14 Jun 2011

Nowitzki hailed as one of all time greats

12:24 pm on 14 June 2011

The German basketballer Dirk Nowitzki was hailed as one of the all-time greats after he crowned his 13 years in the NBA with a first championship ring following the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 series win over the Miami Heat.

Named Most Valuable Player of the finals, Nowitzki's outstanding performances throughout the playoffs, with six 30-plus scoring games, were crucial to Dallas' success as they gained revenge for their loss to Miami in the 2006 season.

The losing Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters Nowitzki is simply one of the all time greats, and he was when the Heat beat the Mavericks in the finals in 2006.

Dirk's ability to consistently able to elevate his game in his 30s has him regarded as one the finest examples for all aspiring NBA players.

Spoelstra says Nowitzki is one of the most indefensible players in this league, because of his skill set, his shooting and his size, at 2.13 metres or seven foot.

Nowitzki's coach Rick Carlisle says he's sure that this season had established the big German as one of the best ever in the league, naming the power forward as the most clutch player in the NBA.

Nowitzki averaged 26.0 points per game in the finals and was incredibly accurate from the free throw line, missing just one of 44 attempts to banish memories of the loss to Miami five years ago and finally win a ring.