Mavs Win 2011 NBA Final...

[Coddfish]

From Sympatico.ca:

13/06/2011 12:54:00 AM
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
MIAMI - For Dirk Nowitzki, the resume is complete. He's an NBA champion.

For LeBron James, the agonizing wait continues for at least one more year.

A season that began with Miami celebrating the signings of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh - along with the promise of championships - ended on the very same floor, with the Dallas Mavericks hoisting the title trophy for the first time in their franchise history after beating the Heat 105-95 on Sunday night. The Mavericks won four of the series' last five games, a turnabout that could not have been sweeter.

"I really still can't believe it," said Nowitzki, who had 21 points and took home finals MVP honours.

He and Jason Terry, who led the Mavs with 27 points, were the two remaining players from the Dallas team that lost to Miami in the 2006 finals.

"Tonight," Terry said, "we got vindication."

James did not. Not even close, and a year unlike any other ended they way they all have so far - with him still waiting for an NBA title.

He scored 21 points for Miami, shook a few hands afterward, and departed before most of the Mavs tugged on their championship hats and T-shirts. Bosh had 19, Mario Chalmers 18 and Wade 17 for the Heat.

"We worked so hard and so long for it," Nowitzki said. "The team has had an unbelievable ride."

So did the Heat. Unlike Dallas, theirs wasn't a joyride.

"It goes without saying," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You're never really prepared for a moment like this. ... Neither team deserved this championship more than the other, but Dallas earned it."

Make no mistake: Miami lost the finals, but the blame will be directed at James. Even he knew that after the way he left Cleveland with "The Decision" and all the animus that generated not just in Ohio but around the entire league, the only way he could silence some critics was with a title.

"It doesn't weigh on me," James said. "At all."

Still, he got even more criticism - and a thinly veiled jab from his former owner with the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, who revelled in the moment on Twitter.

"Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings," Gilbert wrote. "Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE."

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Big D: Mavericks top Heat 105-95 for NBA title | Sympatico.ca Sports

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I don't watch basketball but when one team spends a zillion dollars buying 3 overpriced free agents, who think they are god's gift to the world because they can run up and down a basketball court with a ball, and then loses .... all is right with the world.

And on a side note, when I learned basketball in high school gym I was told if you take more than 1 step with the ball without dribbling it, it was travelling. And once you stopped dribbling, you have to pass it. Yet I see the highlight shots of guys running about 1/3 of the court ball in hand without dribbling. Why does the NBA not call travelling?

NBA sucks.

[Coddfish]

I don't watch basketball but when one team spends a zillion dollars buying 3 overpriced free agents, who think they are god's gift to the world because they can run up and down a basketball court with a ball, and then loses .... all is right with the world.

And on a side note, when I learned basketball in high school gym I was told if you take more than 1 step with the ball without dribbling it, it was travelling. And once you stopped dribbling, you have to pass it. Yet I see the highlight shots of guys running about 1/3 of the court ball in hand without dribbling. Why does the NBA not call travelling?

NBA sucks.

Personally, I'm just a casual viewer of the NBA. I'm not a huge fan of it, but I do try to keep up to date with it.

I'll be honest, I didn't want any of them to win. The Mavs are chokers, (now ex-chokers), while the Heat bought their way to the championship, like you said.

Still, since the latter team lost, I guess there is a sliver lining to this. At least all is well in this world, with that in mind.

Funny that you mentioned about those rules in the game. I think I was told the same rules as well, when I had to play basketball in gym class. I know, it doesn't make sense when a player runs 1/3 of the surface with the ball, w/o dribbling.

Other than that, I have some other issues when it comes to NBA, so I will agree with you on the fact that the organization sucks!