http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2866994<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Mavs' Nowitzki will receive MVP trophy next weekIt appears that the worst-kept secret in the NBA will be out in the open by early next week.Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, whose coronation as the first European-born Most Valuable Player in NBA history has been expected for weeks, is scheduled to officially receive the MVP trophy at a Tuesday news conference in Dallas, ESPN.com has learned. The NBA has handed out its past three MVPs -- two straight to Phoenix's Steve Nash after Minnesota's Kevin Garnett won in 2004 -- at the start of the second round. But it's believed the league opted to put some distance between Nowitzki's ceremony and the Mavericks' stunning first-round exit against Golden State. By the time Nowitzki collects his award, nearly two weeks will have elapsed since the 67-win Mavs became the just the third No. 1 seed in NBA history to lose to a No. 8 seed. The previous two No. 1 seeds to lose so quickly, however, suffered five-game exits as opposed to losing a seven-game series: Seattle in 1994 to Denver and Miami in 1999 to New York. Said Nowitzki, reached by phone Thursday night: "Nobody's told me anything. You [media] guys have been talking about it for a while, so let's see what happens. "[But] it's hard to even think about that stuff right now. Everything [from the Golden State series] is still pretty fresh. It's been some tough days since we lost. "I thought this was such an incredible year. We won 67 games and then to lose in the first round, it just feels so empty right now." Asked to imagine what an MVP ceremony would be like after such a disappointment, Nowitzki said: "If I do get it, it's an incredible honor. I'm sure 20 years from now or whatever, to see that in the [record] books, it's an amazing achievement. But right now, it's hard. Obviously, you can't feel good about the way our season ended." Nowitzki averaged 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and a career-best 3.4 assists during the regular season and was the only player in the league to shoot at least 50 percent from the field (.502), 40 percent from 3-point range (.416) and 90 percent from the free-throw line (.904). His percentages in each of those categories were career highs, helping Nowitzki secure his third successive berth on the All-NBA first team, which was announced earlier Thursday. But it all changed in the playoffs against longtime mentor Don Nelson, who crafted a defensive strategy -- which included constant double-teaming, largely by fronting Nowitzki and then sending over help defenders on his catches -- that the 7-footer and Mavs coach Avery Johnson never solved. Nowitzki scored just eight points on 2-for-13 shooting in Dallas' Game 6 elimination and wound up averaging a mere 19.7 points for the series on 38.3-percent shooting and just 21.1 percent on 3s.</div>
What a surprise! But this guy in my class kept arguing with me that Dirk wouldn't win MVP and would not believe me when I said they voted before the playoffs.
I called it (GS series backlash) in the other thread for whatever reason wouldn't let me post it in <_<It will be interesting to see if how this postseason affects how people will vote for him in next season's voting.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Something-To-Say @ May 10 2007, 08:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>When's the last time an MVP was given it and wasn't in the playoffs at the time? What a joke.</div>I believe it was Moses Malone back in 1983
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Diawsome @ May 10 2007, 11:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I believe it was Moses Malone back in 1983</div>Malone won a championship that year...Dirk must feel like hes being mocked right now. :no3:
Dirk was dominating in the regular season. Its well deserved, its a regular season award....anyways, IMO Finals MVP is alot better to win so the best has yet to be given.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Serge @ May 10 2007, 10:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>LOL I think Nash should have had it, or make it a tie. LOLBut w/e Dirk had a great season.</div>No. Dirk IMo is the right choice. If Dirk played any other team he would have won the 1st round in at most 5 games. The Warriors were just a team that KNEW how to contain Dirk and score on the Mavs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pinoy Balla @ May 10 2007, 11:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No. Dirk IMo is the right choice. If Dirk played any other team he would have won the 1st round in at most 5 games. The Warriors were just a team that KNEW how to contain Dirk and score on the Mavs.</div>Dude I am the first to hate on Nash first 2 MVP should not have won it. But this year he did deserve it just as much it should have been a tie hard choice I know.
Dirk had a great regular season, but even during the regular season I still felt that Nash deserved it more than Dirk did, but whatever.Only the fourth time in history that the MVP has lost in the first round.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ May 10 2007, 11:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Dirk had a great regular season, but even during the regular season I still felt that Nash deserved it more than Dirk did, but whatever.Only the fourth time in history that the MVP has lost in the first round.</div>I agree I think Nash should get it, or have it as a tie. But w/e Dirk deserved it unlike Nash last year when there was atleast 2 guys in Lebron 30/7/7, and Kobe who should have won it above him last season atleast Dirk easily deserves it.
they need to make the voting at the end of the playoffs. so then it will be fair. Dirk is the Reg. Season MVP, and Nash would be if they just voted.
AHHHHHH!!!Nash got ripped!!!!So did I. Since we all know Nash was the true MVP, I think I should still get the admin spot. :winkglasses:
This doesn't shock me at all. But it doesn't really matter to Nash, because he will be holding up the trophy that really matter's at the end.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pacers fan forever @ May 11 2007, 08:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>AHHHHHH!!!Nash got ripped!!!!So did I. Since we all know Nash was the true MVP, I think I should still get the admin spot. :winkglasses:</div>Dirk got ripped last year so it is even.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ May 11 2007, 08:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Dirk got ripped last year so it is even.</div>dirk didn't get ripped last year either. he doesn't deserve any MVPs yet.
