The Heat Look To Break The Mavericks!

Bus driver Bosh, taking them to school!

Well the stage is set, your Miami Heat will face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals starting on Tuesday at American Airlines Arena. Miami defeated the Bulls in dramatic fashion coming back from down 11 points in Chicago with 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Miami found yet another way to win in Chicago the best home team in the regular season. The Heatles now face the Western Conference finals champions Dallas Mavericks and Miami remembers the Mavs from the 2006 Finals that eventually crowned Miami NBA Champions.


After taking down the Bulls in impressive fashion the Heat focus their attention on the Mavericks. The Mavs have beaten the Heat 14 straight times since the 2006 Finals in the regular season and have a great team lead by Dirk Nowitski. The Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals. The Mavs also beat the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers in an unforeseen sweep, they also beat the Trailblazers in the first round. 


The Mavs bring a great offense into this series, and their three point shooters lead the playoffs in attempts. They are a big front court with 3 7 footers in Chandler, Haywood, and of course Dirk Nowitski. They have an excellent guard trio in Terry, Kidd, and Barea that can all shoot for three and put the ball on the floor. Barea especially can be a problem for Miami as small quick point guards due pester the Heat and his ability to get to the rim will help the Mavs on occasion. Dirk is the star and poses Miami with its toughest task in the playoffs so far, his jump shooting and up fake are great, his post up has gotten way better and his free throw percentage is very good. Dirk will face four Heat defenders in Haslem, Bosh, Anthony, and in the final minutes James.


Miami can taste the Larry O'Brien trophy, after such a long and self imposed pressure filled season, the Heat look to cap it off with another Championship. Despite beating the best home team in the regular season and the number one defense in the league, Miami has one more road block to get by, the Mavericks. 


Miami brings their heralded and hated trio of Wade, James, and Bosh that are averaging 78 points per game in the playoffs. The Heatles have also contributed excellent play on defense where they have tabulating 25 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 10 assist per game. Miami' duo of James and Wade bring two of the most effective rim attackers in the league, both have the experience to take over the game in its finals minutes. Wade and especially James have been playing with poise and have done what ever is necessary to get the win. Miami has elevated their game in the playoffs and many analyst didn't see them coming out of the East. The defense has been superb since the beginning of the playoffs, but since the return of Haslem and Miller the Heat have played the best defense in the playoffs.


Miami has the home court advantage as the games kick off tomorrow in the Magic City and have been undefeated at home so far in the playoffs. This lends Miami a slight advantage due to the format the NBA finals adopt for the final series of 2 games at home and 3 in Dallas, then 2 more in Miami if necessary. Usually if the home team wins the first two, they win the series as has been the case in the vast majority of finals series. One of the only team to win the finals despite losing the first two has been the 06 Miami Heat lead by Dwayne Wade.


Miami has several other advantages in this series namely the defense, Miami has held opponents to 88.3 points per game in the playoffs. Miami is also a better rebounding team and a better shot blocking team than the Mavericks. The Mavs pose problems to the defense in the name of Dirk Nowitski, his shooting and leadership have been the foundation for the Mavericks offense. Add in the best three point shooting remaining in the playoffs and Miami does have their hands full. Dallas on defense is no slouch either, Dallas swept the Lakers and held their own versus a more athletic Oklahoma team. Miami looks to push the ball and get their more athletic team running to the rim. Miami' varied offense and superior athletes pose match up problems for the Mavs, Marion on James and Kidd and Stevenson on Wade will be interesting to watch. Bosh will also be a huge factor his jumper and quick moves to the rim will put Dallas defenders in positions to foul and to get beaten to the rim.


Prediction: Miami in 6, why? In 2006 after losing to Miami, Mark Cuban down played the loss by complaining that the referees lost the game for the Mavs. His campaign against the Heat was well documented and his 2011 comments have not been forgotten by the Heat. Miami will look for revenge in Dallas for his big mouth. Miami' offense is like no offense the Mavericks have faced and stand to piece by piece dismantle the Dallas defense, Wade and James are too unpredictable to stop. The Miami defense can and will slow the Mavs mostly shooting offense with a great perimeter defense of the like Dallas has yet to see. Miami out rebounds the Mavs and the defense stifles the role player for Dallas. Mark Cuban will whine and the fans will too, but Miami wins in 5 or 6. Nothing but Net..