NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 796 "This is for you!" (8000-word chapter)
On Saturday, June 11, 2011, the NBA Finals finally reached its peak, with fans once again witnessing a decisive Game 6 after many years.

The last time there was a Game 7 in the NBA Finals was in 1994, when the Knicks faced off against the Rockets.

At that moment, New York fans broke down their defenses, and John Starks went 2-for-18 from the field and 0-for-11 from three-point range, scoring a total of 8 points, which angered some extreme fans to the point that they almost pulled out guns.
This morning, ESPN reviewed the game, and Knicks fans who watched the Game 7 highlights had their blood pressure soaring – it was just too ugly!
Interestingly, the Knicks' head coach at the time was Pat Riley, and 17 years later, Riley became the Heat's general manager. History seems to come full circle, and we've come full circle to see familiar faces again.

The Sports Center program this morning featured Hakeem Olajuwon's performance in Game 7, which, statistically speaking, was "unremarkable":
“出场46分钟，25中10，罚球7中5，25分10篮板7助攻1抢断3盖帽2失误，投篮命中率仅有40%。”

Young fans, accustomed to Li You's "inhuman" Excel skills, might dismiss this, but back then, Hakeem Olajuwon's performance was actually outstanding, with 25 points being the highest score in Game 7.

Of course, looking back at Li You's stats, 25 points is indeed not enough. The highest score in the finals and the highest average score in the finals were both achieved in recent years.

Even comparing shooting percentages, Hakeem Olajuwon, a big man, was completely outmatched. As for three-pointers, there's no need to compare them at all. Even 50 years from now, Li You's record will be hard to break.

Grant Hill didn't seem to favor the past over the present; after all, times have changed. When talking about his expectations for Game 7, he mostly expressed his best wishes.

"Game 7 is the most exciting game! It's a single-elimination match, and I think no basketball fan would miss such a moment!"

"I don't think there were any losers tonight. Both the Heat and the Mavericks put on a great show for the fans."

"."

Grant Hill, who served as the host, remained neutral throughout. Even when the Mavericks suffered a crushing 91-110 defeat in Game 6, he did not become a fence-sitter like other commentators.

Stephen A. Smith, who was invited, didn't have this problem. When talking about his expectations for the match, the outspoken Stephen A. Smith sarcastically remarked:

"We must recognize one important thing: the Heat are the superior team. Although the three young players have never won an MVP, they are all All-NBA players."

"At this point in the series, James, Wade, and Bosh have already lost half the battle. If they ultimately lose the championship on home court, then the so-called 'Big Three' are nothing but clowns!"

"Can you imagine Lee losing Game 5 in a sorry state against backcourt players like Kidd and Terry? Think about how Lee dominated the Finals at the age of 26."

"A Game 7 is great, but this year's Finals also remind us why Lee is the undisputed GOAT!"

Although most commentators still favor the Heat, their evaluations of the three young players have plummeted, proving once again that not every young player can deliver outstanding statistics.

Being targeted and then underperforming and becoming unstable is the norm.

Stephen A. Smith didn't hold back on his remarks during the show, mocking the Heat's young players before turning his attention to ridiculing aging MVP Dirk Nowitzki:

"The Mavericks had a chance to end the series 4-2, but Nowitzki failed to step up. He can't expect role players to score efficiently in the first half of every game."

"You are the MVP, you are the Mavericks' absolute core, you must make those shots, because this is your team!"

“I would never blame Meta. He has done everything. Jose and Tyson are the same. They have never experienced anything like this with the Knicks. Their past championship experience cannot help them.”

"."

Neither of them discussed the referee's officiating standards. In Game 6, Artest's "scrubbing defense" resulted in four fouls in just three quarters, and Chandler was also plagued by foul trouble throughout the game, disrupting his normal rotation.

On the other hand, the referee also favors the team in the tiebreaker; whoever is behind will be helped by the referee.

In short, the process is not important; what matters is who wins the final match. If Nowitzki leads his team to victory, the Germans will undoubtedly be the biggest winners of the season!
If Nowitzki wins the Finals MVP, he will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Shaq and completely surpass Garnett and Duncan, the two "bust" MVPs.

At noon, the Heat players gave interviews, and the Game 7 series brought them a huge amount of attention.

Although this is not what Pat Riley wanted to see, the game had come to this point, and the only thing he could do was to get the players to "fight for their lives".

