Steve Nash was one of the people who was elated for Dirk Nowitzki when he led the Dallas Mavericks to their first NBA championship in franchise history. Even though Nash knew he could have been there hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy, he didn’t feel bitterness.
In fact, Nash was even impressed by how Nowitzki won a championship without the help of other superstars. For Nash, what Nowitzki and the Mavs accomplished at the time was not just upsetting a more dominant team, but more about proving that teams built around collective can be successful in a star-heavy league.
“It was great for a lot of reasons,” Nash told Slam of Dirk and the Mavs’ title run in 2011. “One, I felt really great for them. Individually, they kind of had their moment, a kind of capping of their careers. Also, they weren’t really talked about going into the Playoffs, and for them to build a team—obviously, Dirk’s out of this world, but the rest of the team, it wasn’t necessarily a Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, or your Boston or L.A. ‘Big Three.’ It was almost like Dirk and a Small 7, instead of a Big 3. And that’s great.”
Nash admired what Dirk and Dallas did
Taking a quick trip down memory lane, the Mavs faced many obstacles en route to the Finals that season. After getting past prime LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, Nowitzki and the Mavs faced the defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the Western semis.
The Mavs stunned the NBA world when they swept the Lakers and moved on to the conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder’s explosive trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Despite being older, the Mavs closed the series out in five games.
In the Finals, many anticipated a lopsided series with the Miami Heat’s Big 3 being viewed as favorites to win the title. However, Nowitzki and the Mavs proved them all wrong.
Looking back on it, Nash expressed his deep admiration for the Mavs’ championship journey. He believes that it not only spoke volumes about Nowitzki’s greatness but also contradicted the notion that super teams always win championships.
“It’s great for the game, to see a team come together and be a team, be mentally tough, run their stuff, stick to the game plan on both ends of the floor. So that was great for the game,” Nash further remarked.
“It’s a great testament to Dirk,” he added. “He stayed with his franchise and got it done. However, they did it, they did it.”
The Dirk and Nash duo could have won a title too
In retrospect, Nowitzki may have been the face of the Mavs, but it’s worth noting that the team’s foundation started when he and Nash made great strides as a duo. Together, the pair carved out the new identity for the franchise. Still, the front office prevented possible major setbacks that Nash’s injuries could cause.
The Mavs figured that Nash might be an injury-prone player. They ultimately decided to let him become a free agent in 2004. The Phoenix Suns then pounced on Nash, who went on a tear with the Arizona based team and won two MVPs there.
It’s hard not to imagine what might have happened if Dallas had kept Nash and Nowitzki together. The duo had the skill, chemistry, and leadership to win a ring — and maybe rewrite the story of the 2000s.