2011 NBA Finals: Recent History Is on Miami Heat's Side Heading into Game 6

What a tumultuous 11 months it's been since LeBron James decided to, you know, do his thing. I won't say it because the phrase has been over used and James should spend part of his offseason trademarking it. 

But more to the point that the Miami Heat who struggled with fourth-quarter miscues and blown leads are now down 3-2 to the Dallas Mavericks with the series headed to South Beach, where Dallas can close it out to win their first championship. 

Not only can't I see Miami letting Dallas celebrate on their home court, but if the history books tell us anything it's that Miami has a definite edge heading into Game 6 with a 2-3-2 Finals format. 

Since the NBA Finals moved to a 2-3-2 format in 1985, the series has gone to a Game 7 four times, more recently in 2010 when the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers were battling for their second title in as many seasons. 

Here is the results of those four series' since the NBA Finals went to a 2-3-2 format: 

1988: Los Angeles Lakers defeated Detroit Pistons. (The Lakers won Games 2 and 3 and were down 3-2 heading to Los Angeles, but won Games 6 and 7 against the Pistons at The Forum.)

1994: Houston Rockets defeated New York Knicks. (The Rockets won Games 1 and 3 and like Miami were heading home for the remaining games, Houston prevailed and defeated the Knicks at home in Games 6 and 7.) 

2005: San Antonio Spurs defeated Detroit Pistons. (Unlike the previous two seven-game series, the Spurs lead the series 3-2, however, they had the home-court advantage heading into the remaining pair of games and prevailed in Game 7.) 

2010: Los Angeles Lakers defeated Boston Celtics. (In an identical situation like the Rockets had in 1994, and Heat do now, the Lakers were down 3-2 against the Celtics but had home-court advantage taking the final two games to comeback and win the Finals.) 

What are we to make of this? For starters, teams who have had home-court advantage in those particular cases have won their series, which is why if Miami wins Game 6, Miami will have history weighed heavily in their favor.

Second, two of those series have played identical to the Heat's current series with the Mavericks, if the series goes to a seventh game, the Heat have perfect odds along with the fact that Game 7 at home is at their advantage. 

Now of course, in that same time span, four teams have also won when leading 3-2 without the home court, including the Heat but theirs came in consecutive fashion, with momentum.

Of the other three, two were from the Bulls lead by Jordan, the 1993 series was an odd one that had five victories come from the road team and the famous 1998 series that came with Jordan's heroic shot in Game 6.

The fourth one was the 1985 NBA Finals series between the Lakers and Celtics, in a high-scoring series the Lakers won in Game 6.

But, none of those four series had any team win three games in a row so Miami still is favored by the history books.

Miami has had too much riding on this season to let it slip from their hands at home of all places. I don't expect for the Heat to lose in Game 6, they are getting two day's rest which has worked in Miami's favor in this series.

In both of their victories (Games 1 and 3), the Heat have had two-plus days off in between games.

The Heat played so well at home and let their emotions have Game 2 fall apart where the series could be very different, but isn't. Miami has shown that it can build leads in this series and they showed they can hold it as they did in Game 1, but are they really going to blow another one, at home, during a game again?

LeBron James stepped up in other areas in Game 5 minus his lack of shooting which was hurt for lack of free throws. But if Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade can get to the foul line, then James knows he has too and while he did have the franchise's first triple-double, he is still due for that offense we saw prior to the series. 

History like aforementioned is on the Heat's side, but so is a game-changer by LeBron James, he remains the key to getting history on their side officially and for Miami winning the series.  

In the end, this is what the NBA wants, they want a 2-3-2 format so that they can have a road team possibly push their way to a Game 6.

Yet, the home team has the backend pair of games at home for in case they lost three games at that point.

For Miami, it's their last shot at getting what they wished for 11 months ago, can they embrace history and a would-be destiny? 

We'll found out.