Magical Mavericks

In one of the most epic NBA Finals of the last decade, a complete team effort edged a team of superstars for the title.

And finally after 30 years, the Dallas Mavericks have their first championship, after a 105-95 win over the Heat in Game 6 last night in Miami. Jason Terry picked up the slack for a struggling Dirk Nowitzki (who shot just 9 for 27 for the game), and scored a game high 27 points on a sizzling 11 of 16 shooting to bury the Heat. For both Terry and Nowitzki, it was sweet revenge attained, as both were on the 2006 team which lost to Miami in 6 games. But Dirk was not to be denied a title this time around.

Hitting ridiculously tough shot after impossible shot every-time the Mavericks needed it in crunch time in this series, the 32-year old 10-time All-Star from Würzburg, Germany averaged 26 points and nearly 10 rebounds in the series and was named Finals MVP. His championship heart, which some questioned in the past, was on display this series, as he fueled an epic 15-point fourth quarter comeback in Game 2, hitting the game-winning layup, and fought through a nasty fever and sinus infection in lead Dallas to nail-biting Game 4 and 5 victories.

"We worked so hard and so long for it," Nowitzki said. "The team has had an unbelievable ride. This feeling, to be on the best team in the world, it's just indescribable. I really still can't believe it. "

It was also the first championship for future Hall of Fame guard Jason Kidd, who at age 38, finally gets a ring after failing in two previous Finals appearances with the Nets.

"I can't believe the journey," said Kidd. "The journey, the character of my teammates telling me they wanted to get me a championship. Tonight they came out and played well. I came here twice, this being my third time so third time was the lucky charm."

For Miami, a season which began with LeBron's infamous "Decision" and the subsequent light-show celebrating the fusion of James, Wade, and Bosh, comes to an end two wins short of the ultimate prize. And the fact is that the most scrutinized player ever, LeBron James, simply was not clutch or up to the task this series against a superior team.

"It was a failure in '07 when we lost to the Spurs [in the NBA Finals] when I was in Cleveland," James said. "It's a failure now."

But to those that just want to focus on Miami's collapse (cough, ESPN), please don't. This was Dallas' time to finally win, and thanks to their outstanding three-point shooting and great team defense, they took advantage of it.

"We had no champions on this team," Mavericks center Tyson Chandler said. "And we walked away with a team full of champions."