Mavs v. Heat: Game 2 Recap

Photoshop by  Payton Wales

MIAMI -- It was one of the biggest comebacks in NBA Finals history, and the Miami Heat were on the losing end of it.

Dirk Nowitzki walked away the hero, scoring 24 points, including the game-winning layup with 3.6 seconds left to help the Mavericks seal the Game 2 victory, 95-93, against the Heat. Nowitzki's layup capped off a monstrous 15-point comeback by the Mavericks late in the fourth quarter. The win evened the series with the Heat at one game a piece.

Dwyane Wade, who had 36 points, had a chance to win the game for Miami, but his desperation 3-pointer was off the mark as time expired.

With 7:15 left in the fourth quarter and the score, 88-73 in Miami's favor, Dallas looked more like boiled lobster than a contender. Then, Wade hit a 3-pointer in the corner. His celebration that followed, including 15 seconds worth of posing with his follow-through in the air, was just enough to irritate and motivate the Mavericks, proving to be the turning point of the game. 

From that point on, the Mavericks would play lockdown defense, only allowing the Heat to score a three by Mario Chalmers to tie the game with 24.5 seconds left, a shot that would tie the game 93-93. Jason Terry, who had been ineffective in Game 1 and the first half of Game 2, was the catalyst for the comeback, hitting a couple big jumpers to get the Mavericks off and running. Terry finished the game with 16 points.

Shawn Marion also added 20 points and eight rebounds to round out the box score for the Mavericks.

"I thought defensively we really got into them," Nowitzki said postgame about the rally. "We pressured them full court and we scrambled defensively. We even gave up some offensive rebounds, but we kept scrambling."

Miami's collapse was one of historic proportions and it also dealt them their first playoff loss in 10 games at home. The next three games will be in Dallas, starting with Game 3 on June 5. If Miami wants to get back down to South Beach, they must win at least one game.

Dallas Looks to Even The Score With Game 2 Win

Photoshop by Payton Wales

MIAMI --  Game 1 was anything but an offensive exhibition for either team and Game 2 doesn't look to get any better if for no other reason than Dirk Nowitzki's injured left hand.

Nowitzki, who tore a tendon in the middle finger of his left hand in the middle of Game 1, was 7-for-18 from the field May 31, a shooting performance well under par for the 12-year veteran. Things only look to get worse. The Mavericks look to overcome a poor shooting performance as well as improve their rebounding numbers to try and seal a Game 2 victory.

The mood seemed light at the Mavericks shoot around June 2 with players cracking jokes about Nowitzki's injured finger and imploring him to go the Ronnie Lott route and cut the digit off to ensure a championship. When asked about how they felt Nowitzki's injury would affect him and the team, his teammates tossed the jokes aside and showered the forward with praise.

Long-time teammate Jason Terry said, "I think Dirk can shoot the ball with his eyes closed, with no hands, if he had to, especially in a game of this magnitude." Terry went on to say a shooter can actually benefit from a hand injury because "it helps you lock in even more."

One thing is for sure, Terry and the rest of the Mavericks are confident in the abilities of their leader for Game 2 the question is: are they confident enough to help out this time? The Mavericks shot a playoff-low last game and are hoping to find some way to break out of that slump, including breaking through the Heat's impeccable perimeter defense and learning to play a little of their own.

Miami became comfortable behind the 3-point arc on 11-of-24 shooting, a total no other Maverick opponent has accomplished this year. While Dallas put on one of the worst shooting performances of their 2011 season, there is obvious room for improvement with both teams. The true question is who will have the will to make them?

One thing is for sure, whether the scoring is low or high, America is watching. Tuesday night's telecast was the highest overnight figures for an NBA Finals opener since the 2004 series between the Pistons and Lakers. If those numbers are any indication of what this series could turn out to be, then we should be in for a great one.

Miami Heat Win Game 1, Continue Finals Dominance Against the Mavericks

Photoshopped by Payton Wales

MIAMI -- The Dallas Mavericks' road to redemption stumbled coming out of the blocks May 31, when the Mavericks lost to the Miami Heat, 92-84.

For three quarters, the game was back and forth, a battle of who wanted it more. But when the dust settled, Miami's three superstars emerged victorious. LeBron James posted 24 points and 9 rebounds, Dwyane Wade added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Chris Bosh posted 19 points to secure the Game 1 victory.

