Dallas beats the Heat and wins title: Most of world rejoices

The only question ended up being: Are there that many Dallas fans or did everyone just want the Heat to lose after they anointed themselves the greatest team in history last summer?

Answer: It was probably a little of both.

The Dallas Mavericks used balance and team basketball to pull away and beat the Miami Heat Sunday night 105-95 on the Heat's home court in Miami.

The series had mostly been about Dirk Nowitzki vs. Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. The last game ended up being Jason Terry, Dirk and the Dallas team versus a bunch of guys who kind of looked like they gave up.

LeBron had 21, Wade 17 and their under heralded teammates like Mario Chalmers made themselves a factor in the game for Miami, but in the 4th quarter it was all-Dallas. Terry put up a 27 point effort and Dirk finished with 21, despite shooting 9-27 in the game.

Unfortunately, this doesn't make Dallas a juggernaut-multiple title winning team. Quite honestly, winning the title this season was a surprise, even to them. Sadly, this is somewhat of an indictment of the Heat more than a crowning of the Mavericks dynasty.

LeBron James continues to be the greatest NBA player with no title. And there were a lot of people rooting against the Heat because of him. Clearly he and to a lesser extent the other members of the Heat franchise should have kept their mouths shut last summer a decision we hope they all regret now. Yeah, signing James was a coup for the Heat, but we say now what we said last summer. Hold a presser, announce the signing and then shut-up and play basketball.

While having three alleged all-stars on your team is great for box office and having ESPN follow you all season, telling you that you should win the title, you still have to win it on the court and clearly, the Heat as constituted, wasn't ready for that.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com



Your post from ESPNEWS and NBA Entertainment just goes even further to show just how much LeBron has gone completely out-of-touch with the rest of us...
Specifically, at the 2:53 mark...
((HT: ebonygentleman79))


Someone, and the HQ means quickly, needs to get in front of The Bron and make sure he knows the proper responses in a situation like that...

We're just going to go back to our lives, now...

And while the HQ thinks he was trying to embrace his inner heel, he needs to go about it this way if he's going to try and go all out...
((HT: NWA/WWE/youtube))

Mavs make merely mortal Heat melt

The writers have all but made this the series about LeBron James. It isn't. Is the underachievement of a so-called superstar and his superstar teammates a story? Yes.

But the better story is Dirk Nowitzki and his teammates.

The Dallas Mavericks have continued their playoff roll, beating James and the Miami Heat last night 112-103 to take a 3-2 lead in their best of 7 NBA Finals series.

It really bothers us that the story of the Mavericks is being almost ignored in the face of James and his cohorts. Nowitzki, in our minds has proven how elite and how good a player he is and then some in this series. Last night he again led his team with 29 points, including going 10-10 from the free throw line.

Dwayne Wade again led the Heat with 23 and James did chip in with a "Triple-double" and all of the copy space in almost every story.

We just want to know why? Why, national writers, do you ignore the team winning to talk about the failures of the team losing...over and over and over again? We know "Names" sell, but quite honestly, they aren't the story. The story is the better prepared and better playing team and that team is in Dallas.

Please stop selling the opponents of the Heat short. It isn't always about the Heat's "Superstars" falling short. Basketball, like most sports is a team game and many times the better "Team" will beat the "team" loaded with big stars and big egos.

Just my 2-cents.

Game 6 is Sunday night in Miami.

Here's your highlights. Thanks NBAHighlights/YouTube:



OSG fav Dale Hanson of WFAA-TV in Dallas and Bob Ortegel analyze game 5. (Thanks WFAA-TV)



Post game sound with Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and Jason Terry on one win away from the title. (Thanks NBC Dallas.com)

View more videos at: http://www.nbcdfw.com.

Dirk sick, Mavs still beat the Heat

Maybe the one is better than the three. Dirk Nowitzki fought off a 101 degree fever and coughing fits to score 21 points and lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 86-83 win against the Miami Heat.

The win evened their best of 7 series at 2 games each.

Dirk wasn't great, but because of his sinus infection, he didn't have to be. His teammates picked him up. Jason Terry had 17 and Shawn Marion went all Matrix for 16 points. All told, 5 Mavs here in double figures.

Meanwhile the mystery that is LeBron James continues. For someone who calls himself "King", he was noticeably absent from this game with 8 points in 46 minutes. Again Dwayne Wade did his best to win the game for Miami, dropping 32 points, but made a couple of late mistakes due in part because Dallas smothered him knowing it would be up to Wade to win the game.

