The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing the Dallas Mavericks tonight, and Kevin Love discussed how much Dirk Nowitzki, a true trailblazer, has greatly changed the way modern NBA bigs approach the game.
Just like Miami Heat and NBA legend, Dwyane Wade, the Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki is amid his farewell tour. Nowitzki is retiring after this season, and today, with the Cleveland Cavaliers playing Nowitzki, Cleveland big, Kevin Love, touched on how much Nowitzki’s trailblazing ways as a stretch big have influenced him and so many other big men throughout the league.
Nowitzki is one of the best all-around shooters in NBA history, and with the way he’s been able to pull opposing rim protectors away from the basket with his great range, it’s a key reason why modern NBA bigs now often are volume shooters from three-point land.
It was classy that Love showed respect to the Mavs’ legend today, per the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"So many guys have been influenced him, including myself."@kevinlove dishes on facing @swish41: https://t.co/2B2j1DXWKC#BeTheFight pic.twitter.com/x5U18tafUl
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 16, 2019
The sharpshooter is 11th on the all-time NBA three-pointers made list (per Basketball Reference), and Nowitzki’s shot 38.1 percent from three for his career, while having an overall true shooting rate of 57.7 percent.
He’s also shot a sizzling 47.2 percent from 10-16 feet from the rim and 47.4 percent from 16 feet to the three-point arc, per Basketball Reference.
Dirk’s trademark mid-post and baseline turnaround fadeaway as a seven-footer has also been a nearly impossible shot to defend, and his all-around skill level is something that has clearly changed the way NBA bigs approach the game. Nowitzki has always been a very willing and able passer, too, for the record.
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Love, one of the best shooting bigs in the league, is a player that is a true snapshot of how Nowitzki changed the way big men now approach the NBA game on the offensive end.
Make no mistake, the low post game is something Dirk’s always had in his arsenal, like Love, but the way both players’ shooting prowess has allowed their teams to better space the floor has really opened up a whole load of other opportunities for teammates.
As we’ve detailed here at KJG, since Love has returned from his reported toe surgery and played big minutes, players such as Collin Sexton, Cedi Osman, and Brandon Knight (among others) have been much more efficient. Post All-Star break, Love has made 3.0 threes per game on a 45.5 percent shooting clip, per NBA.com.
The Cleveland Cavaliers also have an offensive rating of 114.6 when he’s on the floor, too (which is a team-high), and the all-around shooting has helped more than anything.
Circling back, I would imagine Nowitzki’s influence on modern bigs has a ton to do with that.
Taking that sort of thing into consideration, it’s refreshing to see Love pay homage to an all-time great as Dirk rides into the sunset.