Art Garcia | Mavs.com

Posted: May 8, 2008

Dirk Nowitzki picked up All-NBA honors for the eighth consecutive year, with his inclusion on the 2007-08 second team. Last season’s MVP had his streak of first-team selections snapped at three. Steve Nash is the only other All-NBA player in Mavericks’ history with two third-team selections.

“It is always an honor to make the All-NBA Team,” Nowitzki said. “And to be recognized along with so many talented players means a lot to me.”

Nowitzki averaged a team-high 23.6 points (seventh in the NBA), a team-high 8.6 rebounds, a career-high 3.5 assists and 36.0 minutes in 77 starts. He shot 47.9 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from 3-point range and 87.9 percent from the foul line (10th). Nowitzki finished the season with 20 games of 30-plus points and 25 double-doubles.

In five postseason games, Nowitzki averaged 26.8 points and 12.0 rebounds (both team highs), along with 4.0 assists and 1.4 blocks in 42.2 minutes per game.

Nowitzki remains the only Mavericks player in franchise history to be named All-NBA first team (2005-07) and is one of only three players (Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan) to be named to an All-NBA Team in each of the past eight seasons.

Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers headlines the first team, announced Thursday by the league office. The first-time MVP is joined by Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets.

The lone unanimous selection, Bryant is on the first team for the third straight season and fifth time in his career. Garnett was the winner of the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Howard led the league in rebounding, James won his first scoring title and Paul led the Hornets to their first Southwest Division title.

The second team consists of Phoenix’s Nash and Utah’s Deron Williams at guard; San Antonio’s Duncan and Nowitzki at forward; and Phoenix’s Amaré Stoudemire at center.

The third team: San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili and Houston’s Tracy McGrady at guard; Utah’s Carlos Boozer and Boston’s Paul Pierce at forwards; and Houston’s Yao Ming at center.

A pair of Mavs, Jason Kidd and Josh Howard, were among the other players receiving votes.