Nowitzki Named to All-NBA First Team

DALLAS (May 18, 2005) --The NBA announced today that Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki was named All-NBA First Team. It is the fifth consecutive season Nowitzki has been named All-NBA, but marks his first time garnering First Team honors. He is the first Maverick in franchise history to be named All-NBA First Team.

Dirk Nowitzki

This season Nowitzki averaged career-highs in scoring (26.2 ppg), assists (3.1 apg) and blocks (1.53 bpg), while also averaging 9.7 rebounds and 1.24 steals in 38.7 minutes per contest. He finished third in MVP voting and was also the only player this season to be ranked in the Top 10 in both scoring (fourth) and rebounding (tied for ninth). Nowitzki was named Western Conference Player of the Month in December and February, joining Cleveland’s LeBron James as the only two players to earn the distinction multiple times this season.

So far this postseason, Nowitzki ranks in the Top 10 among Playoff performers in points (tied for 10th with 22.4 ppg) and rebounds (eighth with 9.8 rpg). He has also registered six double-doubles, third most this postseason behind Tim Duncan (San Antonio) and Shawn Marion (Phoenix).

Nowitzki is joined on the First Team by Shaquille O’Neal (Miami), Steve Nash (Phoenix), Tim Duncan (San Antonio) and Allen Iverson (Philadelphia).