Tag: Dirk Nowitzki

Draymond Green earns ‘Draymond Nowitzki’ nickname after clutch jumper in Game 5 vs. Kings

“Draymond Nowitzki.”

In his first game back at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento since being ejected from Game 2, Draymond Green registered a vintage performance when the Golden State Warriors needed it most in a pivotal Game 5 on the road. 

The former Defensive Player of the Year stuffed the boxscore with a season-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field to go along with seven assists, four rebounds, four steals and a block in 32 minutes off the bench on Wednesday. Green even stretched the floor against the Kings, drilling a triple from beyond the arc. Green’s last 21-point performance came on Christmas day against the Houston Rockets in 2019. 

Following his impressive performance in Game 5, the former All-Star earned a new nickname from his teammates and coaches. While praising Green during the postgame press conference on Wednesday, Steve Kerr revealed the forward was being called “Draymond Nowitzki” after knocking down a clutch fadeaway down the stretch in the fourth quarter. 

Draymond was amazing, especially down the stretch. They were calling him ‘Draymond Nowitzki’ after the fadeaway. It was maybe the biggest shot of the game. That and Wiggs hit a fadeaway as well. Those two shots probably were the two that stood out. Obviously Steph and Klay — there were a lot of big shots made in the game, but those two stand out to me when Sacramento played really good defense and those guys knocked down shots at key times. 

Via @NBCSWarriors on Twitter: 

Green’s jumper that later earned a reference to NBA Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki came with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 5. With the shot clock ticking down, Green hit a fading jumper from the key over Harrison Barnes to stretch the Warriors’ lead to three points heading into the final minutes of the game. 

Via @anthonyVslater on Twitter: 

During the first-round playoff series against the Kings, Green is averaging 11.3 points on 42.9% shooting from the floor with 7.5 assists. 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 31.9 minutes per game. 

With a 3-2 lead in the series, the Warriors will have the chance to close out the Kings on Friday in Game 5 at Chase Center against the Kings.  

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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LeBron James congratulates Dwyane Wade on being Hall of Fame finalist

LeBron James gave some love to his former Miami Heat championship teammate for getting one step closer to entering the Hall of Fame.

On Friday, the finalists for the 2023 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame were announced, and it is a mighty impressive group.

Perhaps the most impressive member of the finalists is Dwyane Wade, the legendary shooting guard who played the vast majority of his 16-year career with the Miami Heat.

Four of those seasons in Miami came alongside LeBron James, and in each of those seasons, the team made it to the NBA Finals. It captured back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

Wade and James also played half a season together on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017-18 campaign.

Also among the finalists are two more men linked to James: Gregg Popovich, the longtime coach of the San Antonio Spurs who faced him three times in the finals, and Dirk Nowitzki, who defeated James and Wade in the 2011 championship series.

The four-time MVP gave Wade, Popovich and Nowitzki their flowers on social media.

The inductees will be announced during the NCAA Final Four in April.

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The Mavericks unveiled a perfect statue for Dirk Nowitzki, featuring his signature fadeaway jumper

This is immediately one of the best statues in sports.

After retiring his jersey number earlier this year, the Dallas Mavericks honored Dirk Nowitzki with a statue outside American Airlines Center.

Nowitzki, who won the NBA MVP in 2007 and NBA Finals MVP in 2011, is widely considered one of the most important and influential players in league history.

It was only a matter of time until the Mavericks, the only NBA team that he ever played for during his storied career, honored the 14-time All-Star with a statue commemorating his contributions to the team.

But it was an especially wonderful tribute to Nowitzki, who now officially serves as a special advisor for the Mavericks:

Nowitzki was known for his signature fadeaway jump shot, and that was immortalized with his statue outside of the arena in Dallas. The statue was inscribed with the motto “Loyalty Never Fades Away” (which is 21 letters, one for each season he spent with the team).

