DTTWSB NBA Finals Predictions

This is the time we have all been waiting for. The NBA Finals are 24 hours away! It's been a great postseason with some unbelievable individual and team performances. In October, my preseason NBA Finals prediction was the Lakers and Heat with the Heat winning in six games. Unfortunately for my intelligence, the Lakers were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals. The Miami Heat did make the NBA Finals through all their trials and tribulations this season. This is going to be a great series which will cap off what has been a phenomenal NBA season. Let's get to my prediction and how I see this series playing out.

NBA Finals

2. Miami Heat vs. 3. Dallas Mavericks: Heat in 6

After the Summer of 2010, the Miami Heat will finally cash in and take home their second NBA Championship in franchise history. They have been the most scrutinized team in the NBA since I can remember. They brought much of the scrutiny on themselves, but not all of it has been deserved. I think this series against the Mavericks will be a showcase of how good they are.

True basketball fans will be able to appreciate the quality of basketball this team plays, especially on the defensive end. That's the main reason I'm taking them to beat the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks have played with their hair on fire all postseason, but they have yet to play a team with this kind of athleticism and defensive tenacity. The Oklahoma City Thunder gave the Mavericks some problems with their athleticism, but were too young to know how to capitalize in a pressure-packed playoff series. I can almost assure you the Heat will not make the type of rookie mistakes the Thunder made.

Dallas simply does not matchup well with Miami. I'm not sure if J.J. Barea will be able to play extensive minutes because he's too much of a liability. Look to see more of DeShawn Stevenson if the Mavericks want to have a chance at slowing down Dwyane Wade. Also Shawn Marion will have the challenge of guarding LeBron James. I'll take James in that matchup anyday of the week. Nowitzki will try and defend Joel Anthony, but with the way Miami uses pick and rolls with James/Chris Bosh or Wade/Bosh, it's going to be hard for him to rest on the defensive end of the floor.

Overall, I just like Miami's balanced attack over Dallas' outstanding offensive attack. The NBA Finals are played with the 2-3-2 format which will put a lot of pressure on both teams. With Miami having homecourt, they should be able to go up early on Dallas in the series. That's something the Mavericks have yet to face all postseason. I'm not sure if they're up for the task. The Heat simply have too much firepower for any team in the NBA. For LeBron and co., it will be the first of many championships they'll win in the next five years.