Mavs week special: Dallas chemistry, Heat's arrogance makes title infinitely more enjoyable

Dallas — A little more than two days have passed since the Dallas Mavericks hoisted their first NBA championship in franchise history, and the euphoric feeling hasn't started to fade away at all.

Much of the reason relates to how the Mavs took the title in the Game 6 clincher in Miami.

Nine Dallas players took the court Sunday night. And I can honestly look at each of those players and point to a critical contribution each of them made to the Mavs prevailing, 105-95, before a stunned crowd.

Think about that for a second. Nine players, all of whom made valuable contributions. The Heat also had nine players take the court. But Joel Anthony (0-for-2, 0 points), Juwan Howard (0-for-1, 0 points, turnover) and Mike Miller (0-for-1, 0 points) were largely ineffective, to the point that I don't even remember them on the floor.

I found it fitting that in consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had the ball behind the three-point line in the center of the floor. On both occasions, the Heat superstars dribbled around trying to juke Dallas defenders, with no intent to distribute. On both occasions, they pulled up for desperate three-pointers that clanked off the rim and missed.

The 2011 NBA finals can be summarized by this inexact study.

The Mavs don't try to single-handedly take over a game. They collectively take over a game. All nine of them. Here's what I mean:

Dirk Nowitzki: The finals MVP scored 21 points and grabbed 11 boards, after converting only one field goal in the first half.

Jason Terry: Arguably the best sixth man in the NBA, the Arizona product was the team MVP for Game 6, pouring in a game-high 27 points off 11-of-16 shooting. Terry doesn't slash to the net like he used to, but the 34-year-old's ability to stop on a dime and stroke the mid-range jump shot kept the Heat off balance.

J.J. Barea: Inserted into the starting lineup by coach Rick Carlisle in Game 3 to maximize playmakers on the floor, Barea responded with 15 points and five assists in the title-clinching contest.

Jason Kidd: The 38-year-old held steady with nine points and eight assists, and hit a mammoth three-point shot in the fourth quarter, as he's done for most of the playoffs.

Tyson Chandler: Plagued by foul trouble most of the game, Chandler still logged 30 minutes. He only had five points, but grabbed eight boards and was a crucial defensive presence inside.

Shawn Marion: The Matrix played stellar defense on LeBron James, who scored 21 points, but committed six turnovers. What more could you ask? Marion also put up 12 points and eight boards.

Deshawn Sevenson: Far from my favorite player, but the guy was incredibly clutch in the first half, draining three straight long-distance threes. The play where he stole the ball in the backcourt and pulled up for his second three was one of the most exciting plays of the finals. Stevenson shot 13-for-23 (56.5 percent) from long range in the finals and provided stellar defense against LeBron and Wade.

Brian Cardinal: Who doesn't love this guy? He played 12 minutes, drained a three from the corner and provided hustle and energy on both ends.

Ian Mahinmi: With Chandler in foul trouble and Brendan Haywood out with an injury, Mahinmi was pressed into action. The 25-year-old native of France contributed four points, including a momentum-swinging buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter that put the Mavs ahead by nine.

There you have it. All nine Mavs scored, but more importantly, all nine Mavs logged meaningful minutes. The Heat couldn't say the same.

That's what makes this title so special. It proves that three guys can't monopolize the league and make the NBA their personal puppet. Look, I have no problem with LeBron, Wade or Chris Bosh as players, but the way they were introduced in the preseason was one of the biggest disgraces in the history of sports. The over-the-top, pyrotechnic-like atmosphere at the Heat's arena, where fans were like 13-year-old girls, and the Big Three like Justin Bieber on stage performing, was laughable at best, especially now. Um, the season hasn't started yet. But we get the point. Arrogant, pompous, seven championships, yep, we got it.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, the Mavericks were working on constructing a championship-caliber team built around newly-signed Dirk Nowitzki, who didn't announce his new deal via an hour-long ESPN special. No, the Mavs were too busy working on defense, not which three of them would look best in a pointless preseason celebration.

Isn't it fitting, then, that the NBA season ended with the Mavs — all 15 on the roster, not just three of them — celebrating on the same stage in Miami where three overly-confident superstars acted like buffoons before a single game was even played? Only difference was this celebration was well-deserved, noble and inspirational.

It just goes to show, basketball is a team game. And just a suggestion: When you celebrate, don't make it a three-player, exclusive VIP party. The other players on the roster might feel left out. And don't make it before the season starts.

A better team from the Western Conference might come into your house, out-play you, out-coach you and show you the proper way to celebrate. At the end of the season, when it really counts.