No defense too tough for Dirk
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) scores in front of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) and center Kendrick Perkins during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA basketball Western Conference finals. (May 17, 2011) Credit: AP
Over his 14 seasons in the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki says he's seen pretty much every defense possible.
Well, Thunder coach Scott Brooks is tempted to try the ultimate gamble -- the invisible defender. That's right, nothing. Nobody. Maybe just someone shouting, "Boo!" or "Don't miss!" whenever Nowitzki loads up to shoot in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Thursday.
Brooks surely was joking Wednesday when he suggested not guarding Nowitzki. Brooks wasn't laughing, though, because he was still awed and frustrated by what happened in Dallas' 121-112 Game 1 win, when the big German made 12 of 15 field goals and set a playoff record by hitting all 24 of his free throws on his way to 48 points.
"There were nine shots that he made, no matter what you did, you couldn't have guarded him any better," Brooks said. "We put smalls [on him], we put medium-sized guys on him, we put big guys on him, we put everybody on him. We tried to take it out of his hands. The only thing we didn't do was not guard him.
"Maybe, if we want to do something different, we don't challenge him. We play a zone and let him go free."
Nowitzki simply had one of those nights superstars have, making almost everything he put up and getting to the foul line when he didn't.
His efficiency was phenomenal: 48 points on just 15 shots. He didn't pad it with any three-pointers, either. Heck, he didn't even try any, despite being an NBA-best 60 percent from behind the arc this postseason.
Wolves' Kahn: I was joking
Timberwolves president David Kahn says his comments about the NBA draft lottery were intended as a joke, simply a tongue-in-cheek resignation that fate gave Cleveland the first pick ahead of luck-lacking Minnesota. After the Cavaliers beat out the Wolves for the top spot Tuesday, Kahn said with a smirk to a group of reporters, "This league has a habit -- and I am just going to say habit -- of producing some pretty incredible story lines."
Kahn pointed to Washington sending the widow of longtime owner Abe Pollin last year and getting the first pick. Cleveland had owner Dan Gilbert's 14-year-old son, who has battled disease since birth, on hand for good luck this time. The Cavaliers got exactly that in the annual pingpong ball pop-up. -- AP
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