James, is being questioned by more than 1 writer/fan for what is going on with him. After calling himself the "Defensive Stopper", he was barely effective in this game and has taken on a smaller role each game. Granted NBA Basketball these days doesn't have enough room for more than 1 star at a time to take over, James has taken a decided back seat to Wade in this series. The question and possible concern is that he's going to respond to the criticism and try taking back the spotlight, if the Heat want to win, that would be a bad idea.

Game 5 is Thursday night in Dallas.

Your highlights from NBA.com/NBAHighlights:

Heat hold off Mavs: Do what's necessary

This is beginning to have the makings of a great series with dramatic finishes.

The Miami Heat were able to hold off the Dallas Mavericks, in Dallas, winning game 3 of their best of 7 series 88-86.

Again, Dwayne Wade was the catalyst for the Heat with 29 points, but it again was the 3rd Beatle, Chris Bosh who ended up with the game winner. Bosh had 18, but continues his struggles from the field, going 7 for 18.

Dirk Nowtizki again was the guy for Dallas with 34, but the vaunted Mavs bench has been less and less a factor as this series goes on. In fact, Dirk really isn't getting much help from anyone during this series. He's arguably kept them in it almost by himself. But Sunday night, he blinked, making a couple of bad decisions late in the game when his team had a chance to win.

Game 4 is Tuesday night in Dallas.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

Mavs miracle: Miami melts, Dirk steals game 2

Well, who saw this coming? By this we mean the Dallas Mavericks literally stealing game 2 of the NBA Finals from the Miami Heat.

Dallas overcame a 15-point deficit in the 4th quarter and tied the best of 7 series at 1 game apiece. And to say the comeback was a "Stunner" would be understating the meaning of "Stunner". Dirk Nowitzki, bad left finger and all scored 22 of the last 27 points his team scored and reminded those casual observer that the Heat had a tendency all year long of fading down the stretch.

Perhaps the defining moment in this game wasn't even a Mavericks play. It was after Miami's Dwayne Wade had just dropped a 3-pointer from the corner. Wade stood and held the follow through for a long time, as the shot had put the Heat up 88-73.

Dallas wasn't fond of the gesture.

Wade did score 36 for Miami, but none after the 3-pointer. LeBron wasn't a factor despite 28 points, neither was the 3rd Beatle, Chris Bosh. No, this one was the Nowitzki show. Dirk with the fade-away, Dirk passes to an open Jason Kidd, Dirk with the left hand (bad one) finish, Dirk with the driving layup with 3.6 seconds left and all of a sudden...it was over. Advantage Mavs.

Game 3 is Sunday night in Dallas.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

Mavs can't take the Heat in Game 1

Having a couple of days off wasn't necessarily a good thing for the Dallas Mavericks. But it sure didn't slow down the Miami Heat.

The Heat slugged out a somewhat ugly 92-84 victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Lebron James had 24 points, Dwayne Wade 22 and Chris Bosh 19 to lead the Heat, who seem like a different team since the return of utility man Udonis Haslem.

It was a tough night for Dallas as star Dirk Nowitzki, despite scoring 27 points going only 7 for 18 from the field. He didn't get much help. Nowitzki also apparently tore a tendon in his left middle finger during the game going for a steal. The injury while annoying, is not expected to keep Dirk from paying in the rest of the series.

Game 2 is Thursday night in Miami.

Your highlights from SI.com:



Dewayne Wade and Lebron James speak. (Thanks CBS Sports.com)

Mavs close out Thunder head to NBA Finals

The somewhat surprising Dallas Mavericks are heading back to the NBA Finals for the 1st time since 2006.

The Mavs took care of business last night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-96, winning their best of 7, Western Conference finals series 4-1.

Again, the Thunder couldn't close the deal, they were leading by 6, with just over 4 and a half minutes to go in the game. But a 14-4 run by Dallas, closed the deal. Dirk Nowitzki continued his playoff run, nailing a 3-pointer with just over a minute left to give Dallas a lead they wouldn't give back.

Dirk had 26 points as did Shawn Marion, it was more than enough to do the trick.

Dallas will face the winner of the Miami/Chicago series that could potentially end Thursday night.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

Dirk and Mavs shock the Thunder

There are comebacks...and then there are "COMEBACKS". Last night, what Dallas did in the 4th quarter against Oklahoma City would qualify as the "All-Caps" version.

