Nowitzki Ends Nash's MVP Reign

DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki has some consolation for a postseason flop — an MVP trophy.

The Dallas Mavericks forward ended the two-year MVP reign of good friend Steve Nash on Tuesday after a regular season in which the 7-footer led his team to 67 wins, the sixth most in league history.

"It's still a little hard for me to be happy because of the way this season ended," Nowitzki said. "But this is an award for the regular season. That's how I've got to look at it and be proud."

Nowitzki received 1,138 points, including 83 of the 129 first-place votes. Results of the MVP vote were reported last week by the Associated Press and other media outlets.

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.

NBA commissioner David Stern praised Nowitzki as "an iconic, elite athlete from Europe who has not only learned to play our game, he's mastered it."

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban became emotional in describing Nowitzki's work ethic.

"You don't have to encourage him to go to the gym," Cuban said. "He's the guy you have to lock out."

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.