Although the NBA Finals is still a month away, I think the Dallas Mavericks are solid picks to return to the championship round since their first and last stint in 2006.
The Mavs are playing their best playoff basketball thus far after sweeping the two-time reigning champions Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0. Dallas has flaunted its shooters during their semifinals series versus the Lakers.
Aside from the expected long-tom sniping of German Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs have the rejuvenated Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic releasing those long bombs throughout the four-game Western Conference semis series against the Lakers.
I think the off-season acquisition of veteran center Tyson Chandler provided size and defensive presence for Dallas since this has been the position the Mavs appear weak for the past several years.
Meantime, the Oklahoma City Thunder evened their own Western Conference semifinals series versus the giant-slaying Memphis Grizzlies, 2-2 following their thrilling 133-123 triple-overtime decision.
I think regardless of whether the Thunder or the Grizzlies turn out to be the Mavs’ West Finals opponent, Dallas still has enough firepower to make it all the way back to the NBA Finals.
Over at the East, the Miami Heat are just a win away from reaching the conference finals following their 98-90 overtime triumph against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 in Boston’s home court. The Heat lead the series, 3-1.
Should the Heat reach the East’s conference finals, they will have to face either Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls or the fast-rising Atlanta Hawks led by high-flyers Josh Smith and Joe Johnson.
But either way, the Heat have the inside track plus the experience considering the presence of their own upgraded version of the Big Three — Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
The Heat trio are at their prime, are competitive and definitely hungry and want to prove that they don’t just have great individual talent. But that they are capable of bringing the championship for Miami right in their first season together.
Of course, Rose, along with center Joakim Noah and the recovering Carlos Boozer can always be a threat to Miami’s chase for the championship. But the speed, the vast playoff experience as well as the momentum Miami has right now can be enough fuel for the Heat to reach the NBA Finals.
So with the rate things are going, a Mavs-Heat NBA Finals may not necessarily be a far-fetched idea.