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Dallas denies LeBron James’ bid for first championship ring
MCT
Photo
LeBron James of the Heat hangs his head during the third quarter in Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida, Sunday, June 12, 2011. (Michael Laughlin/Sun Sentinel/MCT)
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.
Avenging what happened five years ago in perfect turnabout style, the Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA title by winning Game 6 of these finals in Miami 105-95 on Sunday night — celebrating on the Heat’s home floor, just as Dwyane Wade and his team did to them in the 2006 title series.
“I really still can’t believe it,” said Nowitzki, who had 21 points and took home finals MVP honors.
The Mavericks won four of the series’ last five games, a turnabout that could not have been sweeter after seeing the Heat celebrate their first title in Dallas after Game 6 of the 2006 finals.
“Tonight,” Jason 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. Chris Bosh had 19, Mario Chalmers 18 and Dwyane 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.
Miami had chances to take command and wasted them all. The Heat missed 13 of their 33 free throws, let the Mavericks score 27 points off turnovers and simply could not get a rebound in the final minutes.
Nowitzki finished 9 for 27, and the Mavs still won. He was 1 for 12 in the first half, and they were still ahead, 53-51, thanks largely to Terry’s 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, along with a 17-4 edge in points off turnovers.
Nowitzki sealed it with 2:27 left, hitting a jumper near the Miami bench to put Dallas up 99-89, and some fans actually began leaving. Nowitzki walked to the Mavs’ side slowly, right fist clenched and aloft.
He knew it. Everyone did. Spoelstra implored his team to foul in the final minute, and even then, they couldn’t catch the Mavericks.
Of the principal characters from the 2006 series, only Cuban, Nowitzki and Terry remain from the Mavericks’ side, and for them, the beginning of this championship celebration seemed sweeter than even they could have imagined.