NBA Finals : Heat vs. Mavericks Series Guide

Courtesy of carloblogg.com

Doesn’t this all sound a bit like it was made for television? The background stories, the high drama, and the fact that the two teams that made it all the way to these 2011 NBA Finals are, now at the end of the season, the two most intriguing teams to watch?

Flash back to July 5, 2010, after Dirk Nowitzki had struggled with a decision he had to make regard his free agency. The European Star quickly decided that his best bet for the ring he needed to cement himself in the NBA Hall of Fame – which is just icing on the cake now – was with the aging and veteran squad in the Dallas Mavericks. Now flash forward only three days to the night that by some was believed would be remembered as one in the future that shaped the face of the NBA for the years to follow. Lebron James, a free agent in Cleveland, had a decision that would most definitely be criticized by most for the shear facts that he “decided to take the easy way out” and that he had his own program for a stupid decision.

Now, bring it back to the present, where we have learned a lot about what this Heat team can do when they decide to play a fast-paced, defensive-minded game. If you are a fan, you’ve seen that the Heat can struggle when thrown off their game. James, Bosh, and Wade are the gods of basketball so they too have struggled with their own game as well as blending their own games together. The “Big Three” now seemed determined to win, and are hungry at any chance they get to involve the home crowd and get each other pumped up – allowing everyone to play their own game. This prowess on and apparently off the floor – as the Heat have been seen eating dinner together and participating in interviews together – make them the ideal NBA because they are perhaps the best team in the NBA right now, but they aren’t a bunch of stuck-up jerks. Rather the Miami Heat (formally known as the Cryami Heat) now are a focus and will-powered engine headed straight to the top.

On the other hand you have the Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas Mavericks who – up to this point – have yet to find an answer to their skill and experience combination. With the additions of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and now J.J. Barea, this team is loaded with one mission: To draw revenge on the Miami Heat and win the franchises first championship. See everybody tends to forget about who the Miami Heat were playing when they won their only championship…The Dallas Mavericks. Oh yes, they may say they might want to move on, that they haven’t watched the tape, but believe me that no one that experienced the nearly 3-0 lead of the Mavericks turned into a Larry O’Brien rewarded to Miami. They are very aware and that’s their motive, bottomline is that they are ready.

Let’s dive right into the dissection of the matchup:

Mike Bibby vs. Jason Kidd: This is quite interesting, as I take a closer look at the numbers Kidd proves to get the job done better than Bibby but the two experienced guards usually play a solid fundamental game. Kidd thinks ahead of the next play, it’s like he has some type of super power but that’s what makes him so coveted by this Mavericks team. I have often heard Rick Carlisle refer to Jason Kidd as the “MVP” of this Mavericks team and that he is the engine of this team. The second all-time in assists and third all-time in 3 pointers made Point Guard has moved from place to place around the NBA, yet I feel like he is a bit under appreciated at times for what he can do for a team. Advantage: Jason “The Kid” Kidd

Dwayne Wade vs. DeShawn Stevenson: I can picture Dwayne Wade at the Mic in the media room saying “who the hell is DeShawn Stevenson?” Dwayne Wade is said by some, and I personally believe, the fifth best player in the NBA – behind LBJ, Rose, Kevin Durant, and now the Dirk. He has proven himself time and time again, injured or hurt which ever the helk you want to believe it is. Despite all the controversy surrounding Wade in the past couple weeks, he has proven that his game may be at its all-time best on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Good Luck DeShawn. Advantage : Dwayne “The Second Best” Wade

Lebron James vs. Shawn Marion: Shawn Marion, solid rebounder, great free throw shooter, but come on. The Co-MVP in my opinion along with many others will drop 30 a game in this series and prefer in the clutch. Too Easy. Advantage: Lebron “I will win not 6..not 7..not 8” James

Chris Bosh (and Udonis Haslem) vs. Dirk Nowitzki: EXTREMELY CRITICAL matchup. The “Dirk” is currently playing like he is the most untouchable player in the game at this time. The Oklahoma City Thunder threw 6 different players at Dirk and he handled every single one of them with relative ease. I know that any NBA fan knows who would win this match-up, I’m just curious – again along with everyone else that win be watching – to see if Haslem or Bosh will have the raw “want-to” to play defense every possession. Advantage: Dirk “The Giant” Nowitzki

Joel Anthony vs. Tyson Chandler: This is the most even of them all, and quite frankly both teams have a style that is very dependent on if they control the boards. The great parts of each of their games are seen on the same end of the floor, as Chandler gets it done offensively and Anthony gets it done defensively. In the end, despite the way that Joel Anthony has playing give me the big, mean machine for the Mavs. Advantage: Tyson “I dunk the ball and that’s about it” Chandler

X-Factor for the Miami Heat: What is it that you hear every time at the end of a Heat game at home that the players interact with? Oh yeah, the loudest crowd in the NBA. The players have involved them so that in crunch time they literally affect the way players play. X-Factor: The Crowd

X-Factor for the Dallas Mavericks: Jason Terry, the man who would be on the floor during the Opening Tip on any other team in the NBA is part of the Dallas Maverick’s “Big-Three”. Watch out Miami, don’t lose track of the other weapons the Mavericks have just because of Dirk. X-Factor: Jason Terry

I want to wrap this up by saying the two players that take over the game in crunch time – Nowitzki and James – are motivated in some way. They will get their teams in the winning spirit and there will be heart shown. This year might be a little bit different then previous years because everybody was sick of the old Lakers and Spurs there every time. Now that a new wave of talent is circuiting through the Finals, there is this new palpable feeling to it. Really take in and enjoy the high drama of this season folks.