MAVS ARE CHAMPS!

Mavs vs. Heat Game 2 NBA Finals Recap: Anatomy of a Comeback

With 7:15 to go in the 4th quarter of Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals the scoreboard at American Airlines Arena in Miami read Heat 88 Mavericks 73. For the Mavs things obviously looked bleak. They staring a 0-2 deficit right in the face, and they were having it rubbed in their faces by Miami's superstar duo of Wade and James who were celebrating in front of the Dallas bench after a Wade made 3.


The Mavs however had been there before. They faced the same deficit with less than 5 minutes to go in Game 4 in Oklahoma City to come back to win, so they knew it was possible. They however needed their 2 top scorers to come to life and that is exactly what happened. Jason Terry who had only 8 points at this point after a bad Game 1 performance scored 6 consecutive points to cut the lead to 9. Then a Shawn Marion runner made it a 7 point contest. After 2 LeBron free throws Jason Kidd hit a 3 to make it 6 point game. Then after a Terry pull-up jumper cut the lead to 4 it became Dirk time.


Nowitzki who had only 15 points at that point, hit a jumper to make the score 90-88 with less than 2 minutes to go. After a stop the Mavs couldn't convert on a chance to tie or take the lead, but Miami missed 2 more shots and the Mavs were able to tie the score with a fast break lefty layup by Dirk with just under a minute to go.


After a James missed 3 Dirk was able to free himself thanks to a Tyson Chandler 3 for a wide open 3 with 27 seconds to go that gave the Mavs a 3 point lead. On the ensuing inbound play Terry left Mario Chalmers open for 3 to tie the game with 24.5 seconds to go.


After that the Mavs would hold for a final shot and there was no doubt who the ball was going to. Dirk got the ball and spun past Chris Bosh to lay the ball in with his left hand, showing the injury to his middle finger had no effect. The Heat curiously never used the foul they had to give and were left with no timeouts when they inbounded the ball with just over 3 seconds left. Wade's 30 foot prayer was not answered and another Mavs miracle comeback was complete.


The series is now tied at 1 apiece as we had to Dallas for 3 games. Will the momentum the Mavericks enjoyed in the closing minutes of Game 2 carry over or will Miami bounce back? The questions will become answers when game 3 happens at the AAC on Sunday.

Team Leaders

Mavs

Points: Nowitzki,24

Rebounds: Nowitzki, 11

Assists: Kidd and Terry, 5

Heat

Points: Wade, 36

Rebounds: Bosh and James, 8

Assists: Wade, 6