Why will the Dallas Mavericks win their first title in their first-ever Finals appearance?

 

Because they are fast. The Heat are slow, and only Dwyane Wade and Jason Williams have a chance of keeping up with the Mavs. Considering that Wade is sick and Williams has had trouble this season with his knee, it is probable that even they cannot keep up.

 

Because they can shoot. Dallas has always shot well, dating to Nellie’s days. Even with Michael Finley and Steve Nash gone, the Mavs are still one of the best shooting teams in the league. Dirk Nowitzki, as always, is lighting it up from everywhere. And this season, everywhere means just that – everywhere, from the three-point arc and deep in the post. Jason Terry, too, is hitting his jumpers. Hell, everyone is hitting shots.

 

Because they can play slow. Wait, don’t the Mavs play fast? Well, they do. And they play slow, too. In fact, if one looks at their post-season performance, Dallas has played fast (against the Grizzlies and the Spurs) and slow (when they tried to slow down the Suns). Under Avery Johnson, the Mavs no longer play at one speed, they can lay at any speed.

 

Because they have two big guys. The Mavs of yesteryear featured no true centers. (Would you consider Shawn Bradley a true center? I mean, honestly…) This squad has two legitimate big guys in DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier. And big this time means big – tall and muscular, not merely tall. Granted, Shaquille O’neal can overpower those two, but at Shaq’s age, Diop and Dampier can wear him down over 40 minutes.

 

Because they can play defense. Defense wins games, coaches always say. Well, this Dallas team has shown countless times during the season that they can play tough D. OK, not so tough, but tough enough to win games. Nowitzki may not display the defensive intensity of Ben Wallace but his defense has preserved key wins in the playoffs, particularly against San Antonio.

 

Because they are fun to watch. Gone are the days of bruise ball. Today’s NBA is veering toward finesse and quickness, as the Suns and the Mavs can attest to. Not only are these two teams fun to watch, they also have the winning records to show for it, with both reaching the Conference Finals.

 

So here’s my bold prediction: Mavs in six.

 

A little caveat… The last time a ventured a prediction, I was off by a mile. (See NBA Season Predictions)