Since losing Game 4, James has been largely blamed. If he hadn't been ejected, the series might have ended on the road.

James has been in a bad mood these past few days. Even after Friday's big win, a smile didn't appear on his face. The earlier halftime chuckles between the three players have become a joke, and James isn't in the mood to joke with reporters anymore.

"The referee's decision? Man, we have Game 7 tomorrow night! The past six games don't matter anymore, I only care about everyone's physical condition!"

"This is the Finals, completely different from the playoffs. It's not just a basketball contest; we also have to face many more challenges."

"I am confident of winning this crucial game, and the Miami fans will bring energy to the home crowd!"

Although James wanted to complain to the reporters, he also knew that they actually wanted to see him make a fool of himself, just like how commentators used to ridicule Duncan and Kobe. Losers have no voice.

The questions asked by the Yahoo Sports reporter were more targeted, even causing James to frown slightly:

“We noticed that after Game 5, you seemed very hesitant when shooting from beyond the three-point line. LeBron, can you talk about the changes in your shot selection?”

In dominant games, James took many three-pointers and had an excellent shooting percentage, but in several close matches, the chosen one went silent.

Influenced by Li You, James was one of the first star players to optimize his offensive options. In recent years, he has completely embraced "Moreyball". Although he has not achieved much, he is very impressive in terms of his offensive skills.

"I did make some mistakes in some games, you know, I've never been a scorer, I want to find the perfect opportunity to finish the offense."

James shook his head, readily admitting his poor performance. Noticing the excited looks from the reporters around him, he added:
"But I will be aggressive in tomorrow night's game, and I will do my best to help the team."

On the other hand, Wade, who was also in a bad mood, was not bothered by reporters. Unlike his good friend, he is one of the few star players who sticks to his own style of play.

Three-pointers have always been the second option, but in the crucial Game 6, Wade combined drives and shots, making 3 of 7 three-pointers, delivering an impeccable shooting performance.

"Anything is possible! But we are more confident, which is why we want to be number one in the league, and our home fans will be our best sixth man."

No more boasting. Wade made a simple statement, and when a reporter pressed him on Artest's lackluster performance in the previous game—4-for-14 from the field and 2-for-8 from three-point range—the Flash, unusually, mocked him with a hint of emotion:
"Eight rings couldn't help him overcome time. At 32, Meta has done his best!"

"That's our advantage. We're younger, and if necessary, we can even play the full 48 minutes."

"."

These words brought a smile to the faces of the Miami reporters. Everyone was indeed panicked after losing Game 5, but after winning Game 6, the situation reversed again. Playing at home, everyone felt that the home team had the advantage.

Of the trio, Bosh received the least criticism. In the previous few games, the Heat's three-point shooting was very fierce, and they even had an advantage at times thanks to their long rebounds.

It wasn't until the later games that everyone dared not throw the ball anymore that their decline became apparent. However, Bosh did a great job with the red card work assigned by Coach Spoelstra. When talking about tomorrow night's game, a confident look appeared on Bosh's stern face:
"Man, I'm not lying, I think the opponents have reached their limit. Respect to those veterans!"

“We don’t complain to each other in the locker room. Everyone knows that the Heat are the better team, and everyone is willing to make sacrifices for each other.”

"Yee, the coach is indeed planning to shorten the rotation. You know, we are the team with more stamina. Countless Miami fans are looking forward to the team's first championship, which gives us tremendous energy!"

All three displayed confidence, and Coach Spoelstra, in his final interview, shared the same attitude. The young coach remained dissatisfied with the previous calls, making a pointed statement:
"Basketball doesn't lie! We are the better team, and we hope to deliver a fantastic game for the fans tomorrow night!"

-

On Sunday, June 12, the Finals' popularity surged again on Twitter. After many years, this was the first Game 6, and fans in Lianyungang were all paying attention to tonight's match.

Although there were too many controversial calls in this Finals, commentators automatically ignored the refereeing factors and actively commented on Twitter, giving their predictions early on.

The Reddit subreddit is equally lively, but compared to Twitter, this is the home turf for Knicks fans. While the Finals are exciting, they are nothing to boast about in the eyes of the proud New York fans.

Regarding tonight's Game 7, some extreme fans even posted mocking comments:
"The clown who stole the championship! This is the worst performance in recent years!"

The Mavericks held a closed-door meeting in the morning, and when they were interviewed at noon, many reporters surrounded Artest. The championship forward's unpredictable performance was giving Mavericks fans a headache.

