If you're the Timberwolves, you take this chance. Not only is Dirk Nowitzki two years younger than Garnett, but he's barely a drop-off in talent. Nowitzki is more of a perimeter player than Garnett, who works inside out, but you'd be trading one of the league's most unique 7-footers for another in return.
If you're the Mavericks, you're all over this deal. Nowitzki has been great for six of his eight years in Dallas, but what has that gotten you except a trip to the Western Conference finals? Garnett is more of a defensive presence than Nowitzki and a better passer. If Dallas is ever going to win a title, they'd have a much better chance at doing it with Garnett at power forward.
--Israel Gutierrez, November 27, 2005
Last week I referenced a blog arguing that the 2008 Celtics would have been just as good had they acquired Dirk Nowitzki in the offseason instead of Kevin Garnett. This seemed patently ludicrous to me then, and now I have someone else to back me up.
The Celtics won the 2008 NBA Finals because of D-E-F-E-N-S-E, and Dirk Nowitzki doesn't play a lick of defense. KG? Defensive player of the year.
Notice that the above snippet is from November 2005, or eight months before Dirk was marginalized by the Miami Heat's James Posey in the 2006 NBA finals and 16 months before Dirk was vaporized in the Dallas Mavericks' first round series loss to Golden State Warriors.
Now it's June 2008. KG has a ring on his finger after averaging a double-double for the NBA Finals, playing a key role in neutralizing Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, and coming up huge in the decisive game 6.
Someone explain to me how Dirk Nowitzki, a pretty three point shooter and good rebounder, plays any role in shutting down the Lakers two big men?
If you're the Mavericks, you're all over this deal. Nowitzki has been great for six of his eight years in Dallas, but what has that gotten you except a trip to the Western Conference finals? Garnett is more of a defensive presence than Nowitzki and a better passer. If Dallas is ever going to win a title, they'd have a much better chance at doing it with Garnett at power forward.
--Israel Gutierrez, November 27, 2005
Last week I referenced a blog arguing that the 2008 Celtics would have been just as good had they acquired Dirk Nowitzki in the offseason instead of Kevin Garnett. This seemed patently ludicrous to me then, and now I have someone else to back me up.
The Celtics won the 2008 NBA Finals because of D-E-F-E-N-S-E, and Dirk Nowitzki doesn't play a lick of defense. KG? Defensive player of the year.
Notice that the above snippet is from November 2005, or eight months before Dirk was marginalized by the Miami Heat's James Posey in the 2006 NBA finals and 16 months before Dirk was vaporized in the Dallas Mavericks' first round series loss to Golden State Warriors.
Now it's June 2008. KG has a ring on his finger after averaging a double-double for the NBA Finals, playing a key role in neutralizing Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, and coming up huge in the decisive game 6.
Someone explain to me how Dirk Nowitzki, a pretty three point shooter and good rebounder, plays any role in shutting down the Lakers two big men?
2 comments:
No, no, a thousand times no!! This team would not have been near as good with Dirk instead of KG. Dirk has no where near KG's intensity. He isn't near as good a defender and isn't the leader KG is. I would take KG over Dirk any day of the week!!
Now we have two guys better than Dirk, maybe three!
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