After a 105-95 over the Miami Heat win in Game Six of the NBA Finals, the Mavericks claimed their first NBA Championship in team history, led by Jason Terry's 27 points (19 in the first half), and Dallas used a strong team effort to extract revenge on the team that sent them into a five year run of playoff disappointment.
But as crazy as the loss for the Miami Trio of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh, the moment was even more gratifying for Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki.
Nowitzki has spent his whole NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks,and has been the center of the Mavericks' recent playoff failures, received harsh words from Dwyane Wade about not being the Mavericks' leader in the 2006 NBA Finals. He was the center of the 2007 Mavs team that went 67-15, but lost to the Golden State Warriors. He won the MVP that year, but due to the loss to the eighth-seeded team, the NBA waited a week for his trophy presentation. It was the will, the determination, and the focus that carried Nowitzki through these playoffs and helped cement his legacy.
How focused was this veteran team? From Nowitzki and Terry (the last two players on the 2006 team) to Jason Kidd (who had two Finals appearances with the Nets- both losses). From JJ Barea to Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion. From DeShawn Stevenson to Ian Mahimi and Brian Cardinal. The fact that Dallas used their depth and worked hard to get to this point and bring home their first ever championship. It's the seventh for the city of Dallas (five Cowboys Super Bowls, a Stanley Cup for the Stars in 1999). This championship, for the Mavericks, for Mark Cuban, who has spent $880M on player salaries since he bought the team in 2000, was well earned, and well invested, and most importantly. Well-deserved.
2006 can finally be erased. 2011 has healed the pain. Congratulations, Dallas. Enjoy the championship.
Dwayne Dunham