Although tonight is the crucial Game 7, Artest showed no signs of nervousness during the interview. When asked about his performance, the championship forward calmly stated:

"Why focus on my performance? I'm just doing my job. The Mavericks are Dirk's team!"

"If he wins the championship, he will get the Finals MVP, and all I have to do is keep shooting. As for whether I can make the shots, I don't care."

"The loss is Dirk's problem. This is the championship experience that Lee taught me. Tonight, we will try our best to get the ball into his hands."

These words left many reporters speechless. No one expected Artest to so naturally shift the blame. If he had scored a few more goals in Game 6, the game wouldn't have collapsed in just three quarters.

And he wasn't the only one holding this view. Tyson Chandler, sporting a large beard, also naturally shirked responsibility, stating matter-of-factly:
"Although this is my first time experiencing Game 7 of the Finals, my past championship experience tells me that the more crucial the game, the more the core players need to respond!"

“Every great player is like that. Maybe we will play a key role in some rounds, but the key to victory is Dirk. We have discussed this issue many times, and everyone agrees.”

"Dirk sealed the victory in Game 5; he just needs to maintain this level of confidence!"

Some reporters finally understand why some people call Knicks players "cancer"—they completely shirk responsibility and blame everything on the team's leaders when they lose.
Although it makes sense in theory, it just doesn't sound very pleasant. People prefer to hear polite words, which also makes it easier to "settle accounts" after the game.

Fortunately, Barea didn't stay in New York for long and offered a few polite words, but the short man ultimately deflected the blame subtly:

"I think the Mavericks have shown their best form this year, and I believe Dirk can lead the team to their first championship in franchise history."

"."

Fortunately, Kidd and Terry were relatively "normal" afterwards, and Peja, who was DNP'd, did not complain at all. They all showed a confident attitude and even took the initiative to take responsibility.

The unassuming Nowitzki didn't make any grand pronouncements. Although he lost Game 6, after a few days of rest, his physical condition is getting better and better, and he has fully adapted to his finger injury.

When asked about the most important match of his career, the German player showed a determined look and responded in a low voice:

"I even want to play 48 minutes. You know, this might be the closest I've ever come to a championship in my career. I'm willing to give everything!"

-

Before the game started at 20 p.m. that night, many reporters updated their Twitter feeds, expressing sympathy for Kevin Garnett.

It's not hard to imagine that Sprewell must have also shifted the blame during the Western Conference Finals back then, and Garnett was probably so angry that he broke down. After many years, everyone can finally understand why Garnett hates "championship experience".

Half an hour before the game started, American Airlines Arena was in complete turmoil. Pat Riley, sitting in the front row, received special attention from the broadcasters, who repeatedly focused the camera on the aging championship coach.

Kidney Warrior Alonzo Mourning even bowed his head in prayer during the pre-game singing ceremony, and several veteran Heat players, including Tim Hardaway, became nervous, their smiles disappearing from their seats at the front.

A single match can decide the outcome; no one knows what will happen in the game, and anything is possible.

For the Heat, McGrady, Mike Miller, Juwan Howard, Ilgauskas and others are getting less and less playing time, with only James Jones, Haslem and Mike Bibby still in the rotation.

Tonight, there is a high probability of a 7-man rotation, and Coach Spoelstra will undoubtedly employ his strongest tactics.

The Mavericks are in a similar situation. Rodrigo Beaubois has had no playing time since returning to his home court, and Peja has only played two games. The seven-man rotation is also Coach Carlisle's choice. Game 7 is all about going all out against the starters.

When the starting lineups of both teams were introduced, just as fans had predicted before the match, neither team made any changes.

The Mavericks' Barea continued to partner with Kidd in the backcourt, while the Heat's Bosh and Joel Anthony formed the starting frontcourt.

As the two teams reached the center of the court, the American Airlines Arena became increasingly noisy, with Heat fans wearing white cheering T-shirts standing up and shouting.

James, Wade, and Bosh didn't put on any pre-game show; they all stared at their opponents with blank expressions, displaying a "must-win" attitude!

On the other side of the court, Kidd was jumping around to warm up. His shooting performance in this series has been terrible. In the most important game of his career, he couldn't help but make the sign of the cross on his chest.

In contrast, Barea and Artest, with their hands on their hips, showed no signs of tension. They had done their best, and the outcome would depend on the Germans' performance.

