CASPER
New member
The Dallas Mavericks ended three decades of frustration by capturing their first championship with a 105-95 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday to win the best-of-seven NBA Finals 4-2.
Guard Jason Terry came off the bench to score 27 points and lead a long-range assault by the Mavericks, who connected on 11 of 26 from beyond the arc.
"We're a resilient bunch, and we saw it," said Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who averaged 26 points per game and was named the series MVP.
"This whole series we were down. We kept battling back. Kept believing in each other. This is a win of team basketball."
Nowitzki hit only nine of 27 shots but, as he had been all series, excelled as the game entered its final stages, scoring 10 of his 21 points in the final quarter to snuff out any Miami hopes of a comeback.
The Mavericks reached the finals in 2006 but lost to Miami in six games.
"I don't think there's any doubt after this series that Dirk has certainly earned the clout of being one of the all-time great players," said Maverick coach Rick Carlisle.
"His versatility, how he's done it in the clutch. He goes one for 12 in the first half, and then in the second half he was just absolute money."
Nowitzki said winning his first championship was "extra special" because he was "always coming up a little short" in pursuit of a title.
"If I would have won one early in my career, maybe I would have never put all the work and the time in that I have over the last 13 years," he said. "So this feels amazing."
LeBron James paced the Heat with 21 points but had a quiet game after the first period when he scored nine. Chris Bosh added 19, Mario Chalmers 18 and Dwyane Wade 17.
Guard Jason Terry came off the bench to score 27 points and lead a long-range assault by the Mavericks, who connected on 11 of 26 from beyond the arc.
"We're a resilient bunch, and we saw it," said Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who averaged 26 points per game and was named the series MVP.
"This whole series we were down. We kept battling back. Kept believing in each other. This is a win of team basketball."
Nowitzki hit only nine of 27 shots but, as he had been all series, excelled as the game entered its final stages, scoring 10 of his 21 points in the final quarter to snuff out any Miami hopes of a comeback.
The Mavericks reached the finals in 2006 but lost to Miami in six games.
"I don't think there's any doubt after this series that Dirk has certainly earned the clout of being one of the all-time great players," said Maverick coach Rick Carlisle.
"His versatility, how he's done it in the clutch. He goes one for 12 in the first half, and then in the second half he was just absolute money."
Nowitzki said winning his first championship was "extra special" because he was "always coming up a little short" in pursuit of a title.
"If I would have won one early in my career, maybe I would have never put all the work and the time in that I have over the last 13 years," he said. "So this feels amazing."
LeBron James paced the Heat with 21 points but had a quiet game after the first period when he scored nine. Chris Bosh added 19, Mario Chalmers 18 and Dwyane Wade 17.
