2006 NBA Finals

2006 NBA Finals

Team Coach Wins Miami Heat Pat Riley 4 Dallas Mavericks Avery Johnson 2
Dates:	June 8–20
MVP:	Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
Television:	ABC (U.S.)
Announcers:	Mike Breen and Hubie Brown
Radio network:	ESPN
Announcers:	Jim Durham and Jack Ramsay
Referees:
Game 1: Joe Crawford, Joe DeRosa, Bennett Salvatore
Game 2: Bob Delaney, Steve Javie, Eddie F. Rush
Game 3: Dan Crawford, Ken Mauer, Jack Nies
Game 4: Dick Bavetta, Mike Callahan, Bernie Fryer
Game 5: Joe Crawford, Joe DeRosa, Bennett Salvatore
Game 6: Dan Crawford, Steve Javie, Eddie F. Rush
Hall of Famers:	Coaches: Pat Riley (2008)
Eastern Finals:	Heat defeated Pistons, 4–2
Western Finals:	Mavericks defeated Suns, 4–2
< 2005 NBA Finals 2007 >

The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship after trailing 0–2 in the series.^[1]

This was Dallas' and Miami's first appearance in the finals, as well as the second matchup of teams from Florida and Texas (with the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic participating in the 1995 NBA Finals). Heat guard Dwyane Wade was named Most Valuable Player of the series. It was also the first Finals not to have either the Los Angeles Lakers or San Antonio Spurs since 1998. It also marked the first time since 1971 that the Finals featured both teams playing in their first NBA Finals series. To date, it is also the last Finals loss by a team from Texas (the Rockets lost in 1981 and 1986) against seven championships (four by the Spurs, two by the Rockets, and one by the Mavericks, who won a rematch of this Finals in 2011).

Series summary

Game 1	Thursday, June 8	Dallas Mavericks	90-80 (1-0)	Miami Heat
Game 2	Sunday, June 11	Dallas Mavericks	99-86 (2-0)	Miami Heat
Game 3	Tuesday, June 13	Miami Heat	98-96 (1-2)	Dallas Mavericks
Game 4	Thursday, June 15	Miami Heat	98-74 (2-2)	Dallas Mavericks
Game 5	Sunday, June 18	Miami Heat	101-100 OT (3-2)	Dallas Mavericks
Game 6	Tuesday, June 20	Dallas Mavericks	92-95 (2-4)	Miami Heat

The Heat became the second team since 1985 to sweep the middle three games on the road, the 2004 Detroit Pistons being the first. In 1985 the NBA switched the Finals to the current 2-3-2 format.

Qualifying

Main article: 2006 NBA Playoffs

• The Miami Heat won the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals over the Detroit Pistons, 4–2.
• The Dallas Mavericks won the 2006 Western Conference Finals over the Phoenix Suns, 4–2.

Broadcasting

ABC had exclusive rights to televise the NBA Finals in the United States.^[2] Play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and color commentator Hubie Brown called the action, with courtside reporting by Lisa Salters and Stuart Scott. Radio counterpart ESPN Radio broadcast the Finals, with Jim Durham and Dr. Jack Ramsay calling the action. The featured song, aired throughout the playoffs, was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Runnin' Down a Dream."

Game 2 of the Finals, which took place the same evening as the 60th Tony Awards, was the most-watched program of June 11, 2006. ABC won the night with 3.5 rating and 10 share, CBS came in fourth with a 1.5/4 for the Tonys.^[3] On June 20, Game 6 had a 4.4/13 among viewers aged 18–49.^[4]

Playoff rosters

Dallas Mavericks 2006 Finals Roster Head Coach: Avery Johnson PG 10 Darrell Armstrong (Fayetteville State) C 25 Erick Dampier (Mississippi State) SG 6 Marquis Daniels (Auburn University) C 7 DeSagana Diop (Oak Hill Academy (VA)) SG/SF 44 Adrian Griffin (Seton Hall) PG 34 Devin Harris (Wisconsin) SF 5 Josh Howard (Wake Forest) C 28 D.J. Mbenga (DR Congo /Belgium) PF 41 Dirk Nowitzki – Captain (Germany) F 21 Josh Powell (NC State) G/F 42 Jerry Stackhouse (North Carolina) PG 31 Jason Terry (Arizona) F 2 Keith Van Horn (Utah)

