Tuesday should have been the highlight of Dirk Nowitzki’s basketball life. Maybe years from now it will be; maybe he’ll lead his team to multiple championships, be regarded as a clutch performer and silence any critics left over. Maybe. But for now, after becoming the first European awarded the MVP, it has been nothing short of painful and awkward for Nowitzki. His speech was as hard to watch as a sweaty, nervous, drunk, best-man without anything prepared who curses like a Duke lacrosse player.

This is the first time the award will be given at a press conference and not at center court during halftime of a playoff game. Why? Because no MVP has been bounced this quickly before.

What can he say? What can anyone ask him? I’m trying to think of anything clever or interesting to happen, but we knew what was going to come out of Dirk’s mouth:

1. It’s honor to get this award from my peers.

2. It’s meaningless without playoff success.

And we knew what the reporters will ask.

1. What happened against Golden State?

2. Where do you go from here?

To backup Dirk, yes this award is an honor. Nowitzki has more MVPs than Kobe Bryant, Patrick Ewing, Dwayne Wade, Kevin McHale, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, John Stockton and Isiah Thomas combined. And yes, he deserved it.

It’s funny, all across the country people are ripping BOTH Nowitzki and the Mavericks. I keep hearing how the Mavericks really weren’t that great and fell into the sixth best record of all time, and yet how overrated Nowitzki was, how he didn’t lead nor help improve his teammates. What? How are both items true? If the Mavericks’ record truly was an apparition, surely Nowitzki deserves much of the credit.

I think Nowitzki’s stink-fest against Golden State has tainted everyone’s opinion of his game. I do agree, Dallas had an inflated record, but the biggest reason is because of Dirk’s superior play.

He’s an excellent scorer, leader and rebounder. He’s the best passer on his team, and a better defender then people give him credit for. He also hits his foul shots and is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. He COULD average more points per game, yet he shares the ball with his teammates to boost their confidence.

Take Dirk off the Mavs and they are battling for the seventh and eighth seeds with the California teams.

And the funny thing is, had Dallas swept Golden State, no one would question the selection. But for the last time, the MVP is a REGULAR-season award. Whether it’s fair or not, that’s just the way it is.

Whether this award is meaningless or not, we’ll have to see. Ask Garnett how much joy he gets looking at his trophy every offseason. But it’s not like Nowitzki can’t get back to the finals; his team DID win more than 60 games. The book on Nowitzki is far from finished.

The questions he’s going to get thrown at him are harder to answer.

What happened against Golden State is hardly all Nowitzki’s fault. First, the Warriors weren’t a typical eighth seed, and finished the season hotter then any team. Second, no one was prepared for playoffs in Oakland. Third, Baron Davis. Fourth, Stephen Jackson. Fifth, Don Nelson knows the Mavericks and Nowitzki specifically better then anyone. And sixth, Baron Davis.

Don’t get me wrong, Dirk had a crappy series; he missed open shots and didn’t abuse the Warriors down low enough. But big men rely so much on their guards to set them up, and Jason Terry and Devin Harris couldn’t get him comfortable. When he did touch the rock he was doubled up down left and right. Dirk never got in rhythm the entire series, and that led to poor shooting.

Golden State simply said, “We won’t let Dirk beat us, it’s up to Josh Howard, Terry and company.” And they failed just as much, if not more, than Nowitzki.

And that segues to the million-dollar question: Where does Dirk go from here? In the literal sense, probably outside of Dallas, in the not-so-literal sense, I don’t know.

With two straight playoff meltdowns it seems as though Maverick fans and Dirk could use a split up. It’s like walking in on your wife with another man; things just aren’t the same afterward.

The question is where.

Ironically, the team with the most to offer is the Phoenix Suns. They hold the Atlanta Hawks’ draft choice as long as it’s not in the top three and could bundle that with Shawn Marion and a few other parts. As tempting as that is, does Dallas really want to help Phoenix acquire three players on the all-NBA first team?

The rumor of Dirk to Minnesota for Garnett sure is sexy, but isn’t much more than a sports writer’s fantasy. I give it a .05% chance of happening.

What makes things interesting is a player not in the NBA yet. No one is going to trade Greg Oden, but what if Atlanta, Boston or Charlotte ends up with the second overall selection where Kevin Durant most likely will fall. You’re telling me that a trade for the league MVP isn’t going to be appealing to bottom-feeding teams looking for legitimacy?

But where does Dirk go from here as a player? Could he crumble under the pressure, lose his confidence, and become a shell of his former self? Peja Stojakovic once transformed from an MVP candidate to a shaky, one-dimensional player overnight. Or could he regain his killer instinct, take the league by storm and win his second straight MVP?

Honestly, I have no idea.

Nowitzki is one of my favorite players. His run in the playoffs last season was nothing short of miraculous…up until the end.

On Tuesday he became the Most Valuable Player in the league. After that, nothing’s clear.