Good For Dirk! And Jason!

This is Dirk's chance to win it all—and he's playing like it.

I have a soft spot for future Hall of Fame players who never one the big one, the championship, like Charles Barkley. I have a bruised plum soft spot for players who could never even get to the Championship, like George Gervin (poor George—14 time All-Star, career average of 25.1 ppg, never sniffed a championship). That's why I'm really happy to see Dirk Nowitzki make it to his first Championship.

Dirk is a Hall-of Fame player doing everything right in his career. Good guy, good teammate, the 2006-07 MVP is averaging 8.5 boards, and 23 ppg on 48% shooting for his career. And like a true great, The Dirk gets better when it matters most—averaging 26 ppg and 10 boards in the playoffs, including 29 ppg this playoff season. Not only that, he is shooting a 52%—including a mental 52% from 3 point land. And no plan jump shooter, Dirk got to the line almost 10 times per game, making 92% of his free shots—including a sick 59 for 61 in the Thunder series (hat tip Pete S.).

And let's not forget Jason Kidd, who has to be, what? 57 years old by now, but has never won the big one. Kidd, at least played in 2 championships with the Nets. His play was mixed those 2 years, but with a future HOF in Notwitzki by his side (and not, say, Kenyon Martin), his job should be noticably easier.

So, does Dirk get his ring? Tough to say. The Heat play much better team defense team than the Thunder do. (Heat, Thunder, what's with the meteorological names?) It should be an heckuva interesting series—pure offense vs. tough defense. All we at AAPTBNL can say is that Dirk seems right now, to be a man on a mission from Yahweh. He knows that, at 32 years of age, this is his last, best chance. And he's playing like it.He needs to do it now. I hope he does.