NBA Finals: Mavs Make Their Place In History

By Rachel Trimm • June 14, 2011

After 31 years of trying, the Dallas Mavericks are finally able to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The team that most experts had written off as past their prime and too dysfunctional to be successful took down the highly touted Miami Heat team in one of the most thrilling Finals series in NBA history.

The series started in Miami as the Heat shut down the Mavs with a dominating defense, holding the Mavericks to their lowest point total of the playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and got 8 rebounds with lead to 16 points for Shawn Merrian and 12 points from Jason Terry. Nowitzki injured his tendon on his middle finger on his non-shooting hand and wore a split on it for the remainder of the series. He hurt the hand while attempting to strip the ball away from Heat power forward Chris Bosh.

It was the Mavs 5th straight loss to the Heat in finals games dating all the way back to the Heat’s rally for the 2006 title. Dallas held Miami to 39% shooting, but also only shot 37% themselves in what was, by far, the worst offensive performance of the post season.

“You hold a team to 38 percent shooting and 92 points, for us, that is usually a victory,” Marion said.

In game two, the Mavs brought new life to their title hopes by pulling off a thrilling last second victory to beat the Heat 95-93.

Dirk Nowitzki, injured hand and all, scored the tie breaking shot with 3.6 seconds left on the game clock. He scored 9 of the 15 points Dallas scored to rally past Miami in the 4th quarter. Two of the shots Dirk made were thrown using his injured left hand. Dirk scored 24 points that night and carried the team to the victory. The Heat’s Dwyane Wade made one last desperate attempt at a 3 point shot near mid court, but it was wide of the mark and the Mavs took game 2.

“Definitely a huge comeback for us and we never gave up, and that was big,” Nowitzki said.

Game three saw the series move to Dallas where the crowd at the American Airlines Center was “loud, rowdy, and proud.” Just the way the Mavs like it.

The story of this game was Dwyane Wade. He carried the Heat to an 88-86 victory over the Mavs. He scored 29 Points, had 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. Chris Bosh made his presence felt as well making a go ahead shot with 36.9 seconds left on the game clock. Undonis Haslem kept Dirk Nowitzki under control to prevent the 7 foot star from pulling another spectacular Mavs comeback as the Heat took a 2-1 lead in the series.

Miami lead 81-74 with 6:31 left on the clock and Dirk Nowitzki went to work. In the final minutes he scored 12 straight points. He made 6 free throws, a layup and a tough jumper to tie the game at 86. Bosh, a Dallas native, nailed the clutch jumper sealing the victory for the Heat and leaving Mavs fans wondering if they would see a repeat of the events that unfolded in 2006.

In game four, coughing and wheezing, his temperature spiking to 101, worn out from hardly sleeping the night before, Dirk Nowitzki went through three miserable quarters. Yet the fourth quarter was his time to shine. Again.

Despite fighting a severe sinus infection, Nowitzki fought off the Heat to help lead the Mavericks to an 86-83 victory much to the delight of the hometown crowd at the American Airlines Center. Dirk made 15 of his last 21 shots in the 4th, including a right handed layup that spun off the backboard and got the bucket with 14.4 seconds remaining.

Nowitzki wasn’t as dominant as Michael Jordan when Michael scored 38 points despite a 103-degree fever in Game 5 of the 1997 finals — but it was that kind of performance down the stretch. The Heat kept sending him to the free throw line and he made all 6 of his free throws. With everyone knowing he wasn’t at full strength, the Mavs still ran their offense through him in the fourth quarter, and he delivered, making 2 of 6 shots and being perfect from the free throw line.

The Mavs avoided going down 3-1, a deficit no team has ever overcome in the finals, and guaranteed the series will return to Miami for a Game 6.

In game 5, Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points, driving for the go-ahead dunk with 2:45 remaining, and the Mavericks beat the Heat 112-103 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the series. The Miami Heat were put on notice that this Mavs team was for real.

Lebron James scored eight points, going just 3 of 11 in Game 4, the first time in 90 postseason games he didn’t hit double figures. While his game 5 performance was better, it wasn’t enough. Lebron James did very little to help his team in this matchup. Quite frankly, he looked lost and his transitions from play to play looked lack-luster.

Dwyane Wade battled through a sore left hip after a first-quarter collision to finish with 23 points on the night, but it wasn’t enough. Once again, the Heat blew a lead to the Mavs in the 4th quarter just as they had in games 2 and 4. Dallas shot 56.5 percent from the field, including 13 of 19 (68 percent) from 3-point range.

“We made more shots,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “We did a lot of good things defensively, which led to good offense. … You never know when the games are going to go that way. The thing we’ve got to do is we’ve got to make sure our defense is consistent.”

For both teams, game six was a must win, but Miami fell short and the Dallas Mavericks are now NBA Champions. For Dirk Nowitzki, the resume is complete. He’s an NBA champion.

For LeBron James, the agonizing wait continues for at least one more year. What happens with the next labor deal may affect the Heat more than anyone in the NBA. Some owners will insist on a hard cap, rolled-back salaries and, potentially, trying to bust some current deals — which could break up the Big 3 before get another chance to win a title together.

A season that began with Miami celebrating the signings of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — along with the promise of multiple championships — ended on the very same floor, with the Dallas Mavericks hoisting the title trophy for the first time in their 31 year franchise history.

Dirk Nowitzki sealed the game with 2:27 left, hitting a jumper near the Miami bench to put Dallas up 99-89, and some fans actually began leaving. Nowitzki walked to the Mavs’ side slowly, right fist clenched and aloft.
He knew it. Everyone did.

Nowitzki finished 9 for 27, and the Mavs still won. He was 1 for 12 in the first half, and they were still ahead, 53-51, thanks largely to Terry’s 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting.

“Was he unbelievable tonight or what?” marveled Nowitzki.

He and Jason Terry, who led the Mavs with 27 points, were the two remaining players from the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals.

“Tonight,” Terry said, “we got vindication.”