Down 15 points in the 4th quarter, the Mavericks staged a furious comeback led by Dirk Nowitzki, who tied the game with a pair of free throws with just over 6 seconds left in the 4th quarter.

The Mavs dominated the extra period, pulling away for a 112-105 win and taking a 3-1 lead in the best of 7, Western Confernce finals series.

Kevin Durant had 29 points, Russell Westbrook 19 and 8 assists, but when it counted, nobody could stop Dirk.

Dallas has a chance to close out the series tomorrow (Wed.) night in Dallas and quite honestly, it will take a monumental effort from the young...and apparently still learning Thunder, to do anything about it.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

It wasn't pretty, but Mavs stop the Thunder

It certainly wasn't as fun to watch as games 1 and 2. There were a lot of missed shots, a lot of "No-calls" and just general clunkiness.

But, the Dallas Mavericks, despite almost choking away a lead that at one point was 23, managed to hold off the Oklahoma City Thunder 93-87 and take a 2-1 lead in their best of 7, NBA Western Conference Finals series.

Dirk Nowitzki could only manage 18 points on 7-21 shooting, but Tyson Chandler grabbed 15 rebounds and Shawn Marion also scored 18 to lead the Mavericks. Russell Westbrook found his floundering game...a little and led the 36.5 % shooting Thunder with 30 points.

Game 4 is Monday night in Oklahoma City.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

Dirk goes crazy, Mavs run away from Thunder

This was old-school hoops. The Dallas Mavericks used a 48 point performance from their star, Dirk Nowitzki to run away from the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-112 Tuesday night.

Nowitzki put on quite the show, going 12 for 15 from the field and hitting 24 straight free throws beating an NBA record.

Kevin Durant wasn't bad for OKC, dropping 40 himself, but he didn't get much help.

The game was a run-and-gun back and forth game, much different from the typical slow-paced, slog it out pace most NBA playoff games take. Already, experts are saying "The Mavs are too much for the Thunder" and "This series may be over".

Hardly.

All that happened was the home team held serve. They won where they were supposed to. It wasn't a blowout, they just took care of business.

Game 2 in the series is Thursday night at 9 p.m Eastern.

Your highlights from SI.com/NBA.com:

Nets NBA Season Stays Perfect

They're now 0-18...

Tom Barisse as new temporary head coach didn't help...

Kiki Vandeweghe is really needed for his shooting and roster depth rather than the idea of him and Del Harris taking over on the bench...

The Mavs gave the Nets the worst start in NBA history...

A shooting performance of 17-for-19 in the second quarter and 81-percent for the first half was ridiculous enough on its own... good enough for 49 points and a 77-50 lead.

Dirk Nowitzki had 24 to lead the winners. Jason Kidd had another double-double with 16 and 10. Chris Douglas-Roberts led the Nets with 24 as they only suited up 9 players- again- because of injuries...

Here's your game wrap, thanks to a lot of still pictures from the Associated Press...

Attorney: Nowitzki's Ex Not Pregnant

((HT: Dallas Morning News/MacMahon, Townsend))

Dirk Nowitzki's former fiancée Cristal Taylor is not pregnant, according to prison medical records released Thursday to Nowitzki's attorney, Robert Hart.

Hart said he received written confirmation from the correctional medical services department in Vandalia, Mo.

"As we suspected, we did not believe her story," Hart said. "We received written confirmation that she is not pregnant from the department of corrections medical accountability records system."

Taylor, 38, is incarcerated in St. Charles, Mo., where last week she was sentenced to five years for violating probation in a decade-old forgery and theft case.

On July 24, Dallas family court Associate judge Randall Grubbs had ordered pregnancy and DNA testing in the Taylor-Nowitzki case, saying "We know the first one has to happen. The other one may be moot."

Hart said the medical record he received on Thursday showed that Taylor tested "HCG negative" on Aug. 31. HCG is the medical term for pregnancy.

Dirk Nowitzki's Ex Sentenced

((HT: MyFoxDFW))

Cristal Taylor, former fiancée of Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki ((both picture,d thanks KDFW-TV)), was sentenced to prison on Monday, according to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch .

Taylor received five years in prison for violating probation in a 12-year-old forgery and theft case, the paper reported.

The 38-year-old St. Louis-area native admitted that she failed to check in with her probation officer and that she was arrested twice in Texas in 2000 for misdemeanors, it reported.

Taylor had planned to marry Nowitzki and has said she is pregnant with his child.

Nowitzki has said he would file for custody if DNA tests prove the baby is his.

