Underdogs are champs!

Here are snippets of Miami getting absolutely no respect from Dallas
media:

"Call me a Western Conference snob. The Heat has no chance (have no
chance? I don't know, why don't they get a real nickname?) in this
series.

The only real challenge left for the Mavericks is the same one they
faced against Phoenix, and that's telling themselves that this
opponent is capable of winning a seven-game series.

As long as Avery Johnson can continue to get his players to believe
in that lie, Dallas will be just fine." -Tim Cowlishaw


"Attention, Mavs fans: In the NBA Finals ticket package you split
with your business partner, here's hoping you didn't draw Games 6
and 7.

The only way the Mavs come back from Miami is on a float.

Map the parade route. Schedule the sick day.

Train the fire hoses on Mark Cuban.

Miami's chances of getting back here?

Good as a Shaq free throw." -Kevin Sherrington


This is an nba that absolutely favors the perimeter oriented prison break
offense of Phoenix and Dallas. No this is not a conspiracy but a league
mandate ushered by rule changes lobbied heavily by Mark Cuban himself.

Miami with Shaq in the middle looked prehistoric in this days of run and
shoot style basketball. Thus Miami with its veteran players did not get
the respect from the media like Dallas did.

Regardless of what the league did to the rules, the game itself
transcended above all else and chose its own champions. At last this is a
game played on the court not in the boardroom! Basketball is a team sport
and the team that plays to it's strenghth and believes in it's character
will win.

The Miami Heat played in hostile environment they have not won in 4
years. Scene of a 36 point blowout that emabarassed them on national tv.
With this backdrop Miami turned up the heat and came out world champions.
Miami controlled the middle so much Dallas was reduced to a jumpshooting
team afraid to shoot the ball.

For Dallas to have won, the league and Mark Cuban needed to outlaw
defense.