5 Reasons Miami Heat Would Embarrass Dallas Mavs in 7-Game Series Right Now

After winning their first-ever championship and getting some vengeance against the team that eliminated them in the 2006 NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks have headed south.

The word "south" in this context does not refer to any geographical locale. It's in regards to the direction the Dallas Mavericks have taken. 

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat look hungrier than ever and are trying to take another crack at the NBA title. Unlike the Mavs, they're actually considered a contender, and the only team standing in their way, it seems like, are the Chicago Bulls.

The Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks meet tonight in a rematch of the NBA Finals. It's just one game and it can go either way, but if these two combatants were to meet in a best-of-seven series right now, the Heat would blow them out of the water with relative ease.

Here are five reasons why:

No More Tyson Chandler

Let's face it.

Tyson Chandler's absence has been noticeable. Without him, the Dallas Mavericks are older and thinner in the paint. The 6'9" Joel Anthony was no match for Chandler, and it was hard to ignore.

Without Tyson, the Miami Heat can penetrate much more often. A guy like LeBron James, who can slash past defenders, would take advantage of this. 

Also, Ian Mahinmi isn't exactly the ideal championship center—Anthony wouldn't have as much of a problem. Even newly acquired backup center Ronny Turiaf, would be able to take advantage of this deficiency.

Finally, Dirk Nowitzki can't be responsible to be big and physical in the paint. His style of play is different. He relies on his mid-range game and can sometimes look soft in the frontcourt, so don't expect him to dominate a series between these two teams with his size. 

Dallas Is One Year Older, Heat Are in Their Prime

Compared to the Dallas Mavericks, the Miami Heat might as well be college kids. The Big Three are all in their prime, while the Mavs' centerpiece players may all be eligible for social security in a few years.

Vince Carter, Lamar Odom, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd are probably the six best players on this team and they're all north of 30 years old. 

Kidd is pushing 40. 

The team really doesn't have any youthful exuberance to ignite the team. Last year, at least the team had the pressures of winning a title to motivate them. Now that's on Miami's side.

In this season's condensed schedule, there is no doubt that exhaustion has put a major toll on most teams—especially the older, experienced ones like the Mavs.

The Heat are younger and faster. They're not fazed by any schedule. They're not trying to conserve energy like the Mavs are, they just want to win titles. 

Throughout the course of a 48-minute game, the Heat are more prepared and conditioned to stay active and energetic throughout the match. 

Miami Is Hungrier

As mentioned briefly in the previous slide, the Dallas Mavericks probably don't have that same hunger the Miami Heat do this season. 

It's only natural for a team to not have the same fire after they win their first championship, especially if they've tried so long to do it. 

Miami, on the other hand, is sick of hearing the media and fans constantly bash them about how LeBron fails in the clutch, and they don't want to deal with another summer of scrutiny. James is ready to prove the world wrong, and the way he's been playing this year has shown that he's on a mission.

LeBron knows that nothing he does in the regular season or in the first three rounds of the playoffs matter anymore. It's all about what he does in June. 

That alone can provide a significant boost of energy and motivation. 

Last season, Dallas was the team that had never won. They were the ones that were sick of constantly being labeled as the chokers. 

As a result, their effort was doubled was on the court.

This season, the tables have turned. 

Lamar Odom Is a Mess

One man the Dallas Mavericks were relying on this season was Lamar Odom.

The trade hasn't worked out the way they've wanted it to, though. Odom has been a disaster on the court, albeit his off-court problems have been an overbearing weight on his shoulders. 

If Odom steps up and plays the way he did with the Los Angeles Lakers during their championship runs, Dallas would actually be a dangerous team. Odom's versatility and ability to play all five positions is a valuable asset that no other player has. 

However, Odom is averaging close to seven points and four rebounds this year, far below his career averages. There is no way Dallas will be able to defeat Miami in a best-of-seven if Lamar doesn't show up. 

Even if the rest of their team is clicking on all cylinders, it'll still be difficult to defeat Miami without an effective Odom. 

No More J.J. Barea

Who thought the Northeastern point guard, J.J. Barea, would be such a valuable asset for the Dallas Mavericks?

His solid play provided a spark for the Mavs in the NBA Finals, and he was eventually placed in the starting lineup because of it.

The Mavs don't have Barea anymore, and because of that there are questions at the point guard position for this team. 

Jason Kidd is an experienced veteran but, as mentioned in a previous slide, he's 39 and not going to be able to defend Mario Chalmers or create offense the way he used to. 

The Mavs do have Rodrigue Beaubois, who has been an excellent surprise for Dallas, but there is no telling that he'll be able to provide the same impact that Barea did in a high pressure situation like the NBA Finals.