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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: THUNDER v MAVERICKS

May 25, 2011

Dirk Nowitzki

DALLAS, TEXAS: Game Five

Dallas Mavericks Â– 100
Oklahoma City Thunder - 96

DIRK NOWITZKI: Yeah, it was a great win. It feels good too finally go back. I think we tried to go back the last couple years and always fell short, first round, second round once, and it feels good to go back. But this time hopefully we can finish the job and we'll go from there.

Q. Can you talk about what it took to come through two consecutive games late, Oklahoma City went one direction and you went the other?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Yeah, just execution down the stretch. I think we had some good steals, got some good rebounds, and we had some lucky bounces. One time the ball was in the air, it was up for grabs and it was a one-point game. We were lucky to get out of there and run down.
Trix had a dunk, and I wanted to go up four, so down the stretch a couple lucky bounces, also some good defense, some good hands, and I think that's what we did in Game 4, really scrambling last couple minutes when we were down 15, really locking down and guys helping each other and scrambling for each other, and that's how we've been winning all year. If our defense is solid, we create points off of that, and we pick up the pace, get the ball into Kidd's hands, and that's how we want to play.

Q. There was obviously different heroes as you go through each step of the Playoffs. Talk about how big Matrix was in making life difficult for Kevin Durant?
DIRK NOWITZKI: He was spectacular for us. For us he's probably our best perimeter defender, and he's long, he's active with his hands, and he was phenomenal the last couple games, really trying to make it hard.
Durant, who's one of the best scorers in this world right now, just trying to contest every shot and make it hard on him. And on the other end he's versatile. We post him up some. He had a big basket there when we were down four with a couple minutes left. He had a little floor to the lane in the fourth quarter and he's a competitor, so he's a big reason why we're in The Finals again.

Q. You spoke about wanting to finish the job in The Finals this time and you talked about '06 against Miami. Would you like to face the heat and finish the job?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, whatever happens, happens. That's not in our hands right now. We made it to The Finals. We're happy about that. We're going to enjoy that for a day or two, and then we're probably going to know here pretty soon who it is, and we're going to prepare like we have in the first three series and do our homework and then get ready to play. But it's good to finish this series off early. Like I said, it was big for us to get Kidd rest after last series, and we're going to have a couple extra days here again and then be ready whoever comes through.

Q. A few minutes ago some of your teammates in the locker room were talking about that you are on such a mission, that after not getting the job done in 2006, losing the 2-0 lead, going out in the first round three of the four years, can you talk about that burning that you've had?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Yeah, it's been a long stretch here. After the year we lost in The Finals, we came back, won almost 70 games, had a great season, lost in the first round, and that was another tough one. Been trying to get back to this stage ever since and fell short a bunch of times. But yeah, this is a bunch of veterans who want to play and are unselfish.
I think that's what makes this group special, I mean, everybody sacrificing for each other, and we just want to win. It's been fun to play with these guys all season long, so hopefully we can have a great series in the next series.

Q. When they were presenting the trophy, it seemed like you were kind of enjoying the moment. Were you fully wrapped up in what was going on?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Not really. We talked about it obviously after the game that this is a great moment. We can enjoy it for a day, but we got one of those trophies already, and it didn't mean anything at the end.
I think once you get to The Finals there is no second-place finish. I was already thinking about the Finals and got to stay in the moment obviously. But yeah, like I said, this is nice for a day, but we said our goal in October was to win it all, so we haven't done that yet.

Q. The way last season finished, it seemed like a lot of things were left unsettled, maybe the way pieces were going to fit together. You can tell me if that's not true or not. How did the camaraderie of this team take shape?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, you know, I always thought the veterans we had wanted to play with each other and wanted to get the job done last year. We did the deal at the deadline that I still liked, and we had our chances there in the San Antonio series, but if you just come together late, sometimes one or two missed calls on the offensive end or on the defensive end, it can make a difference against a very experienced team, and that's why San Antonio beat us. Every game was basically close, but they finished a little better.
So this year we had a full training camp with everybody, added Tyson, who to me was the MVP with his defense and the intensity and the positive energy he brought to this team, and unfortunately had a great November-December there and then unfortunately I got hurt and Caron got hurt, which was a huge blow to this team, no doubt.
But you've got to give Mark and Donny credit. I think bringing in Peja and also Brewer at the deadline were great additions. You can never make up for losing a 20-point scorer, but I think they put us in a position where we could still compete, and I give them a lot of credit.
And yeah, I like the team. I like the depth. I like our bench. So hopefully we can follow through in The Finals, as well.

Q. Tonight it seemed like relative-wise you weren't getting a lot of touches after the first three quarters and then going into the Final Four minutes and it seemed like the message was get the ball in to Dirk, get the ball in to Dirk. Was that the strategy down the stretch?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Yeah, I thought they did a good job actually after Game 1 of limiting my touches on the low post. Game 1 I basically made a living catching the ball in the low post facing up and shooting over them, and they really took that away the last couple games.
Every time I was low post, they brought the weak side center over and kind of flooded the strong side and never really had good catches in the low post the rest of the games.
Same tonight. Didn't really have a lot of good catches there, clean catches early. But like I said, I've got to keep attacking for this team and got to the foul line there twice I think in the fourth quarter, which was big.
And then I had some good bounces. I missed a wide-open three which actually Jet set a heck of a screen. I was so wide open and missed that three and I said if I get any daylight on the next look, I'm going to let it go again. And we were able to get our hands on the ball and tip it out and got a good look there and was able to make it, so that was definitely a big shot.
Like I said, for this team I've got to keep attacking and keep being aggressive.

Q. How big of a difference is it going to make playing in The Finals with guys like Jason Kidd and Jason Terry who have been to The Finals before?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, I mentioned we've got a bunch of experienced guys, a bunch of veterans. Everybody has kind of unique stories on this team. Me and Jet obviously, we're the only ones left from '06, and Trix has been to the Western Conference Finals numerous times, and Peja has been there, the Western Conference Finals, a few times against the Lakers, always fell short. Kidd has been there a couple times.
We have a bunch of unique stories, and ultimately like I said, if you want to win you've got to sacrifice, and I think some of our bench guys could be starters on other teams. But we want to get the job done together.

Q. It seems like this team has a quiet confidence and a calmness about it that you guys have been able to handle late game situations than you have been in years past. There's so many games where it looks like you guys are on the brink, but it seems like you guys are able to pull it out in your favor?
DIRK NOWITZKI: Well, again, that comes with experience, I think, from playing with each other for a while now, and then we've got Jason Kidd, who was obviously seeded all in this league, who is one of the greatest leaders in this team, always seems to make the right play down the stretch, if it's a steal, if it's a big rebound, just get his hand on the ball, a deflection on the offensive end getting the ball in the right guy's hands.
And even the last game I kicked it out to him, he made a heck of a three there, pump faked, got Westbrook in there and knocked down a big three for us to even be in a position today to close it out. So I give all the credit to him, and it's good for him to get a couple days off and hopefully be ready in The Finals.

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