The Dallas Mavericks entered these 2011 NBA Finals with tens of millions of new-found fans migrating their way. Matched up against the much-vilified Miami Heat and led by a close-knit nucleus of likable veteran players, the Mavs were the protagonists of a narrative that wrote itself. The world wanted them to win.
The world’s got good taste.
Much of the disdain for this Miami team was historically overblown. The Heat hatred was artificial, it was media-driven, it was at times comical. Years from now, we’ll look back on it all and wonder what all the fuss was about.
But the Mavs? We got that story right. We rooted for this Mavs team because they were unselfish, motivated, hardworking and deserving of a championship. None of them had won before, and no one expected them to win this year. But they earned this. That’s a story anyone can get behind.
This year began as the year of LeBron James, emerged as the last stand of Tim Duncan, was hijacked by Carmelo Anthony, was captivated by Derrick Rose and was always tinged with the possibility that Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett would again reign supreme. This was one of the most important seasons in NBA history, a turning point for the league and many of its biggest stars, and never did anyone look at Dirk Nowitzki or Jason Kidd and see the iconic figure of the year.
But you can forget about all those other guys now. This year belongs to Dallas.
“I could care less about the other teams,” an elated Mavs owner Mark Cuban told reporters in Miami. “I care about our team. I care about the heart we’ve shown. I care about the focus, the determination, the fact that we were able to exclude everybody who doubted us.
“There were folks in the media calling us the ‘one-and-done boys.’ I mean, teams wanted to play us. But I don’t care what other people think. I try to pay attention to who we are and what we’re doing and what our culture is, and do we have the people who can accomplish what we’re trying to accomplish. Nobody inside that locker room ever doubted it.”
The Heat spent this postseason trying to convince a reluctant basketball world they were a team of destiny. They steamrolled through the best competition the Eastern Conference had to offer — first Philadelphia, then Boston, then Chicago — in five games each. They looked like champions, even if no one in America outside of Biscayne Bay wanted to admit it.
This was supposed to be the year that LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh came together and won the first of many championships. The Mavs had other plans.
“We hold them in high regard,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said of the Heat. “They were a terrific team, and their time will come. But now, it’s our time.
“This was one of the really unique teams in NBA history. It wasn’t about high-flying star power. I mean, come on. How often have we got to hear about the LeBron James reality show, about what he is or isn’t doing? When are people going to talk about the purity of our game and what these guys accomplished? That’s what’s special.”
The Mavs’ title was born out of a group of wise, experienced players working toward a common goal. Nowitzki, Kidd, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler and Jason Terry were all in search of their first rings. The closer their goal became, the better they got at working together. Under Carlisle, they played with a cohesiveness on both ends that Erik Spoelstra‘s Heat could only dream of. Dallas’ ball movement and help defense set them apart.
When you have veteran players just dying to win, you do what it takes.
“It took so long just to get here,” Nowitzki said. “This feeling of being on the best team in the world is just indescribable.”
“It’s a dream come true,” added Kidd. “It’s been a long journey for 17 years. I thought I had an opportunity in ’03 to win a championship, but I was on the other end and [the Nets] lost to the Spurs. But my teammates, their character and their will to come in every day and work and get better, they deserve all the credit. I’m just happy to be in the right place at the right time.”
These are the Mavs — old, weathered and now redeemed. Their years of hard work have finally paid off. This is what sports are all about.
“I can always look back on the ’10-11 season and say we were the world champs,” Nowitzki said. “No one can ever take that away from me.”
And no one would ever want to.
Top 10: LeBron James Remains on the List of Top 10 Ringless NBA Legends, Dirk Nowitzki Finally Escapes >>>
