I was wrong. If the Heat were going to win the series, I certainly expected it to be in game seven. Winning four games in a row was quite the accomplishment, and you have to look back at game three and realize just how much of an affect that had to have. Again, it was unfortunate how much the referees influenced the outcome of game six (Wade shot 21 free throws, the Mavs shot 23. Wade shot 97 free throws in the six game series), but it was still an entertaining series to watch.
I have to give the Heat some credit; they turn it up defensively down the stretches of games, and that really was the difference. Well, that and Lord Wade. The guy drives to the basket with reckless abandon unlike any player out there. Even if the Heat lost this series, he was my vote for series MVP. The fact Shaq looked so old, sluggish and a shell of his former self makes Wade look all the more like the best player on the planet. Come on, Antoine Walker, NBA champion? The thought of Jason Williams wearing the ring is equally absurd. Gary Payton makes the washed up Brett Favre look young. Bottom line, this really isn’t that great of a supporting cast Wade is working with. He deserves all the credit coming to him. Other than Jordan, I can’t think of a player who so single-handedly carried his team to a championship. Even Jordan’s teammates were probably better. Although I will say that Udonis Haslem and James Posey both played excellent defense on Nowitzki. Still, Flash was as close to a one-man team as it gets.
The problem for the NBA was that it worked. Team basketball is done for. The Heat became the first team to rally from an 0-2 deficit to win the finals since the NBA went to its 2-3-2 format. And I don’t like it. All those fouls really stilt the game’s action. In the end, I guess it shouldn’t be surprising, defense wins out nearly every time. There is hope for the high-scoring fans out there, however, as Dallas looks to be a contender for years to come. The Phoenix Suns look like one of next year’s favorites to me as well. But for now, congratulations to the Heat, uh Wade, for winning this year’s title.
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