DENVER - Consistency has been a hallmark for Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, and that played a key role in him being named Wednesday to the All-NBA first team for the fourth time in his career.
"It means you played solid Basketball for the whole season, not a week or a month," Nowitzki said. "That's what this league is all about - trying to be consistent and helping your teammates night in and night out. I'm very honored." Nowitzki shares a spot on the starting five with LeBron James of the Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, Dwight Howard of the Magic and Dwyane Wade of the Heat. It is the ninth consecutive season in which Nowitzki has been named to one of the three All-NBA teams.
Nowitzki finished fourth in NBA scoring at 25.9 points per game, seventh in free throw shooting (.890) and 16th in rebounding (8.4 per game).
"I think Dirk has had a remarkable season," said assistant coach Terry Stotts, who joined the Mavericks this season but has been in the NBA for 14 seasons. "You always gain more of an appreciation when you're with a guy day to day. I knew Dirk was a terrific player from the outside, that he was a nightmare match-up when you were coaching against him.
"But when you're with him every day and see what he does for the team, in practice, in the locker room - the battles he fights on the floors - you gain more of an appreciation for him."
Carlisle attends Daly funeral: Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle attended the funeral of NBA coaching legend Chuck Daly in Tequesta, Fla., on Wednesday. He then flew across the country to coach in Game 5.
Missing the funeral "was not an option," said Carlisle, who served as a pallbearer along with members of the Pistons' 1989-90 championship teams. "There couldn't have been a finer tribute to a finer man."
Carlisle was an assistant coach with Daly in Detroit and was among 24 active or former NBA coaches at the funeral. Carlisle also designed the "CD" lapel pins that have been seen throughout the playoffs as a tribute to Daly, who died Saturday at the age of 78 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Playoff winnings: The Mavericks figure to earn at least $33,000 each for their run in the playoffs, if not more. The NBA's playoff pool delivers money to each team based on how far it goes in the playoffs and where it finished in the regular season. The team received $148,788 for having the sixth-best record in the Western Conference and $164,168 for participating in the first round.
When they made it to the second round, they got another $195,337. So that pushed their total to $508,293.
Staff writer Eddie Sefko contributed to this report.
