Dirk to lift Dallas past Miami in Game 6 of the NBA Finals

Dirk Nowitzki is angry.

First he cleared the basketball from in front of him with a swift foot as if imitating his country's World Cup keeper, Jens Lehmann. And just before he disappeared into the visitors' locker room, Dirk Nowitzki took another kick, this time at a small tree of camera lights.

Except Games 1 and 2, the past three games of this best-of-seven NBA Finals series saw Dirk Nowitzki disappear. There's something about playing in Florida that lessens the German Assassin to a mere mortal. Thankfully, Jason Terry and Josh Howard have been playing tremendously in Dirk's somewhat lack of intensity.

Game 6 could very well be the game when the German Assassin in Dirk Nowitzki returns.

Asked Monday back in the Mavericks' practice gym inside American Airlines Center about his outburst after the Mavericks' third consecutive loss Sunday in the NBA Finals, Dirk explained, ''Sometimes, you got to let it out.''

There are so many reasons why the Mavericks didn't return from a week in Miami with the NBA championship trophy so many expected they would and, instead, came back with lousy tales of woe from South Beach.

Fortunately for the Mavericks, this is a best-of-7 series and Games 6 and 7, if needed, are scheduled for play in Dirk's house.

It is easy to pick on Dirk only because the whole basketball world has seen what he can do when he asserts himself. Drop half a hundred on the Suns in the conference finals. Put up a Tim Duncan-like double-double (26 points, 21 rebounds) against, well, Tim Duncan in the semis.

Dirk can be unstoppable. Game 6 would be a good time for him to remind everyone.

Just like Wade went home and single-handedly took control of this series, Dirk needs to snatch the series back now that he's on his home wood.

That's what superstars do on this ultimate stage. Duncan did it two of the last three years. Shaq did it three years in a row. Michael Jordan did it each of his six times in the season's last set of games.

This is why the league says that the NBA Finals are a place ''where legends are born.''

Dirk NEEDS to be legendary in Game 6 to keep their season alive. More importantly, Dallas needs Dirk to be legendary to keep their hopes of an NBA championship STILL within reach.

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