Nowitzki Criticized by TNT Analysts

Apparently, Dirk Nowitzki allowed Toronto's David West to tap him on the face during an opening round playoff game. Nowitzki offered no retaliation.

As reported by the website FanNation, which is described as "an SI.com and CNN digital network site," Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith criticized Nowitzki for not reacting.

"You can't let a man put his hand on your face in the playoffs," Johnson said.

"I love Dirk Nowitzki," Barkley added. "Terrific, great player. But they're trying to say to you, 'We think you're soft.' That's what it means. You've got to slap his hand down, and then you got to say, 'Hey, let that guy drive to the basket' and then you've got to knock the h*** out of him."

Smith agreed with the NBA legends' sentiment, saying "You have to punish them on the next couple of plays. The ball has to come to Dirk now, and he has to say, 'You know what? I'm going to really punish you for the disrespect of putting your hands in my face.'"

Via e-mail, Mark Cuban said Johnson, Barkley and Smith were "living in 1998," explaining that in today's NBA players get suspended for retaliation.

You know what? Magic is right. Barkley is right. Kenny Smith is right. You can't ever let another player tap you on your face. Those guys are 100 percent right. You have to take charge. You have to protect yourself, and your teammates are expected to do the same. At the least, Nowitzki should have given David West a nice hard shove and see how that goes. Sometimes that's the only way to earn respect on the court. The Playoffs is no place for weakness.