ABC's broadcast cameras also focused on Nowitzki, who was swaying his body. The German, who had finished warming up, had sweat on his forehead and a serious expression on his face.

As the referee tossed the ball into the air, Chandler flicked it into half-court, and cheers immediately erupted from the defense:
"Defense!" In the first possession, Kidd took advantage of Chandler's screen on the left wing to quickly cut in, approaching the basket to try and pass the ball back to the big man cutting to the basket, but the pass was directly blocked by Randy Foye.

Randy Foye touched the ball out of bounds and landed with a series of thuds, repeatedly pounding his chest. Throughout this series, he has been the team's most reliable guard, with relatively stable performances on both offense and defense.

As the Mavericks inbounded the ball, seeing Wade immediately close in on Barea to receive the pass beyond the three-point line, the commentator Van Gundy couldn't help but sigh:
"The Heat are clearly the more talented team; all they need to do is maintain a good mentality."

No sooner had he finished speaking than, using Nowitzki's screen, Barea cut straight to the basket from the right wing. The small guy was incredibly fast, and as he approached the basket, he leaned forward and tried to lay it up, but was blocked by Wade who was chasing him!

With quick reflexes, Bosh immediately took control of the ball. As James moved forward to receive the pass, Artest also chased after him, and both sides quickly ran towards their own half.

In a set offense, on the right wing, Randy Foye called for Wade to run along the baseline to the right corner to receive the ball. After the two crossed screens, Kidd was a half-beat too slow, allowing the opponent to suddenly accelerate.

James immediately threw the ball hard, sending it flying to the right corner. Randy Foye caught the ball, drifted in, and shot a three-pointer that swished through the net.

"Oh!"

Cheers immediately filled the arena, and the Miami fans present felt this was a good omen, with the cheers growing louder and louder.

Nowitzki once again opened the scoring for the Mavericks. He received the ball with his back to the basket in the right elbow area, turned around and swept the ball down, dribbled it sideways with his right hand, and then stopped abruptly. He faked a shot, and Bosh quickly raised his hand.

After the two collided, the German immediately twisted his body and forced a backward jump shot. Bosh turned his head and watched the basketball, with its high arc, swish through the net. He subconsciously raised his hand to indicate that it was his fault.

In the opening minutes, both sides displayed efficient offense, with Wade being the most outstanding. The Flash constantly "weaved" through the defense after pick-and-rolls, battling through crowds to score layups.

Coach Carlisle on the sidelines was shouting loudly. Despite the Mavericks' efforts to collapse their defense, Wade always managed to find an angle to attack the basket.

Midway through the first quarter, Kidd made a passing error, which was intercepted by Randy Foye, prompting cheers from the crowd once again. On the other side, James had already taken off, leaving the championship forward far behind.

As the chosen one completed an alley-oop dunk, American Airlines Arena was completely ignited, and the Heat's bench erupted in jubilation—this was the rhythm of the game they were familiar with.

After the ineffective Barea was replaced by Jason Terry, the Mavericks gradually regained their offensive rhythm. With the veteran Kidd and Artest left open, they hit three-pointers one after another, and the score difference was quickly tied.

Under tight defense, the Mavericks didn't give their opponents many opportunities for transition offense. Randy Foye's two missed three-pointers allowed Terry to get to the free-throw line on the fast break.

"Shh!"

A chorus of boos erupted. In the commentary booth, Mark Jackson glanced at the stats, frowned slightly, and commented:
"This is not James' usual offensive choice. He seems to have lost confidence in his three-point shot. So far, both of his baskets have come from under the basket."

As a former coach, Van Gundy didn't speak up for his player at this moment. Instead, he smiled and joked:
"James is not Lee. Game 7 clearly put him under pressure, and he subconsciously chose a more rational shot!"

"."

The Heat's cautious approach of adding two points paid off, with Bosh and Mike Bibby, coming off the bench, also starting to score as Wade continued to attack the court.

Faced with a double-team, Nowitzki had no choice but to pass the ball. Unfortunately, neither Kidd nor Artest could maintain their shooting touch and both missed their shots.

In the final minutes, Chandler and Terry's free throws helped the team weather the storm, and at 22-29, the American Airlines Arena erupted in cheers after the first quarter.

The Heat's trio combined for 21 points, with Wade and James each contributing 8 points. Their efficient performance brought smiles to everyone's faces, and McGrady excitedly high-fived his teammates in celebration.

