Time to prove you're an MVP...

I honestly think Dirk Nowitzki will win the NBA's MVP Award. I've already displayed my disgust for that. Though now is the time, if any that Dirk can prove it.

So far it has sounded like a lot of excuses and coach Avery Johnson has apparently become sick of it as well.

If you're a star in the NBA, going through a dry spell and having struggles in a playoff series is bound to happen, but you must overcome it. A true superstar needs to suck it up and go out there and lead his team. It might be okay to defer to a teammate now and then, but if you are the team's star, you must go out there and get yours.

Dirk has struggled in the series against Golden State. Don Nelson knows Nowitzki. Nowitzki was his project and now Nelson is owning him.

In the four games of this series, Nowitzki has scored 20 ppg and has at most scored 23 points. His season average was 25.

"I got to take what they give me and they don't really give me a lot," said Nowitzki. "So I've got to make other stuff happen -- help out on defense more; hit the glass harder, as hard as I can, get some extra possessions; if I have a shot, try to knock it down and if I don't, move the ball and let someone else make a shot."

Dirk is supposed to be the leader of the Mavericks team and the league MVP, so he better realize that he needs to do more than defer and take less shots.

If Dirk doesn't show up tonight, you can most likely count on the Mavericks pulling off a historic NBA upset. It would be historic not only because a .500 last day entry into the playoffs beat a team with 67 wins who was heavily favored as the NBA Champion to be, but also because they did it in five games.

So Dirk, here is your chance, here is a GOLDEN opprotunity, show us what you really got, go out there and be an MVP, or go home.

(AFP/Getty Images/Jed Jacobsohn)