]

False.

Malone is considered one of the top PFs in the history of the NBA and he choked on the big stage. Barkley never won a title either.
I think it's more a matter of people over-stating who Dirk is (or any star for that matter) and then being let down because he is fallible.

That is irrevlant. Because Barkley and Malone's teams were never favored to win a championship against MJ's superior teams.



Dirk lost to an underdog team, and the Mavericks were favored to win the Finals. But in the end it was the Heat.

[Take Your Lumps]

this site has h-ater as a bad word???

what kind of ****in garbage is that?

Try: hateration