It seemed no one thought the Mavericks could beat the Heat in Game 2 at South Beach, down 15 with seven minutes and change remaining.
Certainly the crowd at American Airlines Arena knew it was over. As did, based on comments, the announcers.
In what had been a relatively close back-and-forth contest for most of the game, the Heat went on a rampage and took what seemed like an insurmountable and commanding 15 point lead in the 4th, assisted by three consecutive Mav turnovers, capped by a D-Wade 3-pointer.
After Wade dropped the corner downtown shot to make it 88-73, LeBron James trotted over and congratulated him.
Perhaps it was a little too much. Some of the Mavericks noticed and took it as a too-soon mini-celebration. Tyson Chandler said it was "upsetting." Jason Terry said it was "a turning point."
What many people seem to have forgetten is that Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs had been in situations like this three different times to three different contenders on their road to these 2011 NBA Finals.
Late in the games, they had been down 12 to the Portland Trailblazers and stormed back, down 16 to the defending Champion LA Lakers and won, as well as down 15 to the Oklahoma City Thunder only to turn up the heat (pardon the expression) to snatch that victory.
Their 22-5 run in the final 7:14 was capped by Dirk sliding around Chris Bosh for what would be the game-winning layup. No one knows why Bosh did not foul as Miami had a foul to give.
Regardless, it was a fantastic comeback by Dallas.
It was also payback. In the 2006 Finals Dallas had a 2-0 advantage over Miami and in Game 3 held a 13 point lead in the 4th only to lose that game and the next three.
The Mavs made a non-verbal statement with their Game 2 victory: Whatever else happens, this is a contest and may the best team win.
In what seems like agreement, LeBron, postgame, said, "It's a ballgame now."
Here are the highlights from Game 2 with fantastic plays by both teams.
It seems a certainty that James, Wade and Bosh will not allow anything like this to occur again in these Finals. It might also be that Dirk and Company will do everything in their power not to find themselves in that kind of position.
The series moves to Dallas on Sunday for the first of three games to be played at American Airlines Center, the airline hosting all of the 2011 Finals contests.
Over For Now.
Main Street One
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