NBA Finals 2011

NBA Finals 2011: Today News NBA Finals 2011 MIAMI the Dallas Mavericks’ lament sounded all too familiar. We had chances to catch this game and get us out of our hands, "Dallas forward Shawn Marion said later the Mavericks saw a lead of 8 points early in the 3rd quarter turn to dust and lost 92 - 84 to the Miami Heat in Game 1 of NBA finals Tuesday nighttime at American Airlines Arena. I had my chances. I had some good drives there in the 1st half I just got to finish,’’ Dirk Nowitzki said later scoring twenty-seven points on 7-for-18 shooting  only the 2nd time in the last 11 games he’s missed more shots than he’s made. We were very opportunistic. Tonight, we weren't so, ''Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said later his team had warmed to thirty-nine percent shooting (31-for-80) and still lost. We play better. I'm very certain. And it is equally sure that the heat will play better as well. Later 5 consecutive playoff victories the 1st four against the Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals the pattern is too familiar to ignore The Heat muddled through the 1st half and trailed, 44-43. The Mavericks led 51-43 early in the 3rd quarter. They were still within 4 points, 77-73, with 3:58 to play .All the Mavericks have to do is tweak a few things. Nowitzki won’t shoot that poorly again. Dallas won’t give up 16 offensive rebounds again. The Mavericks didn't become a thirty-seven per cent. They didn't know they were so close and yet so far? Heat is playing with such confidence, such arrogance as the comfort that you can see how it will end. When you plug up one hole against this team, another one crops up. LeBron James (twenty-four points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists), Chris Bosh (19 points, 9 rebounds) and Dwyane Wade (22 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) combined for the all the Heat’s 16 points in the 1st quarter. But the Heat wasn’t a three-man team all night. Mario Chalmers hit 3 three-pointers in the 2nd quarter and scored 12 points. Miller hit a big three-pointer that gave the Heat a 68-63 lead early in the fourth quarter. Although the heat was struggling in the 3rd quarter, the game was every bit the feel of the series in the Eastern Conference finals against the Bulls. Mavericks have done everything, but it appeared that it was only a matter of time earlier James and the Big 3 won. Ne'er was that more apparent than in the 3rd quarter. DeShawn Stevenson, a defensive stopper, hit a three-pointer to give the Mavericks a 51-43 lead with 10:03 left in the quarter. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called timeout, and heat have countered with a 8-2 run to cut the Mavs' lead to 53-51. It was only a matter of time.