NBA Playoffs 2011: Dallas Mavericks Should Be the Favorites To Win NBA Title

The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder from the playoffs and advancing to play in the NBA Finals. They have just completed one of the best comebacks in the 2011 NBA Playoffs and they have arguably the best player in Dirk Nowitzki. They were responsible for ousting the defending champion LA Lakers and have a realistic chance of winning a ring, yet they are still not considered favorites to win the championship.

The latest odds have the Miami Heat as the favorites to win a championship in 2011. The Dallas Mavericks are second on the list, but there are plenty of reasons why they should be the team to beat in the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks have been road warriors in the playoffs. They are not intimidated by the opposing fans and that was never more evident, than in the last game against the Thunder. The Thunder have one of the rowdiest crowds in the league, and when faced with a 15-point deficit with less than five minutes to play, the Mavericks showed unnerving composure. This is not the first time the Mavericks played outstanding on the NBA highway in the post season.

The Mavericks have won at least once on the road in every series and twice in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City. Winning on the road is an important attribute to have if a team has any hopes of winning a championship. The Mavericks also have experience and chemistry, something that other teams remaining in the playoffs are still working on.

The entire Mavericks team is covered with skilled veterans that are groomed to handle pressure situations. Nowitzki is a point-producing scoring machine that has showed the ability to carry this team to victories. Jason Kidd leads the team at the point and distributes the ball with ease, allowing other players to get involved. Jason Terry is a spark plug off the bench who contributes on a nightly basis, allowing the Mavericks to rest starters without losing point production.

The Mavericks are deep and send an endless arsenal of talented players to the floor, to continue to put pressure on the opposition. Although the Mavericks have all of the intangibles mentioned, they are still not the favorites to win the NBA title. That moniker belongs to the Miami Heat.

The Miami Heat are the front-runners to win the title, but that is mostly fueled by hype. Since LeBron James decided to bring his talents to South Beach, Miami has been a hype machine for the Big Three. While incredibly talented, the Heat are not at the same level as the Mavericks. The Heat are improperly labeled as the favorites to win it all.

The Mavericks have had a low-key approach all year and avoid the spotlight. They are focused on winning ballgames and that approach may just pay off with a NBA championship.

Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist. Feel free to contact Matt at [e-mail].