Dirk Nowitzki’s strong message to the Mavericks after NBA Finals heartbreak

It seemed pretty inevitable once the Boston Celtics were down 3-0 in the series, but on Monday night, the Dallas Mavericks’ season ended in heartbreaking fashion after suffering a 106-88 loss in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals. The Mavericks tried to find the right formula to defeat a historically great Celtics team and failed at every turn, and now they stare deep into the impending offseason with many what-ifs swirling through their minds as they let an opportunity slip away golden to win a championship.

However, if there’s anyone who knows what the phrase “delay is not denial” means, it’s Dirk Nowitzki. So, following the Mavericks’ loss in the 2024 NBA Finals, Nowitzki, the franchise’s greatest player of all time, implored Luka Doncic and company to hold their heads high as they have given themselves plenty of reasons to be proud of what they have accomplished. season even if it did not result in a championship.

“Great race @dallasmavs Watch out!! We’ll be back!!!” Nowitzki wrote on his official Twitter account (X) after the Mavericks’ Game 5 loss.

After a disastrous 2022-23 season, only a few expected the Mavericks to bounce back last season. In fact, midway through the 2023-24 campaign, the Mavs didn’t look like championship contenders. But a few crucial trades here and there elevated the team and gave them a solid identity built on defense and making timely shots, allowing them to escape the Western Conference challenge in impressive fashion.

While many critics find it hard to believe the Mavericks can replicate that effort this season given the state of the Western Conference’s numbers, Luka Doncic and company have certainly earned the benefit of the doubt moving forward. Underestimate them at your peril.

Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki knows what heartbreak is

As previously mentioned, no one is more familiar with the feeling of playoff heartbreak than Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki, in 2006, seemed on the verge of a breakthrough. Never mind the fact that the Mavericks had just let two-time MVP Steve Nash leave two years ago – Nowitzki was on the cusp of a championship as he led the team to a 2-0 lead in the Finals of the NBA.

However, the Mavericks faltered when Dwyane Wade, perhaps with the help of a very generous referee, took over the series, leading the Miami Heat to four straight victories. And it wasn’t like this series played out like this year’s finale. No, this series was close, with the Heat taking a 95-92 victory in Game 6, and en route to twisting the knife further, no less.

In 2007, Dirk Nowitzki bounced back better than ever; he led the Mavericks to a 67-win season, responding with the mindset of a champion after Finals heartbreak the year before. But we all know how that happened.

The Mavericks wilted under pressure in the playoffs, suffering perhaps the most iconic playoff upset of all time as the “We Believe” Golden State Warriors ran the Mavs off the field. It became so embarrassing for Nowitzki that he had to step away from the spotlight after shyly accepting the MVP award when the Mavs had already been eliminated from championship contention.

Nowitzki remained a top-tier foundational superstar for the next three seasons, but the Mavericks failed to advance past the second round during that span. It felt like Nowitzki’s championship window had closed since he was already 32 years old by the time the 2010-11 season began.

However, Dirk Nowitzki stayed the course, kept believing, and the Mavericks went all the way in 2011 – five years after their 2-0 Finals collapse. Nowitzki had one of the most memorable playoff runs of that year, beating an underrated Portland Trail Blazers team, dethroning Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, stopping the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder in their tracks, and in a bit of poetic justice, avenged his 2006 defeat by stopping the Heat’s new big three, led by LeBron James.

So, Nowitzki’s words that Luka Doncic and this Mavericks team will be back have merit. The experience they have gained in the playoffs is great. Even the greatest of all time had to learn the ropes in the playoffs before breaking through. The Celtics have certainly paid their dues, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown holding out in 2022. It might take five years for Doncic and the Mavs, like Nowitzki, but waiting only makes the reward sweeter.