During the rotation phase, Coach Spoelstra's defensive strategy also worked. The Heat began to speed up their rotations and defend three-pointers, forcing Jason Terry to rely on mid-range shots for offense.

Contrary to the expectations of the fans at the scene, Bosh suddenly faltered in this quarter, first missing consecutive mid-range jump shots, and then his layup attempt was disrupted by Chandler and missed.

In the final minutes of the first half, Artest made another miraculous steal, taking the ball from both James and Bosh.

The Heat made a crucial mistake and missed a shot, their offense suddenly stalled. Thanks to Wade's efficient performance, the score was 43-47 at halftime, and the gap had been narrowed.

During halftime, American Airlines Arena became even noisier, and many Heat fans felt uneasy. It was at this moment that everyone realized how good it was to play against a weaker opponent.
Mike Breen was also surprised that neither of the two offensively strong teams could score 50 points. After looking at the statistics, he subconsciously sighed:
"8 out of 13 shots! Wade truly deserves to be called the best performing star player against Lee. He performed exceptionally well in the crucial moments!"

Nowitzki went 4-for-8 in the first half, his shooting percentage quietly returning to normal. Mark Jackson suddenly changed his tune and began praising the German:

"If the Heat can't change the pace of the game, Nowitzki's mid-range jumper could very well change the course of the game!"

"The MVP found his shooting touch again tonight."

When the three were commenting on the game, only Van Gundy did not express his opinion clearly. He was more concerned about when James would explode. James went 3-for-6 in the first half, and the chosen one disappeared in the second quarter.

Bosh had a poor first half, shooting 2-for-8. But Artest responded immediately at the start of the second half, shooting 1-for-5 in the crucial third quarter. Despite this underperforming performance, the point difference was narrowed.

Wade repeatedly challenged Chandler's shots despite being surrounded by Kidd and others, and the Heat did not gain any advantage in free throws either. After three quarters, the score was 65-67.

In the final quarter, the Heat fans in the arena were increasingly on the edge of their seats, with gasps erupting at every possession.

The moment to test a star's mettle arrived, and Nowitzki exploded, repeatedly responding with fadeaway jumpers despite help defense, sending the Mavericks' bench into a frenzy.

James disappeared again in the final moments, and with 16.2 seconds left in the game, Wade's crucial layup put the Heat back in the lead.

"what!!"

As Wade walked toward the bench, he shouted loudly and high-fived everyone, a fierce look appearing on his dark face. At that moment, the Heat were his "horse".

With the score at 86-87, after the Mavericks' timeout, everyone stood up to witness this historic moment, and cheers echoed throughout the arena.
"Defense!"

After the throw-in, Kidd briefly ran down the clock. When the German received the ball with his back to the basket in the left elbow area, there were only 11 seconds left on the shot clock.

Sweating profusely, Nowitzki faced the basket, placed the ball with his right hand, and forced a turn. He accelerated but failed to shake off the defender, and then made a sudden stop and feint at the blocking position.

Wade quickly helped defend from the top of the key, while Bosh raised his hands. Under the interference of the two, the German raised the arc and forced a jump shot!
As the basketball bounced off the rim, the American Airlines Arena erupted in cheers. The timer above the backboard ticked away rapidly, and 3.1 seconds disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Some fans were still cheering loudly, while those closer to the front instinctively covered their heads. No one could see exactly when Artest appeared in the lower right corner of the basket, and the championship forward miraculously grabbed the offensive rebound.

Chandler was holding off Bosh and Haslem by himself, while Wade charged toward the basket with wide eyes. James, who was out of position, was stunned and immediately jumped up to defend.

The three collided, a buzzing sound rang out, and the basketball was deflected onto the backboard by Artest, instantly turning the American Airlines Arena into a library.

"Bang!"

"oh!!"

The moment the basketball swished through the hoop, all the Heat fans screamed in terror. Pat Riley, sitting in the front row, dressed in a black suit with his slicked-back hair, stared blankly, seemingly still in shock.

The Mavericks players could no longer contain their excitement. Everyone rushed onto the court, with Kidd and Terry even throwing themselves onto the floor before Artest could even stand up.

"what!"

Surrounded by his teammates, Artest was flushed from the pressure, but when he saw the camera, he still clenched his fist and shouted loudly, showing his tough guy nature.

Sports reporters rushed onto the court, where the German was seen weeping uncontrollably, his hands on his knees near the free-throw line. He had played 45 minutes that night and nearly collapsed when he missed the final shot.

