There is no sadder story in the world than the story of Dirk Nowitzki and the lost NBA Finals in 2006. In those days the league was much less international, Greg Popovich’s Spurs seemed more like an exception, so without five minutes the success of the blond German, who did not look at all like the local stars, was perceived with skepticism. When you slam the door on a time machine and go back in time, you need to remember the context. Let’s start with it.
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That’s not to say that Dallas wasn’t expected in the 2005/2006 season finals, but the Mavericks’ entry into the decisive stage was still a surprise. The Texas club reached the final series for the first time in history. Dirk was approaching his 28th birthday, the best age in a basketball player’s career. In a match against the more stellar Heat, Nowitzki and Co. started off in good health. The Mavericks won both home games and had every chance to put pressure on their opponents in the third game.
Judge for yourself: during that game the guests were leading by about two dozen points, and before the final quarter they had a completely reliable nine-point advantage. Nowitzki caught the shot and scored 30 points. It seemed, what could go wrong? 3.4 seconds before the end of regulation time, the German forward went to the free-throw line. His team was only on fire by a couple of points. Dirk confidently scored the first attempt, but then missed the most important shot of his life.
Of course, even such a sharpshooter’s hand can shake. However, 9 times out of 10, Nowitzki took his shots from the line with his eyes closed. This is not a figure of speech, but facts that cannot be argued against. Over 21 years in the NBA, the forward made 87% of his free throws. That season, 90% of his free throws were successful. In the playoffs, Dirk made 89% and in the final series he converted 49 of 55 attempts. However, history does not know the subjunctive mood. Akela missed, Miami pulled out all the stops, won four games in a row and the title was left hanging in the hands of a young Dwyane Wade.
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In that game, Dirk still had a chance to save himself. After a fatal miss, the German fouled Wade. The Heat leader scored one of two, the Mavericks called a timeout, but then something strange happened. A second before the end, the Dallas coaching staff drew up a combination in which Nowitzki threw the ball in from the wing. When your main sniper is not playing catch at a key moment, questions arise. Maybe the coaches simply wanted to protect Dirk from a shot that was obviously not prepared for in a moment of time shortage, or they no longer believed in the cousin who had made a mistake. One way or another, Dallas almost won 3-0 and had the trophy in their hands, but almost, as we know, does not count. It didn’t work, it didn’t work.
There were also complaints about the officiating. In home games, the referees often sided with the Heat. In the third game itself, Wade alone made as many as 18 free throws, and he averaged 16 attempts from the line in the final, compared to just nine for Nowitzki. Questions remain for the referee. The other day, former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recalled that final and noted that “it was far from the best series in terms of the referees.”
However, back to the figure of Dirk. Nowitzki was attacked from all sides, sometimes rightly, sometimes rabidly criticized. There were many reasons. Firstly, the player himself hit the mark at the crucial moment, and in the next game he completely missed, shooting only 2 of 14 shots in the game. Secondly, at that time the NBA was still wary of European stars. Now the last six MVP awards have gone to non-American players (in the 2022/2023 season, Embiid represented Cameroon), and then the most valuable player for a European was considered nonsense.
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Third, the stigma of a choker instantly stuck to Nowitzki. This term refers to a player who racks up statistics in games against weak opponents, but is unable to take responsibility in really important games. The conflict with Wade added fuel to the fire. Flash and Dirk exchanged scathing statements in the media and even refused to shake hands at the All-Star Game the following year. The feud lasted almost two decades, and only earlier this year, Dwayne and Nowitzki shed light on that feud and admitted that they no longer have any grievances against each other.
After being the subject of media obstruction, Dirk faithfully attempted to make a comeback. In 2007, Dallas won the regular season with a reserve. Nowitzki was deservedly named the best player of the season and became the first European MVP in history. However, the Mavericks managed to win 67 games and lost sensationally to Golden State in the first round. That defeat is still considered one of the loudest in history.
Dirk Nowitzki, NBA Playoff Finals – 2006
Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
This could break anyone, but not Dirk. In the best traditions of Hollywood cinema, fate still gave him the opportunity to improve and get revenge on his former abuser. In the summer of 2010, the NBA was divided into “before” and “after.” LeBron took his talents to Florida, teamed up with Wade and influenced Chris Bosh to move. The Heat (or the Hittles, as the media dubbed them) were a great trio and, according to James, had more than one, two or three titles. Nowitzki, who was slowly starting to lose, found himself facing such opposition in the 2011 finals.
Contrary to all predictions, the Mavericks upset the favorites, taking home the first and so far only title in the franchise’s entire existence. Dirk led the team and truly shined: 27.7 points in the playoffs, the undisputed Finals MVP award and an individual performance that went down in history. After five long years of continuous hate and ridicule, Nowitzki finally got his revenge. He later admitted that without that goal-line miss in 2006 there would have been no championship in 2011. It may have been tough, but it only made him stronger.
