 His shooting accuracy combined with his long seven-foot frame and unique shooting mechanics, such as having a release point above his head, makes contesting his jump shots very difficult. Before the start of the 2011 NBA Finals, LeBron James called Nowitzki's one-legged fadeaway the second most unstoppable move ever, only behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook. Additionally, Nowitzki can put the ball down and drive with it from the perimeter, like few have been able to do with his size. NBA.com lauds his versatility by stating: "The 7 – 0 forward who at times mans the pivot can strike fear in an opponent when he corrals a rebound and leads the break or prepares to launch a three-point bomb." Charles Barkley says the best way to guard Nowitzki is to "get a cigarette and a blindfold". Later on in his career, Nowitzki also developed an unorthodox post up game, often backing down his opponents from the free throw line or near the middle of the key, opening up the floor for multiple passing angles should a double team come his way. When defenses guard Nowitzki with one of their biggest men, who is then pulled out to the perimeter, the net effect is that while Nowitzki's own statistics are actually compromised by being out of position to offensively rebound or make an easy close-range basket, the rest of the team becomes more offensively potent with the defense having to be spread across the floor. Often, this creates mismatches that his teammates can exploit. The Mavericks system and international play exposed him to an open passing game, making him dangerous as a point forward and post playmaker as well.