Miami Heat 2006 Finals Roster Head Coach: Pat Riley G/F 5 Derek Anderson (Kentucky) G/F 49 Shandon Anderson (University of Georgia) C 30 Earl Barron (Memphis) C 51 Michael Doleac (Utah) PF 40 Udonis Haslem (Florida) SF 24 Jason Kapono (UCLA) C/PF 33 Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) C 32 Shaquille O'Neal – Captain (LSU) PG 20 Gary Payton (Oregon State) SF/G 42 James Posey (Xavier (Ohio)) PF 25 Wayne Simien (Kansas) SG 3 Dwyane Wade – Captain (Marquette) PG 55 Jason Williams (Florida/Marshall) SF 1 Dorell Wright (South Kent Prep HS, Lawndale, California) F 8 Antoine Walker (University of Kentucky)

• Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton became the 6th and 7th players to play in the NBA Finals for three different teams. O'Neal played in the 1995 NBA Finals with the Orlando Magic and four times with the Los Angeles Lakers, while Payton played in the 1996 NBA Finals with the Seattle SuperSonics and with O'Neal on the 2004 Lakers team that lost to the Pistons. The other five players to play in the Finals for three teams are: Danny Ainge, Sam Perkins, John Salley, Horace Grant and Robert Horry.

Game summaries

Game One

Dallas' Jason Terry scored a playoff-high 32 points as the Mavericks overcame a 31–23 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

June 8 9:00pm ET	1	Miami Heat 80, Dallas Mavericks 90				American Airlines Center, Dallas Attendance: 20,475 Referees: No. 17 Joe Crawford No. 14 Joe DeRosa No. 15 Bennett Salvatore	ABC
		Scoring by quarter: 31–23, 13–23, 24–24, 12–20
		Pts: Dwyane Wade 28 Rebs: Udonis Haslem 8 Asts: Dwyane Wade 6		Pts: Jason Terry 32 Rebs: Josh Howard 12 Asts: Nowitzki, Howard 4 each
		Dallas leads series, 1–0.

Game Two

Dirk Nowitzki had a stellar 26 point-16 rebound performance, and the Mavericks cruised past the Heat to take a 2–0 series lead.

June 11 9:00pm ET	2	Miami Heat 86, Dallas Mavericks 99				American Airlines Center, Dallas Attendance: 20,459 Referees: No. 26 Bob Delaney No. 29 Steve Javie No. 32 Eddie F. Rush	ABC
		Scoring by quarter: 17–18, 17–32, 24–32, 27–17
		Pts: Dwyane Wade 23 Rebs: Dwyane Wade 8 Asts: Payton, Williams 4 each		Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 26 Rebs: Dirk Nowitzki 16 Asts: Jason Terry 9
		Dallas leads series, 2–0.

Game Three

Game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals

Led by Dwyane Wade's 42 points and 13 rebounds, the Heat rallied from a 13-point deficit with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The momentum-changing comeback was capped by a Gary Payton field goal from just inside the three-point line with 9.3 seconds left. Dirk Nowitzki had a chance to tie the game at the free throw line with 3.4 seconds to go, but missed 1 of 2, sealing the win for Miami.

June 13 9:00pm ET	3	Dallas Mavericks 96, Miami Heat 98				AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami Attendance: 20,145 Referees: No. 43 Dan Crawford No. 41 Ken Mauer No. 35 Jack Nies	ABC
		Scoring by quarter: 21–29, 22–23, 34–16, 19–30
		Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 30 Rebs: Erick Dampier 9 Asts: Jason Terry 5		Pts: Dwyane Wade 42 Rebs: Dwyane Wade 13 Asts: Shaquille O'Neal 5
		Dallas leads series, 2–1.

