During a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe , Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spoke about Dirk Nowitzki . Cuban told the story of Nowitzki being so disappointed and angry after losing to the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals that he gave up drinking alcohol and eating fried foods and sweets during the regular season the following year.
“When we lost in 2006 in the Finals to Miami, Dirk’s attitude changed completely. Dirk just became a different human in terms of preparation. I mean, literally no alcohol during the season, which wasn’t how he used to be, trust me. No sweets, no fried food during the season.”
The 2006 NBA Finals were tough for Dirk Nowitzki, as he had to go up against a prime Dwyane Wade and a still-dominant Shaquille O'Neal in the Miami Heat. Dirk wasn't able to overcome the dominant duo, despite averaging 22.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the six games of the series.
The decision to cut out all unhealthy foods and drinks paid off massively for Nowitzki the following season, as he was named the NBA MVP that year, and he helped the Mavericks secure the first seed in the West and the best record in the entire NBA.
But they would be eliminated in the first round after a shock upset at the hands of the 'We Believe' Golden State Warriors, who beat them as the eighth seed. Dirk would have to wait five whole years to get his revenge against the Miami Heat, but he got there in the end.
In the 2011 NBA Finals, Dirk Nowitzki put on one of the all-time great performances in Finals history to defeat the Miami Heat and win the NBA championship for the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk was named Finals MVP for his incredible showing that year.
Dirk Nowitzki Passes The Torch To Luka Doncic
As Dirk Nowitzki prepared to retire from the NBA, he was able to pass the torch to a fellow European superstar in the NBA. Dirk's final season with the Mavericks was also the rookie year for Luka Doncic . Dirk mentored Luka and hailed him as the future European superstar who would lead the Mavericks to great success after he was gone.
So far, Luka has actually had a similar career trajectory to Dirk Nowitzki. Much like Dirk, Luka has established himself as a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate in the NBA. And within the first 10 years of his career, he has reached an NBA Finals, just like Dirk did with the Mavericks.
Doncic and the Mavericks weren't able to overcome the Boston Celtics this time around, but they showed that they belong in the conversation of title contenders. Dirk Nowitzki gave Doncic some valuable advice after the NBA Finals , telling him to keep his head up and use the loss as motivation for next year.
Perhaps Doncic will take this advice to heart, and come back even stronger next season. Doncic is expected to have a strong season next year, along with the Mavericks. Perhaps this could finally be the year that Luka Doncic is named the NBA's MVP.
Related: Dirk Nowitzki Compares Dereck Lively II To Mavericks' 2011 Title-Winning Center
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