"Incredible! Amazing rebounding! Chandler and World Peace's eight offensive rebounds in the second half saved the Mavericks!"

Mike Breen only shouted excitedly after the scorer's table confirmed the goal was valid. Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, who were standing next to him, were still in a daze and did not notice the Heat's defensive positioning problem.

Sitting at the baseline, Wade hugged his knees, staring intently at the Mavericks players who were still stacked on top of each other. Even now, he still couldn't believe that the Heat had been defeated by a buzzer-beater.

James, who was standing to the side, stood up. The chosen one remained silent, ignoring the reporters who surrounded him, and with the help of Randy Foye, tried to walk quickly toward the player tunnel.

On the bench, McGrady sat blankly in his seat, staring into space, just like the rest of the crowd, watching the opponents celebrate.

A small number of Dallas fans had already started interacting passionately with the Heat fans around them, with shouts and cheers ringing out, making the arena increasingly chaotic.

A dejected Haslem was comforting Bosh under the basket, and as he pursed his lips and helped Wade up, the surrounding reporters cheered loudly.

Artest, finally helped up by his teammates, strode towards the Heat's team. A larger crowd gathered, and everyone came to watch the spectacle.

"Shhh!!"

Ignoring the boos that echoed throughout the arena, Artest squeezed behind Wade and Haslem, a disdainful look on his dark face, and shouted loudly towards the bench:

"Who's the champion! You fucking cowards need me so badly!!"

"Miami Heat! This is for you!"

"Oh!!"

Reporters around them frantically pressed their shutters, and those who couldn't squeeze to the front cheered loudly. Some even cheered happily. Wade and Haslem put their arms around Bosh and walked silently toward the players' tunnel.

Veterans Dampier, Juwan Howard, and Ilgauskas managed to maintain their composure and went up to hug and greet their opponents.

Nowitzki, his eyes red with emotion, managed to control himself and hugged Artest tightly. The German was overjoyed, repeatedly shouting:

"Bro, you saved my career."

Kidd and Jason Terry had already won championships, and the two veterans smiled with tears in their eyes. At the scorer's table, Carlisle was still comforting Spoelstra, while the young head coach was feeling incredibly disappointed.

Angry Heat fans refused to leave, and many were still shouting and cursing. James was the first to return to the locker room, and the player tunnel was full of reporters watching the commotion.

Wade and his two teammates were surrounded by reporters. After shaking off the reporters, an emotional Bosh could no longer control himself and burst into tears.

"God! Why did this happen?!"

Bosh covered his face and wept uncontrollably, heartbroken. His emotions were so infectious that Haslem's eyes also reddened.

Wade, who had been expressionless the whole time, pursed his lips and remained silent. Thinking of Artest's smug face, he hugged the two of them and swore an oath:

"Nobody wants to face us next season!"

-

In the visiting team's locker room, Mark Cuban's face was flushed. The money hadn't been wasted; for the championship, he had even specially commissioned a championship edition of the Ace of Spades, with the bottle featuring the Mavericks' colors.

The outspoken owner, worried about influencing the team, didn't sit courtside for Game 7. At this point, he could no longer contain his excitement and shouted:
"Where's the trophy? God! I'm going to sleep with the Larry O'Brien Trophy for a whole year!"

The staff were also celebrating happily. When the championship T-shirts were handed out, many people secretly shed tears. Even now, no one can believe that they really won the Game 7.

When they returned to the court, American Airlines Arena was still bustling with activity. Many Heat fans stayed to witness the championship, and quite a few wanted to vent their frustrations a bit more.

Wearing a hat, Norvis stood at the very center of the group. When Doris Burke arrived on the podium, she smiled, quickly invited David Stern, and then handed the microphone to the smiling president.

At the head of the group, Cuban was already rubbing his hands together, while the surrounding reporters chuckled good-naturedly. David Stern, understanding the situation, didn't mince words and loudly announced:
"The 2010-11 NBA championship belongs to the Dallas Mavericks! Congratulations on winning your first championship in franchise history!"

There were no confetti and the cheers weren't loud, but Mark Cuban was exceptionally excited as he received the gold Larry O'Brien Trophy. After shouting, he immediately called out to Dirk Nowitzki and Ron Artest.

Surrounded by the crowd, the three stepped to the front of the line. The entire Mavericks team cheered, and as the trophy was raised high, they shouted in unison:
"Champion!!"

(End of this chapter)