Clutch enough for you?

Dirk doesn't deserve MVP!

So what that he dominates the regular season! True MVP's step up in the playoffs, too, and this guy is nothing but a big-time no show!

Right?

If only he would have held true to those whispers for one more night. The Golden State Warriors would be moving on to the next round of the NBA playoffs.

I'll be honest. Since they completely embarrassed my pride and exposed me as the basketball knowledge-less fool that I am, I've stopped rooting for Dallas and have done what any neutral sports fan would do in this situation; root for the underdog.

And so, when Golden State took a 9 point lead with very little time left in the game, I was pretty excited. The underdog was going to win, and the behemoth Dallas team would fall; leaving my pre-season bet of Phoenix Suns to win it all in great shape.

Dirk casually strolled up the court and drained a 3-pointer. He didn't look to anyone else. He just got the ball, picked his spot, and nailed it. Lead cut to 6.

The Warriors ran the clock down as much as they could and then put up a bad shot. Mavs got the rebound. Got the ball to Dirk. Calmly, effortlessly, like it was shooting practice, Dirk picked his spot from 3-point land once again, and drained it. Lead cut to 3.

After the lead was cut to 1, Golden State began to panic, and turned the ball over. Dallas put the nail in the coffin; and guess who it was attacking the basket to draw the foul to put the Mavs up for good?

Dirk Nowitzki.

For a guy that was beginning to challenge Marty Turco for his spot as biggest choke-artist in Dallas come playoff time, Dirk certainly didn't play like a choke; he played like an MVP.

Now, Golden State needs to win Game 6 at home. If they don't, there just isn't any way they are going back to Dallas and winning Game 7 there. So if the Warriors look up at the scoreboard at the end of Game 6 and see a higher number under DALLAS on the jumbotron, they'll have to shake their heads in disgust at the 9 point lead they gave away.

The give away that was about 25% their fault for bad shot selection and lackluster defense...

and the take away that was 75% Dirk Nowitzki.