Taylor was arrested at his home on May 6 and was accused of failing to pay for expensive cosmetic dental work in Texas in 2006.

Here's Nowitzki discussing Taylor- and it ain't nice...

Judge Orders DNA Testing In Nowitzki Case

((HT: Dallas Morning News/Iliff))

A Dallas family court judge on Friday ordered pregnancy and DNA testing in the case involving Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki and his ex-girlfriend Cristal Taylor.

"We know the first one has to happen," said Associate Judge Randall Grubbs during a brief hearing in a state district court in Dallas County. "The other one may be moot."

Medical records show Taylor, who is now being held in a Missouri jail awaiting a parole-violation hearing, was pregnant, but the judge said he wanted his own test.

Grubbs then ordered the proceedings sealed, and attorneys said they could not comment.

In a petition filed last month, Nowitzki is seeking sole custody of Taylor's yet-to-be-born child if tests prove he is the father.

Taylor, 38, has said the Mavericks star, 31, is the father and that she seeks no monetary gain from their relationship.

Taylor was arrested May 6 at Nowitzki's Preston Hollow home. She was taken to Dallas County jail and later transferred to Beaumont to face a 2006 felony theft charge. In late June, she posted bail and was extradited to Missouri to face a 2001 probation violation on felony forgery and stealing.

Nowitzki's custody petition seeks "to establish the parent-child relationship between Petitioner and the child ... in the event that it is determined that Petitioner is the biological father of the child."

It continues: “Petitioner [Nowitzki] requests that genetic testing be ordered in accordance with chapter 160 of the Texas family code upon birth of the child.”

Later, it states: "In the event that it is determined that Petitioner is the biological father of the child, the best interest of the child ... will be served by the appointment of the Petitioner as sole managing conservator."

Taylor told the Dallas Morning News in late May that she was "very pregnant, about maybe four to 4 1/2 weeks." But a day later, told reporters that she was closer to seven weeks pregnant.

Nowitzki Suing For Custody, FBI Investigating Taylor

((HT: MyFoxDFW))

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki wants sole custody of his former girlfriend's unborn child -- if genetic testing proves he's the father -- according to a court petition.

Nowitzki seeks to be the sole managing conservator of the child due to be born to Crystal Taylor ((pictured, thanks MyFoxDFW)), who was arrested at the player's Dallas home May 6 and is now an inmate in the Jefferson County jail in Beaumont.

The document, a petition to adjudicate parentage, was filed in state district court in Dallas on June 12. It was sealed Friday, shortly after its details were reported by the Beaumont Enterprise.

Neither Nowitzki nor Taylor is specifically named in the petition. However, the petitioner is identified as "D.N." and the respondent as "C.T." The document also outlines circumstances similar to those made public by Taylor, who has said repeatedly that Nowitzki is the father.

Taylor's attorney, Scott Renick, told the Beaumont newspaper that his client knew the documents had been filed but he didn't comment on them. Renick did not immediately respond to a phone message from The Associated Press.

Nowitzki's attorney in the matter, Katherine Kinser, was unavailable Friday, according to a woman who answered the phone at her office.

Taylor is being held in the Jefferson County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond. She is accused of paying for almost $11,000 in dental work with a credit card she didn't have permission to use. She also faces a probation violation charge in Missouri.

Taylor was administered a pregnancy test when she was booked into the Dallas County jail after her arrest last month, and the test came back positive, she told reporters.

The petition notes that the petitioner has been repeatedly cited as the father of the child by the respondent. It requests that genetic testing be ordered.

The document also contains a request from the petitioner that records in the case be sealed, but that wasn't done until midmorning Friday.

MyFoxDFW's Natalie Solis sits in a studio and gives us details...

But wait, it gets better...

ESPN's John Barr moves this story along a little bit...

Apparently, the FBI is looking in to allegedly threatening phone calls Taylor made to Nowitzki's attorney.

"Taylor's prison phone calls allegedly contained threats as well as demands for money from Nowitzki, whom she has referred to in numerous media interviews as her former fiancé, and many of Taylor's phone calls were made to the offices of Nowitzki's Dallas-based attorney, the sources said."

The Dallas Morning News goes a little deeper into the Taylor saga.

Cristal Taylor, in an article by Brad Townsend, has given birth to three other children- none of whom she has raised. A former roommate spoke to the DMN- pretty good stuff...

Let's all rub our hands together on this one and twist our collective mustaches awaiting the Taylor proceedings in late July...