First of all, credit to my man “DFWPRO’’ on DB.com Boards, who proves once again that The 75-Member Staff is a more valuable weapon that all the TV talking heads, radio squawkers and newspaper hacks put together.

DFWPRO throws these Dirk stats at us (worthy of discussion in this thread) for the month of February: 

DIRK IN FEBRUARY

vs Pistons LOSS
3-18 for the game
0-7 in the second half

vs Magic WIN
3-22 for game
3-9 in the second half
kinda helped that everyone else shot 50% or better (except JJB)

vs Bucks WIN
9-17 for game (1st career triple double)
5-9 in the second half
see what happens when the franchise plays like THE FRANCHISE

vs Griz WIN
7-10 for the game (help make up for Josh, JET, and JJB's crappy shooting)
3-3 in the second half

vs 76ers LOSS
4-15 for the game
1-10 in the second half

vs Nets LOSS
4-16 for the game
0-9 in the second half

Let’s add ‘er up: Nowitzki in February is 33-of-98 12-of-47 in the second halves of games.

Geez. The defending MVP this month is making one out of every three shots, and in the second half drops to making one out of four shots!?

The contrast to a year ago is rather stunning. In February 2007, Dirk led the Mavericks to a 10-0 record for the month while averaging 27.1 points and 9.7 rebounds. Nowitzki notched 30-plus points in four of the 10 games the Mavs played in February 2007. He won Western Conference Player of the Month. That month probably cemented Dirk’s candidacy as the league’s MVP.

A year later, he’s not exactly on the same track.

Now, we can theorize about this in a variety of ways.

We can simply suggest that The UberMan is in a slump. In Monday’s loss at Philly, he scored 15 points – but only six in the second half while shooting just 4-of-15. Combine those numbers with what he did in Sunday’s loss at New Jersey, and he ends 8-of-31.

Maybe just a mini-trip and a mini-slump.

Or. …

We can site a Dirk Stopper or two – though I hate to lean on that inasmuch the Sixers used somebody named Reggie Evans to shut him down.

Said Reggie Evans: “I know his comfort zone, and his discomfort zone is physical play, so I wanted to bump him at the three-point line, half-court line, just be aggressive with him at all times.’’

Sickening. I’m having to quote somebody named “Reggie Evans.’’

Or it’s the absence of Devin Harris. Or it’s Dirk’s back/ankles/head. Or it’s Avery’s inability to put Nowitzki in his comfort zone. Or it’s just “the dog days.’’ Or it’s just a slump.

But 33-of-98 for the games and 12-of-47 in the second halves of games for the month of February?

 It’s something.