<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Count Mavericks owner Mark Cuban among those hoping to see a Heat-Dallas NBA Finals. ''Everyone in Dallas is rooting for the Heat for two reasons,'' Cuban, whose team is favored to beat Phoenix in the Western finals, relayed via e-mail. ``We want to see Shaq in the Finals again, and it gives the Mavs home-court advantage.'' Why does Cuban want to see Shaquille O'Neal in the Finals? ``Great for TV ratings. We can play our Shaq Albert video and crack Shaq up during the games. Shaq and I can give hand signals and see if we get caught. Most importantly, if the Mavs make it past the Suns, it would be great basketball between two great teams.'' Cuban has another reason to root for Mavs-Heat: He can sleep in his 2,500-square-foot luxury condo on South Beach. The pad, on Ocean Drive, features five high-definition TV sets and a private 45-foot basketball court on the roof. Only one problem: If the ball bounces over, it falls 14 floors into a parking garage. (That happened once.) ''We take a little air out of the ball to make sure it doesn't bounce over the wall,'' Cuban said.</div> Source
The Mavs scare me, but DeSagana Diop or Eric Dampier cannot guard Shaq. Also, Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels are good defensively but they are not Rip and Billups. I think Miami would have a shot. We would have to star Gary Payton though because JET would kill Jason Williams. Also, Udonis has the speed and strength to cover Dirk, just not the size.
I don't think the the Heat fared well against Western Conference teams this year. Dallas beat them in both games and I think the Spurs and Suns beat the Heat twice. If the Spurs can't stop the Mavs and if the Mavs outlast the Suns, then I can only see a Pistons team playing its best defense of the year stopping the Mavs.
Miami does not match up well with Dallas at all. The Mavs will run the pick and pop all game long because Shaq cannot defend it. If they face the Heat Avery has the roster to make several adjustments. He can have KVH and Dirk on the floor at the same time, which forces Shaq to guard them out on the perimeter. Also the ability of Jason Terry and Devin Harris to penetrate will get the Miami frontline into foul trouble. There's no way Haslem can defend Dirk out on the perimeter. He would be out of his comfort zone and he doesn't have the lateral quickness to stay in front of Dirk. The Heat are better off taking their chances with Posey on Dirk. I think Dallas would only need 5 games to beat Miami.
i also think the Mavs would beat Miami handily but Im still not sold that Miami is going to beat Detroit
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Miami does not match up well with Dallas at all. The Mavs will run the pick and pop all game long because Shaq cannot defend it. If they face the Heat Avery has the roster to make several adjustments. He can have KVH and Dirk on the floor at the same time, which forces Shaq to guard them out on the perimeter. Also the ability of Jason Terry and Devin Harris to penetrate will get the Miami frontline into foul trouble. There's no way Haslem can defend Dirk out on the perimeter. He would be out of his comfort zone and he doesn't have the lateral quickness to stay in front of Dirk. The Heat are better off taking their chances with Posey on Dirk. I think Dallas would only need 5 games to beat Miami.</div> Agree.
I'm actually the opposite, I think Dallas might have trouble with Shaq down low.....neither teams are great defensively, but I think Miami is the better of the two on the defensive end.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting THE DREAM:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm actually the opposite, I think Dallas might have trouble with Shaq down low.....neither teams are great defensively, but I think Miami is the better of the two on the defensive end.</div> They got past Tim Duncan, so they should be able to handle Shaq down low. Dallas has a lot more depth, which gives them plenty of options to make adjustments. This team has shown they can win with a power lineup and small ball. Usually the team taking the tougher path to the Finals ends up winning. Not to take anything away from the Heat, but they didn't really struggle in any series. The Pistons they just beat, weren't the same team we've seen all season long.
The only Mav player that scares me is Dirk. I just dont know how Haslme will guard him... But on the other hand, I don't see Diop or Dampier stopping Shaq. Not in this playoffs cuz this is a rejuvenated Shaq.
The Mavs' Centers should be well rested and have more endurance over a 7-game series than Miami's Shaq and Mourning combo. And, I can see the Mavs holding the game in the 80s and then running past Miami in the 4th quarter of 4 games. I think Dallas wants it more. Can Howard slow Wade? If so, then Miami will go down in 6 games. No one on the Heat's roster can guard Dirk or Howard.