Even though it is the most obvious way to tip your hat to Nowitzki, Mark Cuban and the Mavericks totally knocked it out of the park. The details are phenomenal, even getting the exact shoes he wore while connecting on his one-legged fadeaway.

Just take a look at this photo and you will see why it immediately became one of the best statues in sports:

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Diana Taurasi just did something only Michael Jordan and Dirk Nowitzki have done with her latest 30-point explosion

Diana Taurasi is one of the best players to ever touch a basketball court — period.

Diana Taurasi isn’t having her best season ever, obviously. She’s coming to the end of an absolutely fantastic career.

But she’s still one of the greatest basketball players to touch a basketball court ever. She proves that time and again, year after year. She did it again on Thursday night when she made a bit of WNBA — and, really, professional basketball — history.

Taurasi dropped 30 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists against the LA Sparks on Thursday. That was her first 30-point game since she’d turned 40 years old on June 11 last month.

And with that, she became the first WNBA player to ever score 30 points in a single game over the age of 40. Not only that, but she’s also just the third player between the NBA and WNBA to accomplish that feat, too. Only Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Jordan have done it before, per ESPN Stats and Info.

She was cooking. Taurasi hit 5 3-pointers on her way to making a bit of history.

Shoutout to DT, man. She’s really one of the greatest.

La multitud cantó ‘sobrevalorado’ a Luka, y hasta Dirk Nowitzki se unió

Este momento de Dirk Nowitzki uniéndose a los cánticos ‘sobrevalorados’ dirigidos a Luka Doncic es tan chistoso.

No es raro ver a estrellas jóvenes acosadas por multitudes opuestas. Es algo muy común, ya sea en un juego de la secundaria, la universidad o la NBA.

Sin embargo, este tipo de cánticos que la afición sueca dirigió a Luka Doncic de los Dallas Mavericks es más habitual en un instituto o universidad.

Incluso la leyenda de los Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, que estaba entre la multitud, tuvo que divertirse un poco uniéndose al canto también.

Traducción: Dirk se une al grtio “¡sobrevalorado!” a Luka 😂😭

Luka no se inmutó por los cánticos. Como pueden ver, simplemente se rió porque obviamente no está sobrevalorado.

Ha estado a la altura de todas las expectativas desde que llegó a la NBA, convirtiéndose en uno de los 10 mejores jugadores de la NBA.

Y obviamente Dirk no cree que esté sobrevalorado. Solo tenía que unirse al canto para burlarse de Luka un poco en buen fe.

Esta interacción entre Luka y Dirk me recordó otro caso en el que una leyenda de la NBA sentada junto a la cancha no dejaba de hablarle basura en esloveno.

Luka no podía creer quién era hasta que se dio la vuelta y lo vio por sí mismo.

“Estaba hablando en esloveno. Así que yo estaba como, ‘¿quién está hablando mi idioma?’ Vi a Kobe y me sorprendió mucho”, dijo Luka Doncic sobre Kobe hablándole en esloveno

Traducción: Luka dijo que Kobe le estaba hablando en esloveno desde el margen 😂

Es seguro decir que Luke no está sobrevalorado. En todo caso, es tan bueno que a las leyendas de la NBA les encanta meterse con él porque ven la grandeza en él.

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Fotos de Chet Holmgren junto a Dirk Nowitzki y David Robinson ilustran su increíble altura

Chet Holmgren, un candidato a selección top del Draft de la NBA es increíblemente alto. Que un prospecto top de basquetbol es alto seguro no es noticia de última hora. Es esperado. Uno esperaría que tuviera ese lego si va a jugar en la cancha con un …

Chet Holmgren, un candidato a selección top del Draft de la NBA es increíblemente alto.

Que un prospecto top de basquetbol es alto seguro no es noticia de última hora. Es esperado. Uno esperaría que tuviera ese lego si va a jugar en  la cancha con un equipo de basquetbol profesional.

