DALLAS Dirk Nowitzki ended the two-year MVP reign of good friend Steve Nash on Tuesday, picking up the trophy for a great regular season dimmed by a postseason flop.
Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to 67 wins this season, matching the sixth most in league history.
He received 1,138 points, including 83 of the 129 first-place votes. Nash of the Phoenix Suns followed with 1,013 points and 44 first-place votes, and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers got the remaining two first-place votes. San Antonio's Tim Duncan was fourth and Cleveland's Lebron James was fifth.
Votes were turned in before the playoffs, a good thing for Nowitzki considering how little he did to prevent the Mavs from being bounced in the first round by eighth-seeded Golden State, one of the biggest upsets in the NBA playoffs.
Twelve days later, Nowitzki hasn't gotten over the disappointment, although this award - which Nowitzki learned he'd won late last week - is definitely a mood-lifter. The 7-foot German is the first European honoree in the 52-year history of the award, and he's the first recipient not to have attended high school or college in the United States.
NBA Most Valuable Player Voting
By The Associated Press
(First-place votes in parentheses)
Player, Team Points
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (83) 1138
Steve Nash, Phoenix (44) 1013
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (2) 521
Tim Duncan, San Antonio 286
LeBron James, Cleveland 183
Tracy McGrady, Houston 110
Chris Bosh, Toronto 43
Gilbert Arenas, Washington 31
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota 7
Carlos Boozer, Utah 7
Chauncey Billups, Detroit 4
Dwyane Wade, Miami 3
Shaquille O’Neal, Miami 3
Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix 2
Carmelo Anthony, Denver 1
Baron Davis, Golden State 1
Tony Parker, San Antonio 1
NBA Most Valuable Players
By The Associated Press
2007 — Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
2006 — Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
2005 — Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
2004 — Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
2003 — Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2002 — Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2001 — Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
2000 — Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
1999 — Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
1998 — Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1997 — Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
1996 — Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1995 — David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
1994 — Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
1993 — Charles Barkley, Phoenix
1992 — Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1991 — Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1990 — Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1989 — Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1988 — Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1987 — Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
1986 — Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1985 — Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1984 — Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
1983 — Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers
1982 — Moses Malone, Houston Rockets
1981 — Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers
1980 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
1979 — Moses Malone, Houston Rockets
1978 — Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers
1977 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
1976 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
1975 — Bob McAdoo, Buffalo Braves
1974 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
1973 — Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics
1972 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
1971 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks
1970 — Willis Reed, New York Knicks
1969 — Wes Unseld, Baltimore Bullets
1968 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
1967 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
1966 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
1965 — Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
1964 — Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
1963 — Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
1962 — Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
1961 — Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
1960 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors
1959 — Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks
1958 — Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
1957 — Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics
1956 — Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks
