A Journey of Eleven Years Starts With A Single Footstep

Beautiful, ain't she?

I had a bunch of titles for this blog post: ReDIRKtion, No "LeBron" in Team, J...E...T JET JET JET, 10 beats 3, etc...but this one rang truest to me. Ever since Cuban bought the team in 2000, there has been an excitement around the Mavericks. Not since those late 80's years when I actually lived in Dallas and went to all 3 WCF games in '88 against the Lakers had I been excited about my basketball team. Of course I was briefly excited again when we had the Triple J Threat - Jason Kidd (as a rookie), Jamal Mashburn, and Jimmy Jackson in the mid 90's, but they broke that up quickly.


I actually had this poster as a kid, it is long since destroyed. That logo in the lower right though remains my favorite Mavs logo. I don't like the horse that much.

For 11 straight years, Dallas has produced 50 win teams that have provided a lot of entertainment but 11 straight years of heartbreak. I always found it odd that people felt bad for Garnett when he struggled through first round exits every year in Minnesota, but didn't share the same empathy for Dirk. Instead Dirk was roundly criticized for the failures of the Mavericks the last 11 years and it started to really weigh on me as his fan.

But this has really been an 11 year journey that started with the single footstep of an iconic, eccentric, brash, loud-mouthed, but ultimately dedicated owner buying this team. A lot of credit has to go to the front office. They didn't succeed right away, but they really evolved this team. Cuban's first step was to create a culture of winning and excitement, which he did with a legendary regular season coach in Don Nelson, and a fun team to watch with Dirk, Michael Finley and Steve Nash running the show. Once they had a few seasons of this they knew they couldn't get over the top and changed gears with Avery Johnson, and tried to get bigger with Dampier (which failed spectacularly) but at least they continued to evolve. Avery set the foundation for team defense with these players, and they continued to evolve under Carlisle, and continued to add toughness andc combo defense/offense pieces. Flipping Howard for Butler, Haywood, and Stevenson, and ultimately the Chandler move finally put them over the top.

It was a long journey, and I legitimately ached for Dirk after the '06 Finals, the '07 embarrassing loss to the Warriors and then in '08 when it appeared the window had finally closed.

After about 20 of these Baron Davis layups in '07, this was the worst and most embarrassed I had felt about my team since Cuban bought the team. I was very pessimistic about our chances to return to the Finals after this moment.

Even going back to last year we lost to an aging Spurs team in 6 games in the first round and if we couldn't take care of business against the Spurs surely we would have issues going forward with teams like the Lakers, Thunder (who had just showed some spunk against LA), Utah (before they lost Boozer and traded Williams), and Denver who had been looking strong every year since the '06 finals under Carmelo. When Dallas won 57 games this year despite losing Butler in December and going 2-7 with Dirk out during the regular season, I felt in the back of my mind that this team COULD play with anyone but more likely they flame out in the playoffs at some stage in spectacular fashion as they had done over the last 11 years. But I knew the second they came back and took it to Portland the game after blowing a 23 point lead late, this team finally had IT. Game 1 against LA proved it. At no point after that game was I ever pessimistic about their chances to win any single playoff game, and as it turns out after Game 1 in LA they went 11-3 and never looked back.

For me personally, I will admit that I got slightly misty eyed. You are fan for this very reason. You invest time in watching and getting to know the team, you spend money on paraphernalia and game tickets, and if you have any passion you really feel as if you are on the bench with these guys. I went through 11 straight years of Dirk bashing, of Mavericks bashing, and disappointment after disappointment. As I explained to Mr. Armchair, getting this championship meant more to me than the Rangers pursuit last year because I was just happy to finally be there with the Rangers, just like I was in '01 with the Mavericks. When Dallas got to the Finals this year, I wasn't happy to just be there, I was tired of just being in the playoffs. It was time to finally win one for a team full of 30 somethings who have had wonderful careers but would never be known as winners. If Dallas lost I wasn't going to write that in the end it was a good season and I enjoyed the run, because it wasn't true. Nothing but title would quench my thirst. When that clock struck 0.0 I raised both arms up high, holding my Dirk jersey like a flag and just looked up into my ceiling for what felt like eternity (it was really only like a minute and a half) and I let the sense of relief just wash over me. It had been since '99 since a Dallas team won (The Stars won the Stanley Cup) which is a championship I don't claim since I don't really follow hockey, and '95 since a Dallas team I cared about won. My beloved band of old guys, always known as good to great to hall of fame level players were finally winners. At the end, it didn't ring the same as the Cowboys championship in '92 which I firmly believe will rank as my favorite championship pending what the Rangers do in the future, but this is a very, very close second well ahead of those '93 and '95 Cowboys wins. I can now write that this was a good season and I did enjoy the run. Now Dirk, you earned the right to party in South Beach looking like an overgrown Napoleon Dynamite.


I'm going to do a Finals recap roster style starting with the NBA runner-ups in order of importance to their team and do my best to avoid any of the overreacting that I despise so much from the media today. I know this post has been long, but cut me some slack, it's Dallas' first title, I'm allowed to have a longwinded post today.

