Is Dirk worthy of All-Star status this season?

There are three ways to consider the All-Star candidacy of Dallas Mavericks MVP Dirk Nowitzki. First is that his performance this season renders him simply unworthy of earning an 11th consecutive berth; that is actually the view of Nowitzki himself. Second is that The UberMan is an icon and a champion and should be "grandfathered'' into the marquee event scheduled for Feb. 26 in Orlando; that is the view of teammate Jason Terry. And third is my view, as expressed on the Mavs-Nuggets pregame show on FOX Sports Southwest on Wednesday on the eve of the final selection process for Western Conference reserves: That it doesn't matter. Dissected in order: First: "Averaging whatever, 15, 16 points, I don't think you should be an All-Star," Nowitzki says. "But we'll just have to wait and see. I think there is a lot of great young talent in this league that deserves to go." Dirk is certainly experiencing a subpar statistical season by his lofty standards. It can be argued that in this wacky condensed season, the numbers represent what Dallas owner Mark Cuban calls "dirty data.'' But Nowitzki's two grand hallmarks are high and efficient scoring and leadership of a terrific team, and as the West coaches contemplate their votes, they may conclude that Dirk's fallen short in both areas. And they will likely have not only starters Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin ahead of him, but also the "great young talent'' of Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge there, too. Second: "Some guys are grandfathered in,'' Terry says. "You've seen that throughout the history of the NBA. Guys like Tim Duncan just because he's a perennial All-Star. Shaq, same thing." There's another "grandfatherly'' issue here: It would be an NBA oddity for a reigning NBA champion to not have representation on the ensuing season's All-Star team. Now, maybe that would be fitting for the Mavs (an unusual champion in this SuperTeam Era) and maybe that would be fitting for this oddity of a season, too. Third: The seven reserves for the 2012 Western and Eastern conference squads will be announced Thursday night. It seems entirely likely that in this changing-of-the-forwards season, Dirk might join legends Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan on the outside looking in. "That would be crazy," Terry says. That would be great, I say. There was a time certainly before 2006, when Dirk led Dallas to an NBA Finals appearance, and maybe since then, too when Mavs fans, players and Cuban himself craved recognition for roster members. The organization once launched a billboard campaign for Michael Finley and used to make big pushes for guys like Josh Howard. Some of that still goes on, witness Cuban's insistence that the league notice Shawn Marion's work as an All-NBA Defense candidate. But there would be a great benefit if Dirk is snubbed. Inspiration to prove voters wrong? Nah. Rest. Nowitzki has more to accomplish but nothing to prove. A weekend in Orlando would only really deter him from his vastly more important goals. In the Mavs practice gym this week, Terry was chirping about his All-Star plans. He'd like to be invited back into the 3-Point Shootout competition so much so that he half-jokingly pledged to get an All-Star Weekend tattoo to match the Larry O'Brien Trophy tat on his right biceps. But either way, Jet is going to Orlando, flying on a private plane while working with Reebok. And I heard him tell Dirk that he'd like to take Nowitzki with him. "C'mon, Dirk,'' Jet said, yelling out to the last man on the Mavs practice court. "I'm driving.'' Nowitzki laughed and kept working and kept shooting. And that's what I think Dirk Nowitzki should do during All-Star Weekend, too. Laugh off the inconsequential. Keep working. Keep shooting. And if Nowitzki or Terry or Cuban or any Mavs fans feel discomfort over the lack of All-Star representation, then can easily comfort themselves by staring at their banner, rubbing their rings and hugging their Larry.