2011 NBA Finals: How Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks Can Beat the Heat

We have a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks, in which the Mavericks went up 2-0, then faltered and dropped the next four games.

It was, without question, the heroics and game-changing plays of Dwyane Wade—NBA Finals MVP—that won the series for the heat. His team included Shaquille O'Neal, Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, and Udonis Haslem. 

On the other hand, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks had Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris, Erick Dampier and Josh Howard as Dirk's sidekicks. 

Now, the two teams have some of the same star players, but many new faces heading into the Finals.

For the Heat, the players are finally living up to the hype when LeBron James and Chris Bosh announced they were South Beach bound.

In Miami, Wade now has James, Bosh and other sidekicks including Mike Miller, Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, Eddie House, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and James Jones.

Each game, it seemed a different Heat player stepped up and led the team to victory over the Bulls.

Bosh stepped up in Games 2 and 3; in Game 5, Miller performed like the player the Heat had thought they were getting before injuries interfered. Haslem had a solid Game 2, and gave the Heat a solid low post.

For the Mavericks, it's been all about Nowitzki during the playoffs. Nowitzki's play is re-energized; he has shown that although he is growing older, he is still playing well and is hungry for a title. Most notably, Nowitzki scored 40 points in leading the Mavericks in the game 5 comeback overtime win against the Thunder.

Nowitzki still has Terry to kick it out to on the wing for the shot. Terry also helps with his hustle and great defense. Nowitzki has veteran Jason Kidd playing great basketball, as Kidd also appears re-energized thus far in the playoffs. Kidd's overtime three in Game 5 against the Thunder was huge for his confidence.

Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion have also stepped up and been huge for the Mavericks. Another Mavericks playmaker to watch is back up point guard Jose Barea, who has filled in great when Kidd is on the bench. DeShawn Stephenson, Brendan Haywood, and Peja Stojakovic have stepped up as well. 

Another huge factor has been the coaching performances of Erik Spoelstra and Rick Carlisle. Both Spoelstra and Carlisle have instilled leadership into their teams, along with giving them the correct game plans and motivation to beat their opponents during the playoffs.

Here are five keys in order for the Dallas Mavericks to have a successful series against the Heat:

 

1: Don't let up during the fourth quarter. 

This is the most important thing for the the Mavericks. They never gave up against Portland, Los Angeles, or Oklahoma City and they definitely can't do so against Miami because Wade and LeBron are just too good.

Remember Game 4 against the Thunder? The Mavericks were down 99-84, and I'll admit, I shut the TV off. I should not have done so; the Mavericks were huge in the final five minutes and fought back for the win in overtime. They made Durant and Westbrook uncomfortable—exactly what Nowitzki and company will have to do to the Heat.

They'll have to bring that extra guy to put an arm in Wade, James, or Bosh's face. They'll also have to cover the lane extra-tight with big bodies like Chandler, Marion and Haywood. 

Also, in this series they won't be facing inexperienced stars like Durant and Westbrook. Wade and LeBron have ice in their veins; they start strong and never falter when games get tight. The Mavericks must play smart offense and strong defense, particularly in the fourth quarter.

 

2: Get to the free throw line. 

 Dirk Nowitzki was excellent at making free throws against the Thunder. He shot 95 percent (59/62) from the line in that series, including 24 for 24 in his 48-point performance in Game 1.

That's incredible, to say the least. Also, in that series, the Mavericks did a great job getting Westbrook, Harden, Perkins, and Ibaka in foul trouble. They must also do this against the Heat early and often in each game.

 

3: Don't let LeBron, Wade, or Bosh get open looks, and play up on them. 

Any one of the Big Three is scary on the open floor. Whether the Mavericks double one of them or just play up and in their face during every possession, they must stop them in order to record wins during this series.

The Heat are 40-5 when the Wade, LeBron and Bosh score 70 or more points. Don't let them do this, and the Mavericks will give themselves a chance to win this series.

 

4: Make Jason Kidd a factor. 

Kidd was the spark for the Mavericks in their Game 4 overtime win against the Thunder with his go ahead three pointer.

In the Thunder series, he averaged 9.6 points, 8.6 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 steals, and just 2 turnovers a game. Kidd is getting old, but can still contribute on the floor.

His defense was also a huge factor for the Mavericks as he guarded Westbrook and limited him to a number of bad shooting performances. If Kidd can keep this up, he could be a force and another weapon for Nowitzki to use to beat Miami.

 

5: Spread the ball around the perimeter, and make three-point shots.

The Mavericks have plenty of three-point shooters: Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, J.J. Barea, Peja Stojakovic, and Dirk Nowitzki. They must spread the ball around and use it as a counter-attack when they cannot get inside the lane.

There you have it! Game 1 tips off tonight in Miami at 9:00 ET. It should be a thrilling ride for both teams, and fun to watch.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/716885-how-dirk-and-the-mavericks-can-beat-the-heat

Colton Gilies Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan Bryan Allen Mark Cullen