1. Dwyane Wade - I think it is clear that the Heat are unquestioningly Wade's team. That should have been set from the start. He convinced Bosh and James to come to him, not the other way around. He was surely their best performer in these Finals until he just wore out in Game 6, but Wade can't have the finger pointed at him as why the Heat lost. He showed will and determination on both sides of the ball that went unmatched by any of his teammates.

2. LeBron James - I will bad mouth him to start. He has 8 years in this league, 2 Finals appearances and I think he has not shown the same championship desire as Jordan, Kobe, or even Wade. So at this point anyone making those comparisons needs to be written off as a crackpot. Even at the press conference when a general question was asked he deferred to Wade. I think this is just his mentality, he doesn't want to lead and Wade does. That being said, I believe anyone in the world would kill to have him on your team, so lets not write him off. It's very possible he evolves himself over the next couple of years and becomes what he needs to be on Wade's Heat. I'm betting he gets his rings sooner rather than later.

3. Chris Bosh - He sucks. I'm not going to waste too many words on him. I'm glad he can be offensively efficient as the third option on the floor, so can 283 guys in the NBA (all numbers approximate), but this guy did not change a game favorably for his team in these Finals and honestly was a complete defensive liability when he was on Dirk, especially when compared with how Collison and Haslem defended Dirk. If Miami wants to win they should trade the crybaby.

4. Mario Chalmers - I'm not sure if this was a step in the right direction or just an aberration, but he may have been more responsible for the Heat being in games than Bosh. He was clutch shooting all series and played excellent point defense. He did regress some in Game 6, so I am curious to see how he does next season, but I think Chalmers might benefit the most in the progression of his game simply by being on this team.

5. Udonis Haslem - Not totally healthy, but he was the best defender on Dirk and made shots in his rare opportunities. Honestly, I would rather start a healthy Haslem and get 2-3 pieces for Bosh's money. If Haslem can stay healthy, this is where the Heat become very dangerous. I was upset that he chose to come back to play 2nd fiddle to Bosh rather than go off and start somewhere else.

6. Joel Anthony - I think his presence was key to a lot of Miami's fast starts early in this series. He plays above the rim defense and just forces a different offensive mindset when he is on the floor. Has zero offensive game except to hit wide open dunks when the zone or man shifts off of him, but he was a nice find late in the season.

7. Erik Spoelstra - I may have him too high, except for one thing, he could always rally the troops. Dallas could never run away in this series except for Game 6, even Game 5 was well in doubt the last 2 minutes. But he was thoroughly out-coached by Carlisle never being able to make his adjustments to the changed lineup, changed pick and roll set, or changed defensive sets.

8. Mike Miller - Surely hurting, and surely has his mind on other things, he never got going, but had some flashes in this series, especially in Miami wins. He is the type of player that age may not affect, however he is a defensive liability. I think Miami would rather have Dorell Wright going forward though.

9. Mike Bibby - This was another mistake, Spoelstra stayed too loyal to his lineup until it was too late. Except for Game 2, Bibby offered nothing and for Games 4 and 5 got straight abused by Barea. I'm sure he has over 6 million reasons for regret, since thats approximately how much he gave up to play for the Heat.

10. Juwan Howard - Good for him he got into the Finals, too old to offer anything of value.

11. Eddie House - Scored well in Game 6 but is terrible defensively. At least he has a ring already.

12. Erick Dampier - I love this. Bitch stole 70 mil from Dallas, then hops over to Miami to ride some coattails for a championship and still doesn't get one. Good riddance.

13. James Jones - Not sure why he didn't play. By all accounts he was active and ready to go, but lost his minutes to Howard and House. Wonder what happened there.

Final Assessment: Following that ridiculous party the day after the Decision the Heat became the targets for everyone's hatred and with good reason. Titles are not easy. Boston had a good 4 year window with some of the best players in the league and won 1. Winning 7? My guess is Miami doesn't do it. It won't be easy going forward either. Every year teams are going to get up for the Heat, and every game is going to wear on such a shallow team. I think in the end this is what got them. LeBron, and Wade can not play 42 minutes a night for 100 games. They wear down. Wade wore down in the Chicago series and summoned whatever he had left. James clearly wore down in the Finals. It's going to be a tough road for Miami starting next year if there isn't a lockout. Dallas can beat them (6-2 this year), LA and Chicago are lurking, and OKC could be the scariest of all the teams over these next few years because I fully believe Durant has a lot of Kobe in him and will just continue to get better every year. Dallas got theirs and now I can just sit back and enjoy whatever drama unfolds in the new NBA landscape, especially with in their prime ALL NBA players like Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul looking to join forces with other talent. Miami has it's work cut out for them.

Now on to your 2011 NBA CHAAAAAAAAMPIONS!!!!