Sin embargo, creemos que ustedes están asumiendo que es un típico centro de la NBA. Así que mejor lo enfatizamos. Holmgren es INCREÍBLEMENTE alto. Tipo, puede empequeñecer a algunos de los jugadores más grandes en la historia de la NBA.

Vean esta foro de Holmgren junto al MVP 2007, Dirk Nowitzki:

Nowitzki, quien también ganó el MVP en las Finales, figuraba como de 7 pies durante su carrera. Holmgren no fue medido durante el Draft Combine de la NBA en Chicago, pero puede que sea más alto que los siente pies que tiene enlistados.

Holmgren hace que Nowitzki, que sobrepasaba a sus compañeros de Dallas como JJ Barea, parezca una persona normal. A pesar que Holmgren está usando un sombrero en esta foto, es bastante claro que le gana por unas cuantas pulgadas a Dirk.

Pero si la foto no es suficiente para ustedes, tal vez esta foto del Draft Lottery de la NBA de Holmgren con el MVP 1995, David Robinson, tal vez lo sea:

Traducción.- David Robisnon (de 7’1) junto a Chet Holmgren.

Robinson, un doble campeón de la NBA, estaba considerado como de 7-pies-1 durante su carrera.

A diferencia de la foto que muestra a Holmgren con Nowitzki, esta foro con Robinson también lo muestra junto a un no-jugador de la NBA como referencia.

Mike Schmitz, el reportero junto a Robinson y Holmgren, que acababa de ser contratado  como subdirector general de los Portland Trail Blazers mide 6-pies-2.

Por supuesto que la altura no significa éxito en la NBA. Pero para Holmgren, definitivamente no le afectará ser claramente más grande que leyendas como Nowitzki y Robinson.

Wild photos of Chet Holmgren next to Dirk Nowitzki, David Robinson illustrate his incredible height

Chet Holmgren, a projected top pick in the NBA draft, is incredibly tall.

Chet Holmgren, a projected top pick in the NBA Draft, is incredibly tall.

It’s not exactly breaking news to tell you that one of the top basketball prospects in the world is a big guy. That’s expected. You’d hope he’s got length if he is going to play in the frontcourt for a professional basketball team.

However, I feel like you’re assuming he’s your classic NBA center. So I just want to emphasize something for you. Holmgren is incredibly tall. Like, he can dwarf some of the biggest players in the history of the NBA.

Look at this photo of Holmgren standing next to 2007 MVP Dirk Nowitzki:

Nowitzki, who also won NBA Finals MVP in 2011, was listed at seven feet during his professional playing career. Holmgren didn’t measure during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, but he may be even taller than his listed height of seven feet.

Holmgren makes Nowitzki, who towered over Dallas teammates like JJ Barea, look like an average-sized individual. Even though Holmgren is wearing a hat in this photo, it is pretty clear he has a couple of inches on Dirk.

If that picture didn’t do anything for you, maybe this photo from the NBA Draft Lottery of Holmgren with 1995 MVP David Robinson might:

Robinson, a two-time NBA champion, was listed at 7-foot-1 during his playing career.

Unlike the photo that shows Holmgren with Nowitzki, the picture of him with Robinson also shows him standing next to a non-NBA player for scale.

Mike Schmitz, the reporter standing next to Robinson and Holmgren who was just hired as the assistant general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers, is 6-foot-2.

Height doesn’t directly translate to success in the NBA, of course. But for Holmgren, it certainly won’t hurt that he is clearly larger than legends like Nowitzki and Robinson.

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Chet Holmgren chopped it up with Dirk, Luka at Western Conference finals

Holmgren was seen talking to future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic in San Francisco.

Potential No. 1 pick Chet Holmgren on Thursday was seen talking to future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic at Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

Of course, Doncic and the Mavericks fell to the Golden State Warriors as Stephen Curry & Co. advanced to the NBA Finals for the sixth time under head coach Steve Kerr. Golden State has the third-most appearances in the finals (12) in history.

