NBA FINALS | HEAT vs. MAVERICKS

Bracing for Big D
Dirk Nowitzki, who is averaging 28.4 points in this year's postseason, will present a matchup problem for the Heat. But Dallas is hardly a one-dimensional team.

BY ISRAEL GUTIERREZ
igutierrez@MiamiHerald.com

TWO days after experiencing the most euphoric moment in franchise history, it was back to work for the Heat, with a new opponent in mind but the same goal at hand.

Heat coach Pat Riley began preparing his team for the Dallas Mavericks, and for the possibility of being NBA champions.

'The main thing he's been saying to us is -- `Y'all think this feeling is good, wait until you win it all,' '' a still-weary Dwyane Wade said Sunday. ``He said we've got a lot of hard work to get to that point, but he said we can do it.''

The final obstacle between the Heat and a title is its toughest opponent yet. The Dallas Mavericks feature a player in Dirk Nowitzki with the most unique combination of size and skill in the game, a budding star in Josh Howard who can affect the game on either end of the court, a point guard in Jason Terry who can shoot it with the best of them, and a defense that ranks among the best in the league.

NO CONTEST

In two meetings this season, the Heat lost to the Mavericks by 13 at home, then by 36 on the road Feb. 9 in a game that prompted a team meeting afterward, led by unusual suspects Gary Payton and Udonis Haslem.

'That night after that game, me and Gary were very vocal about, `Either you're 100 percent in, or you're 100 percent out,' '' Haslem said. ``Everybody has to have each other's back and everybody has to be on the same page and you have to trust each other and let things fall where they may.''

The turnaround wasn't immediate, but the Heat did win 10 straight after that game to begin a transformation to what the team is today, a cohesive unit on its way to the NBA Finals.

So, just as the Heat said during the Nets and Pistons series, the regular-season experiences against the Mavs mean nothing at this point of the year.

''Make no mistake about it: They handled us in those two games,'' Haslem said. ``But we're not the same team.''

`GREAT, GREAT PLAYER'

But that doesn't make the task of beating Dallas any easier. And atop the list of priorities for Miami is finding a way to handle Nowitzki, who is averaging 28.4 points in the postseason while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor, 39.5 percent from three-point range and 89.7 percent from the foul line.

So who guards Nowitzki?

''Everybody,'' Riley said. ``We'll start with Udonis on him. He's a great, great player. We know he can shoot it. We know he isolates a lot. He's getting to the free-throw line a lot.

``So we'll have to do some different things, give him some different looks.''

In the two regular-season games against Miami, Nowitzki averaged a somewhat modest 25 points, but he shot 56 percent from the floor. And in the playoffs, Nowitzki is showing a consistently aggressive approach, which has resulted in 10.2 free throws a game -- 1.2 more than Wade has gotten in the postseason.

''I think he's a lot more aggressive than he was back when I played with him,'' Antoine Walker said. ``I think he gets to the basket a lot more. I think you see 15, 16 free-throw attempts from him that he didn't get in the past. So that's where his game's changed.''

But the Mavericks offense is much more than Nowitzki, with five players averaging double figures in the playoffs, including 14 points a game from reserve Jerry Stackhouse.

A DIVERSE GROUP

''They're very, very good in the pick-and-roll,'' Walker said. ``Jason Terry and Devin Harris force the tempo and really put you in a bind. And Josh Howard is having an All-Star type of year. And then Stackhouse comes off the bench and gives them a tremendous spark. And they also have some bigs inside that can challenge shots with [DeSagana] Diop and Erick Dampier.

``We've got to play our game. Our game is the inside game. We can run when we want to run. We want to establish our game. They want to play up and down.''

Despite the distinct styles, Riley said the two NBA finalists took similar paths to reach this point, which should make for a captivating championship round.

''We're a little bit different than they are,'' Riley said. ``But in order for them to get there for the first time in their franchise's history, they beat the world champions [San Antonio]. And in order for us to get there, for the first time in our franchise, we beat a world champion and a two-time finalist [Detroit].

``Both teams deserve to be there because they've beaten the best.'

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Finally, the Miami Heat reaches the finals after a long 18 years! Thanks to Superman Shaq O'neal, Flash Dwyane Wade and the rest of the "justice league" and of course, Riley Legend!

But Miami fans, let's not be too eager. There's one great team that stands in our favorite teams way: the explosive Dallas Mavericks. And if the game against the Suns is any indication, we might have our hands full.

But first, let's set the numbers straight. The Heat is 0-2 against the Mavs this season. In their first encounter, the Heat succumbed to the Mavs sans Shaq via tune of 103-90 in South Beach. Last February, the Heat lost again, this time with 36 points in Dallas with Shaq on the line-up. And as Wade put it, it was embarrassing!

That was four months ago. Four months of struggling to get better. Now the Heat has become more of a contender rather than a pretender. Funny, they needed to be drubbed before deciding to put it all together. But nonetheless, it helped them to be the team that they are right now.

The stage is now set for the bigger battle. The Heat should leave the ghost behind esp. when they have several things going for them:

1. Defense. Miami has tougher D compared to Dallas with UD, Zo, GP and D-Wade around. Udonis takes care of Dirk. Zo takes care of the shotblocking. GP will always be GP. He'll make Dallas' backcourt lose focus. And lastly, Dwyane takes care of the steals and the shotblocks from the blind side.

2. Shaq. Diesel is goin' to be the big difference whether the series become short or go the distance. If he makes up his mind to dominate, he will dominate. Nobody, I repeat, NOBODY in the Dallas bench can guard him.

3. Flash. Sounds corny, but if the Flash ran rings around the best defensive team in the NBA, what more with the Mavs? Sure they got quicker players, but Wade is just too spectacular for them. He likes to slash to the middle and if they don't deny him the ball, in every opportunity it's either he goes to the foul line or straight to the rim. That, if he becomes bored of shooting jumpers that are pretty accurate against Detroit.

4. Experience. The Heat has several championship experience and veteran smarts among them. Pat has been there. Shaq has been there. Mavs and Dallas hasn't so expect the Mavs to play tight and Shaq to play alot smarter. Sure Mavs got fresher legs, but the Heat will sure have the nerves of steel when the game is on the line.

5. Rebounding. Mavs has outrebounded their opponents in the playoffs but you've got to admit, it's a different story now goin' up against Shaq. He's too big and too strong for Dirk. In this series, Shaq will control the glass and he will not give Dallas any chance.

6. Supporting cast. Against Detroit, Wade and O'neal played superb ball but the role players should be given equal credit. Williams, Walker, GP and even Posey contributed alot for Miami in both ends of the floor. They made life alot easy for Shaq & Dwyane and if they keep playing the same way they did all throughout the playoffs, the Heat will be looking good.

7. Law of Averages. Heat is 0-2 in the regular season. Mavs look like they own them but if the LOA is to be consulted, the balance should tip now in favor of Miami.

8. Pat Riley. Simply put, AJ is the Coach of the Year. But Riley is a legend. He'll figure out what to do.

But that's easier said than done now. With the way Mavs dethroned the Spurs, it's going to be tough beating them. No, it won't be a walk in the park. But the Heat is equally tough. And considering all other several factors, it seems that the NBA Finals is going to be close, exciting and hardfought. But the team who will be able to execute, the team who'll get the breaks in the dying seconds will win it.

It's going to be Shaq versus Dirk. Pat versus AJ. Wade versus Dallas' backcourt.

Heat in 6!