1. Dirk Nowitzki - He was such a strong closer in these Finals (and the entire playoffs) that he puts Mariano to shame. If LeBron is serious about 7 titles he needs to evolve like the greats. Dirk evolved. Dirk has about as many crazy moves as Kevin McHale used to have now. Dirk's offense is a far cry from what it used to be as a spot up shooter and it was the result of years of work and film study and experimentation. Dirk earned his MVP trophy and is certainly the greatest Maverick of all time.

2. Rick Carlisle - He pushed a bunch of buttons in this series and not only were they the right ones but the timing was impeccable. Peja (a key cog in the previous two series) is ice cold and can't defend anyone. Pulled for the series after Game 2. Stagnant offense against Bibby to start games, plug in Barea. Switching man to zone to man to different zone throughout the game stymied the Heat at every moment Dallas needed a stop. Top of the circle pick and roll ineffective either dont use it or move it to the elbow. Every move worked, and every 4th quarter comeback this series and this postseason has Carlisle's stamp all over it.

3. Jason Terry - This was a tough call. Terry and the next 3 players were all fairly equal in their importance, however Terry was the difference in getting Dallas over the hump offensively. Dallas was successful in holding Miami to low enough scores but couldnt convert offensively. Terry turned it on and was certainly almost as equal of an offensive influence as Dirk was in the pivotal Game 5, and the closeout Game 6.

4. Shawn Marion - Shutdown defender. Wherever Marion went, either James or Wade, they players seemed to struggle the most when Marion was on him. Having the defensive flexibility from Marion was so crucial to stopping those huge runs Miami would go on in the first 3 quarters and was instrumental in every 4th quarter come back. He also provided a decent offensive spark as the 2nd or 3rd options. Congratulations to the Matrix, I was always a big fan of his game (especially when he was #1 rated fantasy player) and I'm glad he was a key piece in this title.

5. Jason Kidd - He was the perfect complement to Nowitzki. Kidd never scored but did everything else well. I'll be the first to say I was unhappy when we re-upped him for 3 years a couple years back. He was old and slow and until last year he hadn't shown that efficient shot. Then he shows the shot last year and it totally disappears from him in the San Antonio series. But this series and these playoffs he was the steady hand that picked his spots very carefully, and expended all the energy bodying up Wade and James effectively. That was a great defensive performance from Kidd and I'm glad his 17 years have been validated despite my reservations through most of his tenure as a Mav.

6. Tyson Chandler - He is the key piece in that zone on defense. Whether he was covering low block or coming out high to pressure a dribble or run off a pick and roll his size and length and athleticism allowed Dallas to change defense on the fly. He also took care of the rebounding duties off of Dirk's shoulders and allowed Dirk to concentrate more on his offense.

7. J.J. Barea - Spark plug, he plays very nicely in his role, and makes the most ridiculous layups, but what he offers is what I had wanted for years. A guy who can collapse a defense and either make a driving layup or find the right player. He just wreaks havoc on defenses, and his move to the starting lineup against Bibby was perfect for JJ to get him going when he was a little cold.

8. DeShawn Stevenson - Offered up good hard nosed defense, and started to hit his shot off the bench to provide some bench shooting when it was evident Peja wasn't going to. I think his best contribution was last night triggering a mini skirmish that pulled Miami out of their rhythm after going on some 16-1 run. Miami never looked the same after that. DeShawn hit them in the mouth and the Heat shrank.

9. Brian Cardinal - Never thought he would get minutes in the Finals, but he picked up Peja minutes and was much more effective. Hit a three a game, played tough, physical, aggressive defense and picked up two of the biggest charges in the series on both James and Wade. Couldnt have asked for better minutes from him.

10. Brendan Haywood - Tough that we lost him, he offers great minutes off the bench and helps Dallas not miss a beat on defense when Chandler goes out. He also is among the most aggressive rebounders we have, and Dallas surely missed him there.

11. Ian Mahinmi - He was good enough for replacement minutes, attempting to offer exactly what Haywood offers, only he is still learning and got a bunch of fouls. He definitely earned those minutes though by giving the best possible play he could give.

12. Peja Stojakovic - It's unfortunate that he was so terrible in those first two games because he really helped Dallas get there off the bench, but he offered Dallas nothing in these Finals and I hope he took his benching with grace and humility knowing that he was not offering his team the best chance to win a title.

13. Corey Brewer - He just came on too late. He may be a key cog in the future, but he joined the team late. This is what is called winning the lottery if you are Corey Brewer.

Final Assessment: Dallas finally completed their 11 year journey that Mark Cuban started when he bought the team in 2000. They proved that you can win with 1 superstar and a bunch of talented role players (I hope Rose took notes), and then when everyone fits in their role the team is greater than the sum of its parts. I jokingly told a friend halfway through this series that I hope Dallas wins and then the NBA locks out forever. I partially take that back. It would still be nice to hold on as champs for all eternity, but a lockout deprives this team of the chance to see what it's like to defend a title. I look forward to next season hoping that there isn't a lockout, and the next few years to see how this team evolves as its championship pieces age and decline and Cuban starts the evolution and the journey all over again.

P.S. Dallas in 6. Thank you to those friends who willingly gave me money by betting on those douchebags from Miami. There is a sports god!!!!!