NBA Finals 2011: Miami's Defense To Offense Could Make This a Short Series
The 2011 NBA Finals series has plenty of intriguing details that should add plenty of spice to what should be a pretty interesting matchup between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks.
There is already a finals history between the teams, as the Mavericks' epic collapse in 2006 paved the way for the rise of Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade to super-stardom, while simultaneously marking star forward Dirk Nowitzki and his team playoff pretenders for seasons to come.
Revenge for Nowitzki, redemption for LeBron James and the validation of Miami's super team are just a few of the sub-plots surrounding this year's finals, and although all of the drama certainly heightens anticipation, Miami's defense has the ability to make this a very short series.
The role of underdog is nothing new to Dallas this postseason since few observers even expected them to reach the finals in the first place.
Most people only began to take the Mavericks seriously once they swept the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers out of the playoffs, and it would be ridiculous to think they have no chance against Miami.
But, Dallas has not faced a team this postseason who is capable of applying the type of defensive pressure that Miami can, and the most dangerous thing about the Heat is their defense fuels their offense.
James and Wade may be the best two defenders left in the postseason, and they are definitely the most electric in the open court. Once the two elements converge through forced turnovers, then the battle for opponents is usually lost.
Dallas is capable of playing some stout defense of their own as they proved against the Lakers and Oklahoma City in the West finals, but the Mavericks have yet to prove they can give a sustained consistent effort.
The Mavericks have prevailed on the strength of Nowitzki and the other pieces of a multi-faceted offense, while Miami has used the 2011 postseason to illustrate how good they really are on the defensive end of the floor.
Defensive statistics like Miami's 42 percent opponents field goal percentage and 88 points allowed per game suggest they have been the postseason's most stingy team, and their demolition of the Chicago Bulls in the East finals proved it.
Miami and Chicago entered the East finals' series as the top two defensive teams in the 2011 playoffs, but Miami's five game series victory left no doubt who the better defensive team really was.
Dallas has a much more versatile offensive attack than Chicago, and Nowitzki presents some matchup issues of his own for the Heat to contend with.
Miami has yet to face an opponent who will draw their post players away from the comforts of the paint like Nowitzki can, and they haven't had to deal with two players who provide the type of scoring punch off the bench like Mavericks guards Jose Barea and Jason Terry will.
But Miami has made their mark in the postseason by clamping down on the interior and playing suffocating perimeter defense with Wade and James, and simply dominating the passing lanes.
And once Miami's defense creates turnovers, the Mavericks must then face the prospects of defending two of the NBA's most talented and athletic players at full speed in transition.
Dallas wants to play an up-tempo series, but from an offensive standpoint, not because they are forced to chase Wade and James after the Miami defense has created turnovers.
The Mavericks best chances for victory against the Heat rests in their ability to score early and often in the face of Miami's defensive pressure.
If they succeed, Dallas will be the first team to do so in the 2011 postseason.
