Nowitzki named MVP of NBA Finals

Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks holds up the MVP trophy after winning Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball game against the Miami Heat Sunday, June 12, 2011, in Miami, Florida. The Mavericks won 105-95. Photo by David Phillip, AP

MIAMI — Dirk Nowitzki has been named Most Valuable Player of the NBA finals for his huge role in leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship.

Although the German star struggled in the Mavericks’ Game 6 victory on Sunday, he certainly put them in position to win it all, overcoming injury and illness to power fourth-quarter comebacks from deficits of 12, nine and four points in Dallas’ previous wins.

Nowitzki won Game 2 with a left-handed layup despite having torn a tendon in his left middle finger in Game 1.

He scored 10 of his 21 points in the final period of Game 4 despite playing with a fever because of a sinus infection.

And in Game 5, his driving dunk in the final minutes put Dallas ahead for good.