2011 NBA Finals: Winners and Losers If Miami Heat Lose NBA Title
The 2011 NBA Finals has been a heated competition between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks.
Thus far, the series has lived up to expectations, and now the two teams will head back to Miami with the Heat needing to win two consecutive games to take home the title.
After Dallas assumed a commanding 3-2 series lead with a 112-103 Game 5 victory on Thursday evening, the Heat will head back to South Beach with a tough task in front of them.
If the Heat can't manage to emerge as champions and the Mavericks take the title, it will certainly be a very interesting summer ahead.
Winner: Kobe Bryant's Legacy
1 of 12
When the Dallas Mavericks surprisingly swept the Los Angeles Lakers out of the postseason in the Western Conference semifinals, many believed that Kobe Bryant's legacy was about to take a serious hit.
But that's not exactly the case. If Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks come away with the ring, Bryant's legacy will still be secure as the most prolific player currently in the league, and LeBron will continue to live in his shadow.
The Black Mamba isn't afraid to step into the moment when he's called upon, and James has simply not showed that same type of aggression at any point throughout the series.
Loser: David Stern
2 of 12
As the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern has to remain impartial when watching the two teams slug it out for a championship.
However, if the Heat win, it's going to mean a lot of media coverage for his league, and that's an asset that Stern undoubtedly values very highly.
While Dallas taking home the title would certainly make for a great story and resonate well within their fan base, there's no question that a Heat victory would be talked about for a lot longer and dissected much more in depth than a Mavericks one would be.
Winner: Dirk Nowitzki
3 of 12
As if it weren't clear enough, a Mavericks victory would definitely cement Nowitzki's status as an elite superstar around the league.
Despite all of his greatness, Nowitzki has continued to be constantly overlooked every season that he's been in the league, and emerging with a ring around his finger will definitely warrant a second look from every single one of his doubters.
He's delivering for his team at the juncture when it matters most, and Nowitzki is proving to be a leader by example with his performance in the championship round.
Should the Mavs take home the title, Nowitzki will be the unquestioned NBA Finals MVP.
Loser: LeBron James
4 of 12
The King (still) without a ring.
That's how LeBron James will be referred to all summer long if the Heat fail to come back and take control of the series during the final two games in Miami.
James has faced more scrutiny than any NBA player in recent memory, but that comes with the territory when you want to be considered among the greatest of all-time.
He has absolutely disappeared in the fourth quarter of every game in the finals, scoring as many points in the final quarter (11) as J.J. Barea and Jason Kidd.
James has shown an inclination to serve as a facilitator rather than as an aggressor, and if the Heat are going to have any chance of emerging as champions, that's something that he's going to have to change in a hurry.
Winner: Jason Kidd
5 of 12
This might be a victory for Jason Kidd, but in a broader sense, it's a triumph for elite point guards everywhere.
There has been a serious deficiency of recent championship teams: the lack of a standout point guard at the helm.
John Stockton failed to ascertain the title during his Hall of Fame career, and despite the fact that Steve Nash won back-to-back MVP awards, he hasn't been able to snag a ring, either.
If the Mavericks do indeed come out on top, it wouldn't be surprising to see Kidd walk away from the game while he's firmly implanted at the top of the slag heap.
Loser: Pat Riley
6 of 12
Pat Riley has remained eerily quiet throughout the season as he watches his super team compete for a championship, but the media will be chomping at the bit for a sound bite if Miami falters.
After he was able to reel in LeBron and Chris Bosh to go alongside Dwyane Wade in the offseason, many are solely judging this experiment by the number of championships that his team wins over the next six seasons.
If they fall at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat are 0-for-1 in their quest, and it's going to be an agonizing summer for Riley and the entire Miami front office.
Winner: Mark Cuban
7 of 12
Similar to Riley, Mark Cuban has been strangely quiet throughout the entire championship round, but it's a strategy that has clearly worked to this point.
Normally the most outspoken owner in the sport by a large margin, Cuban has simply stood behind his team and let them play basketball and hasn't deflected any of the attention away from what's at hand for his club.
Cuban has been silent on Twitter, hasn't provided a juicy quote for the media in quite some time, and is simply sitting idly by waiting for his team to hopefully deliver on a championship.
If the Mavericks do indeed take the title, you can bet that Cuban won't be silent for too much longer.
Loser: Erik Spoelstra
8 of 12
Erik Spoelstra has done an excellent job at the helm of controls this season after getting off to a rocky start, and even if the Heat lose, the coach should not have to worry about his job security.
Although it's extremely unlikely that Spoelstra would lose his job in that circumstance, there's no doubt that many will be calling for his head if the Heat fail to come back and take home the series.
The coaches often take the brunt of the blame when the team isn't going well, and Spoelstra will likely be subjected to exactly that if the Mavericks beat his team.
One thing is certain: with the Heat having made it thus far, if they can't get over the championship hump, there are going to be a lot of questions about Spoelstra's ability to become a "championship caliber" head coach.
Winner: Rick Carlisle
9 of 12
Rick Carlisle has often been overlooked in the coaching ranks as one of the better coaches in the league, but if the Mavericks win it all, that won't be the case any longer.
It seems that Carlisle has really gotten the team to drink his Kool-Aid and buy into what he's preaching, and his guidance and philosophy have led the team to an impressive championship run.
Carlisle would get the recognition that he sorely deserves as one of the better basketball minds on an NBA bench if the Mavericks win, and a championship ring to pair the recognition wouldn't be so bad, either.
Loser: Juwan Howard
10 of 12
Juwan Howard might have made over $150 million from just contract money throughout his tenure in the league, but he's still searching for his first championship ring.
In fact, no member of Michigan's infamous "Fab Five" team has ever won an NBA title, and if the Heat lose, the curse will still be firmly in effect.
He's the last chance to break the spell for he and his former teammates, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Howard return next season if the Heat aren't able to come out on top.
Winner: Dan Gilbert
11 of 12
Dan Gilbert is one of the happiest men in the world right now.
There's probably no individual who is rooting against the Heat as passionately as Gilbert, who really sounded off on LeBron in the offseason after he decided to join Miami rather than re-sign in Cleveland.
It'll be really interesting to see what Gilbert has to say if LeBron and the Heat don't come out on top, because he'll certainly be polled for his opinion almost immediately after a potential defeat.
If Miami loses in the championship in the same year that the Cavaliers shockingly won the draft lottery, Gilbert will head into the summer as a very happy man.
Loser: Rashard Lewis
12 of 12
There is a lot of attention on Rashard Lewis right now, despite the fact that the Washington Wizards are nowhere near the postseason.
With unsubstantiated rumors cropping up that Lewis might have had a run-in with LeBron James' girlfriend, Lewis will have to face a summer of constant questioning if the Heat fail to win it all.
Adding fuel to the fire, Lewis denied the allegations and said that he wouldn't "cross that line" because the NBA is a "small sorority."
However, he's vehemently said that it's not true, and that he's never even met James' lady.
It seems like he's quickly replacing Delonte West as the newest off-court distraction for LeBron James, and it's likely we haven't heard the last of this one.
