Ingredients of A Champion

2011 NBA Champs!!!!

   

  

Last night's game was awesome.  I can't remember the last time I enjoyed an NBA game so much.  I started off watching this series just hoping that the Heat would lose.  I did not want to spend the entire off season hearing about how great LeBron is and the dynasty they are building in Miami.  Thank goodness it didn't happen.  But, somewhere along in this series I started rooting for the Mavs.  They were fun to watch and had much more likable personalities.  Part of the reason they are so fun to watch is because they play team basketball.  The Heat have two and a half superstars, whose egos seem to overshadow the concept of team.  You can see that Dallas is truly a team on offense and defense.  Their ball movement was spectacular.  They always seemed to find an open man for a jump shot, and they were droppin like crazy.  The zone defense was perfect to clog up the lane.  You have to be a cohesive unit to pull that off.  But, as great as the game was last night, I'm sick of having to turn on the radio this morning and hear more talk about LeBron than the champs.  I know the people want to criticize BronBron and his dumb comments after the game.  But, that is what he wants on his quest to be a global icon, to be the top news story even when he loses.  So let's forget about the Heat and take a look at how the Mavericks put together this championship team.  The ingredients of a champion:

1.  The Closer: Dirk Nowitzki.  The best European NBA player ever.  A 7 footer who can tickle the twine.  Clutch as there ever was.  Averaging over 10 pts in the fourth quarter, remarkable.

2.  The better coach: Rick Carlisle against Erik Spoelstra.  Is that even a question?  Now has rings as both a player and a coach.

3.  Old dude who everybody wants to see get a ring: Jason Kidd.  He's still got some game.  How could you root against this guy?  A fitting ending to a long career.  2nd overall pick by the Mavs in 1994, comes back to win a ring.


4.  The Sixth Man: J-E-T.  What a performance.  27 points.  Big shot after big shot.  He really kept the Mavs in the game when Dirk was struggling in the first half.  Great energy off the bench. 

5.  Crazy Ass Defender With Whack Ass Free Throw Motion:
Shawn Marion.  Just look at this dude.  Similar to Ron Artest's role for last years Lakers.  A big part of the reason why LeBron didn't live up to the hype.

6.  Bench Player With Weird Nickname: Brian Cardinal "The Custodian".  Just like "The Machine" did for the Lakers, provided a huge spark off the bench.  Where he was lacking in athleticism or natural basketball skill he made up for with effort.

7.  Scrappy Little Guy Who Floats on Air:  Brilliant Coaching move to insert JJ Barea into the starting line up.  He has the energy.  He can drive the lane, and a lot of times floats his ways to uncontested lay ups.  Best of all he is small and scrappy.


8.  The Smack Talker:  Deshawn Stevenson.  Way to stir things up Deshawn. And even better you backed it up with some huge threes in the series.  Great performance.  Didn't get upset when he lost his starting role.  Just kept on ballin. You should have punched Chalmers in the face last night.

9.  The Big Dudes: Tyson Chandler and Brandon Haywood are two big monstrous dudes.  This is basketball and size matters.  Chris Bosh can't box them out.
 
Way to Beat the Heat!!