Dirk Nowitzki had a game-high 27 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter as he tried to help the Mavericks close the gap on the Heat late in the fourth quarter. Shawn Marion added 16 points and Jason Terry had 12 points, but it wasn't enough to help the Mavericks pull off a win. They shot 25-of-67 from the floor, their worst performance so far in these playoffs.

The offensive performance by the Miami Heat wasn't much better, shooting only 31-of-80 from the field on 38 percent shooting. But it was their 11-for-24 performance from behind the arc (45 percent) and their staggeringly-high rebound advantage that helped to propel them to a win.

When asked about the loss, Mavericks center Tyson Chandler blamed it all on "Finals jitters," while head coach Rick Carlisle promised “we’ll play better” June 2 for the Game 2 matchup, still on the Heat's home court.

The Mavericks, who are known for their outstanding ball movement, found it hard to get open shots due the stifling defense the Heat put up, specifically in the first and third quarters where the Heat held the Mavericks to 17 points in each quarter.

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki talked about the Mavericks offensive difficulties postgame saying, “They’re very good defensively. What makes them so good, they’re so athletic on the wing that even when we swung it sometimes, they’re able to cover a lot of ground, LeBron and Wade, and still run out at our shooters or contest shots on the weak side.

“They’re long and active on the perimeter and when we do get that opportunity to swing the ball, we have to knock shots down. That’s what it comes down to. When we do have some looks, we have to knock them down.”

The Mavericks might have more difficult roadblocks to overcome due to an injury suffered by Nowitzki. Early in the game, the Mavericks power forward suffered a torn tendon in his non-shooting hand.

“There’s a torn tendon in my finger,” he said at the postgame press conference with his hand in a brace. “It was just on a freak play. [Chris] Bosh got a bounce pass and stepped in. I thought I stripped him clean and then I kind of looked down and I couldn’t straighten my finger out anymore."

So the lingering question is will Nowitzki be ready to play come Thursday night? The true extent of the injury is still unknown, but Nowitzki will wear a splint for the rest of the series.

One thing is clear, the Mavericks will have to play a lot better if they want to defeat the Heat and regain the redemption they have been seeking since 2006.

Revenge, Superstition, and Atonment Are On The Line For The Mavericks

MIAMI -- There is a lot on the line starting tonight, and the Dallas Mavericks know it.

Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry are still feeling the sting from 2006. It was a title run with the Mavericks in the driver's seat, until the Miami Heat came back from a 2-0 deficit to win the title. But the true sting of it was the controversy that followed it. There were enough one-sided bad calls on behalf of the Heat to make even diehard anti-conspiracy theorists, such as Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser, question the validity of the title.

Then add all the hopes and dreams of the basketball purist that ride on the shoulders of the Mavericks, a burden they inherited from the Chicago Bulls and their collapse against the Heat. Knowing the majority of America is in your corner is a great thing, but its also pressure -- a lot of pressure -- either to crack under or to motivate you.

Dallas seems ready for that pressure and so does Miami. Both have overcome pretty big teams to get to the championship and done it in grand fashion. Dallas finished off the Lakers in a four-game sweep, denying the champs a shot at a three-peat. The Heat made quick work of the Boston Celtics, winning the series in five games and denying them a shot at a second-straight Finals appearance.

Dallas seems to have the advantage on paper. They are two deep at every position and have been shooting lights out since the playoffs started. The Mavericks have also directed their focus on defense and managed to ratchet up the defensive intensity with every team they played. And, of course, let's not forget the German, quite possibly the most unguardable player in the NBA today. His numbers have been Hall of Fame-worthy in the 2011 playoffs.

Miami, on the other hand, has deficiencies on their bench. But what they lack in depth, they make up for with their stars: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. It's a three-headed monster that at times can be absolutely devastating, accumulating massive amounts of points in quick periods of time. Miami is also sporting one of the best defenses in the league and has overcome all odds to make it to the Finals.

Regardless of the turnout of this series, one thing is for sure, you will be tuned in to witness, you will watch intently to see if LeBron can overcome all his haters, self-inflicted of course. You will watch to see if Dirk can solidify his legacy and his place among the all-time greats. You will watch just because you know, no matter the outcome, you will have witnessed something great.