Nowitzki for MVP?

After 5 games of being dominated by a smaller, less talented team, the Mavericks were in a must-win situation on the road at Golden State last night. Down 3-2 in the series, a win would tie the series and take the teams back to Dallas for the deciding game seven. A loss would hand the Warriors the NBA's first ever series win by an 8th seed over a one seed in a seven game format. This was it; this was the time for Nowitzki to shine. To cement his status as the NBA's Golden Child, Nowitzki would need to prove he was the same player that led the Mavericks to 67 wins during the regular season. Surely this perennial All-Star, and likely 2007 MVP, would step up and lead his team to victory. Even if he had to score every point himself, Nowitzki was going to dig down deep and find the grit and determination to carry his team on his back and emerge from Oakland victorious. There was no doubt, because thats what MVP candidates do...they win the games they have to win, no matter what.

So with the season on the line, Nowitzki shot 2 of 13 from the field and finished the game with a measly 8 points as the Warriors won by 25 points, an NBA record for an eighth seeded team over a one seed.

Instead, it was Stephen Jackson that looked like the MVP. It was Stephen Jackson, the former Indiana Pacer and infamous bad boy, who led his team to an unlikely first round victory. With Baron Davis hampered by a tender hamstring, it was Jackson who stepped up and delivered a playoff career-high 33 points on 10 of 19 shooting and franchise record seven 3-pointers.