Afterward, Holmgren was seen in a group with Nowitzki and Doncic, along with Mavericks governor Mark Cuban and Doncic’s father. Holmgren talked to Nowitzki for several minutes and even had a message for Doncic, via Ben Golliver of the Washington Post.

Holmgren, a consensus All-American, is in the discussion to be the top pick this year after averaging 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 1.9 assists at Gonzaga. He emerged as a strong prospect on both ends of the court and shot 39% from 3-point range on 3.3 attempts per game.

Certainly, Holmgren enters the draft projected to check a lot of boxes at the next level with his wide-ranging skillset, and the 7-footer can now add some knowledge from Nowitzki and Doncic to his bag.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Mavericks’ route to an NBA championship mirrors the one taken by the title-winning 2011 squad

Can Luka Doncic and the 2022 Mavs do what Dirk Nowitzki and the 2011 Mavs did?

Let’s play a game.

Close your eyes and imagine the Dallas Mavericks starting the playoffs without one of the top two seeds out West, then running through some of the league’s all-time great players and franchises en route to an NBA championship.

Do you see Dirk Nowitzki or Luka Doncic?

Are you thinking back to the legendary 2011 run that the Dirk-led Mavs team had, or are you picturing what the 2022 Mavericks are eight wins away from accomplishing?

You’re not wrong, either way. The similarities between what those Dallas teams did back in 2011 and what the 2022 team has a chance to do are crazy.

Let’s start in Round 1. In 2011, Dallas dusted off the out-matched Portland Trail Blazers in six games. The series probably should have gone five but Brandon Roy had himself a moment. A similar thing just happened 11 years later, just substitute “outmatched Portland Trail Blazers” for “deteriorating Utah Jazz” and ta-da.

Western Conference Semifinals? Nobody gave Dirk’s Mavs a chance against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers who were led by the late, great Kobe Bryant. Not only did Dallas beat them, but they also swept and embarrassed them, which may have been the moment that everyone realized this team could do something special.

Can we say the same for Luka’s Mavericks, a team that just went into a 64-win team’s home arena, led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker, and absolutely cooked them in Game 7? It’s not as impressive as what the ’11 team did by sweeping the champs, but it’s surely a good way to get the “why not us” vibes going.

And those vibes could become unmatched if they can get past the Golden State Warriors in the conference finals. This is their 2011 Mavs-Lakers matchup — having to get by a multiple-championship winning trio and numerous future Hall of Fame players en route to a potential title.

From there, the obvious parallel between the two Dallas teams would be potentially running through the tape by beating a Miami Heat team in the NBA Finals. But a lot has to happen until then and the first order of business is Golden State, which is the toughest task of all.

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting how the stars are aligning.

At Tipico Sportsbook, the Mavericks have +185 odds to beat the Warriors and +600 odds to win the championship.

That’s quite a steal for a potential “team of destiny” run.

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Watch: Warriors pay tribute to Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki on night of jersey retirement

On the night of his No. 41 jersey retirement in Dallas, members of the Warriors paid tribute to Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki.

On Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks honored one of the greatest players in their franchise history with the Golden State Warriors in town.

The Mavericks recognized Dirk Nowitzki by retiring his No. 41 and announcing a statue for the legendary forward at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

On the night of his jersey retirement, members of the Warriors paid tribute to Nowitzki. Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Kevon Looney all congratulated Nowitzki with a video message on social media.

Via @warriors on Twitter:

After coming to the NBA out of Germany in 1998, Nowitzki spent his 21 season career with the Mavericks. During his time, Nowitzki became the franchise leader in points, made 3-pointers, rebounds and blocks. The 7-footer appeared in 14 all-star games along with winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2007.

In 2011, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to an NBA title run over LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat. Nowitzki earned Finals MVP honors for his epic performance against the Heat.

During his career, Nowitzki averaged 20.7 points per game on 47.1% shooting from the field with 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest.

In 2023, Nowitzki will be eligible to enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Watch Nowitzki’s full jersey retirement ceremony via YouTube:

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