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Dirk Nowitzki is arguably the best player in Dallas Mavericks history, leading the team to its sole NBA championship in 2011. He made a name for himself with a signature move; his fadeaway jump shot. Nowitzki has taken a step back from basketball in Dallas since retiring, but he took the time to break down the “Nail Iso” play for Steve Nash and Lebron James.
James and Nash, who played with Nowitzki on the Mavericks, broke down the play on the latest episode of “Mind the Game”. The seven-footer gave some more insight into what made the play so effective and why it became a staple of Dallas' playbook.
Breaking down the "Nail Iso" with the man himself @swish41. pic.twitter.com/AR9kF5G47b
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) May 22, 2025
“The nail iso thing started when teams, of course, switched a lot,” Nowitzki said. “We thought of a way to have the mismatch iso against the little guy without the whole back switch.”
Nowitzki's teams were built around him and the guards he played with. Nash, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry all mastered their chemistry with their big man and helped him go on deep playoff runs. The nail iso was a go-to play for the Mavericks, especially in 2011, when Nowitzki led them to a title over James and the Miami Heat.
In a league where teams switch more than ever, Nowitzki's signature play was one of the first that took advantage of the switch that defenses conceded to him. The nail iso isn't a common play in today's NBA as teams stray further away from the mid-range game.
However, Nowitzki proved throughout his career that it was an effective play to turn to. Even though James passed him on the all-time scoring list, the former Maverick is sixth in the NBA in all-time scoring. The nail iso helped him get a good chunk of those points and was a defining part of his legacy in the league and in the Mavericks' history books.
