Dirk Nowitzki Named Finals MVP as Dallas Beats Miami to Win NBA Championship

The NBA Finals ended the way that many people, including the revamped Miami team, predicted at the beginning of the year, the Larry O'Brien Trophy was being presented on a stage at center court in Miami. The only thing people didn't predict were the recipient Dallas Mavericks. Dallas controlled game 6 and left the arena as the best NBA team in the 2011 season.

Dirk Nowitzki walked off the court after the final buzzer overwhelmed with emotion. His last chance at the Championship came in 2006 against the Heat and he struggled to get back to this stage of the finals. Nowitzki, 21, and Jason Terry, 27, combined to score 48 points and, as the only two remaining players from the 2006 Dallas team erased the memory of that series.

As Nowitzki, Terry, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and the rest of the Mavs all celebrated their first title, LeBron James was ensured another off-season of questions about his toughness and willingness to take over games late in the fourth quarter. He had 21 points on the night to lead the Heat but remains without a Championship ring.

He didn't get much help from the rest of his team, Chris Bosh had 19 points, Mario Chalmers 18 and Dwyane Wade 17. Altogether not a bad performance but they were unable to match the determination that the Mavericks veteran squad played with all night.

Coach Rick Carlisle described the Mavericks as, "an old bunch. We don't run fast or jump high. These guys had each other's backs. We played the right way. We trusted the pass." With that he underscored that although Miami was loaded with talent and athleticism the Mavericks played smarter and ultimately walked away with the Title.

Perhaps the happiest person on the court, Terry, was showing off the tattoo he got during last summer's off-season. The tattoo is of the Larry O'Brien trophy and he vowed that he would have it removed if the Heat won the series. The tattoo remains on his arm and now has a matching ring.