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View from the West

By B. W. Liou (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-31 07:41

It's easy to hate the Dallas Mavericks. There's owner Mark Cuban's distracting histrionics, Jason Terry's tattoo of the NBA championship trophy, that new and ugly one-legged, step-back jumper from Dirk Nowitzki and the slothful movements of Peja Stojakovic.

But these small potatoes pale in comparison to how easy it is to hate the Heat. What team led by mega superstars LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade cries after a midseason losing streak and whimpers "The world is better now because the Heat is losing"? This after James held his atrocious "The Decision" television special to announce he was moving to South Beach, effectively ripping the hearts out of every fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Frankly, Bill Simmons at ESPN had it right when he recently summed up the Hate for the Heat. He said Miami's pairing of Wade and James is akin to playing pick-up basketball with friends, where James is on one team and Wade is on the other but James keeps losing. So instead of trying to battle it out further, James says "Why don't I just join Wade and be on the same team?" and everyone in the pick-up game screams "That's not fair!"

That about sums it up for the national hate for Miami. But it brings up the question: Is it easier to root for the Mavericks simply because of this hate? Well, not really.

It's easier to root for the Mavericks because, simply put, they have

been putting together one of the finest performances in recent playoff history.

In the postseason, the Mavs are scoring at an unbelievable clip.

Nowitzki is averaging 28.4 points per game and has supplanted Kobe Bryant as the game's deadliest closer. The most underappreciated star in the league Nowitzki is becoming the fearless leader who is putting the fear into every NBA team.

The Mavs, who lost to the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, have also demolished two elite defenses in the forms of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers. This postseason, the Mavs have worked coach Rick Carlisle's system of exceptional ball movement on offense and varying defensive schemes to the hilt.

In matching up with Miami, the Mavs have the better point guard, frontcourt and bench. They're better three-point shooters and have more late-game experience.

But you know the real reason why the Mavs will win the finals? It's too damn early for Miami, and James, to win the championship. The national hate for Miami would reach a fever pitch if the team that signed three of the top 10 players in the game immediately won in their first year together.

B.W. Liou is a copy editor who prays for the end of the curse on the hapless Warriors. He can be contacted at brianliou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/31/2011 page22)