Game Four

Dwyane Wade shined again for the Heat with 36 points, and Miami held Dallas to just seven points in the fourth quarter en route to a series-tying, blowout victory. The Mavericks' low-scoring fourth quarter was the lowest ever by any team during the NBA Finals. Jerry Stackhouse caught Shaquille O'Neal with a flagrant foul that resulted in him being suspended for Game 5.

June 15 9:00pm ET	4	Dallas Mavericks 74, Miami Heat 98				AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami Attendance: 20,145 Referees: No. 27 Dick Bavetta No. 14 Mike Callahan No. 7 Bernie Fryer	ABC
		Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 19–24, 23–24, 7–20
		Pts: Jason Terry 17 Rebs: Dirk Nowitzki 9 Asts: Jerry Stackhouse 4		Pts: Dwyane Wade 36 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 13 Asts: Jason Williams 6
		Miami ties series, 2–2.

Game Five

Dwyane Wade was the star yet again with 43 points, shooting as many free throws as all the Mavericks combined (a fact that did not sit well with head coach Avery Johnson^[5]), leading the Heat to their third straight win over Dallas after being down 0–2 in the series. After getting the ball in to Wade with 9.1 seconds left, Dallas committed a controversial foul to send him to the line to shoot two free throws with 1.9 seconds left on the game clock. Wade hit the first free throw when Josh Howard mistakenly called the Mavericks' last remaining time-out which would prevent them from advancing the ball should Wade convert on the second attempt. Wade eventually made the second free throw to give his team a one-point lead after which Devin Harris attempted and missed a desperate half court buzzer beater. Wade set an NBA Finals record for most made free throws in a game with 21.^[6]

After the game, Dirk Nowitzki kicked a ball into the stands and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban caused many "acts of misconduct" resulting in both of them being fined $5,000 and $250,000 respectively.^[7]

June 18 9:00pm ET	5	Dallas Mavericks 100, Miami Heat 101 (OT)			OT	AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami Attendance: 20,145 Referees: No. 17 Joe Crawford No. 14 Joe DeRosa No. 15 Bennett Salvatore	ABC
		Scoring by quarter: 21–24, 30–19, 20–27, 22–23, OT: 7–8
		Pts: Jason Terry 35 Rebs: Josh Howard 10 Asts: Marquis Daniels 4		Pts: Dwyane Wade 43 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 12 Asts: Wade, Williams 4 each
		Miami leads series, 3–2.

Game Six

Behind Dwyane Wade 's 36 points, Miami edged Dallas to win their first championship in franchise history as Jason Terry missed a critical 3-pointer that would've sent the game to overtime. Averaging 34.7 points per game in the championship series, Wade was named NBA Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player).

June 20 9:00pm ET	6	Miami Heat 95, Dallas Mavericks 92				American Airlines Center, Dallas Attendance: 20,522 Referees: No. 43 Dan Crawford No. 29 Steve Javie No. 32 Eddie F. Rush	ABC
		Scoring by quarter: 23–30, 26–18, 22–20, 24–24
		Pts: Dwyane Wade 36 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 12 Asts: Jason Williams 7		Pts: Dirk Nowitzki 29 Rebs: Dirk Nowitzki 15 Asts: Jason Terry 5
		Miami wins series, 4–2.

Aftermath

The Mavericks would post the league's best record with 67 victories in the 2006-07 NBA season but were ousted by the eight-seeded Golden State Warriors in a six-game first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The Mavs' playoff defeat marked the first time a top seed was eliminated in a seven-game first round series since it was implemented in 2003. Still, Dirk Nowitzki was named the regular season MVP at season's end. After another playoff loss to the New Orleans Hornets in 2008, in which the Mavericks brought back Jason Kidd, head coach Avery Johnson was fired and replaced by Rick Carlisle. After another two early playoff exits, the Mavericks won 57 games in the 2010-11 season and returned to the Finals.

The Heat would lose convincingly by 42 points to the Chicago Bulls in the opening night of the 2006–07 season, the worst opening-day margin of defeat for a defending champion in NBA history. Injuries would keep the team from surpassing or even equaling last season's total, yet they still won the Southeast Division despite winning only 44 games. The Bulls would oust them in a four-game sweep in the first round of the playoffs, the first such occurrence since 1957. The following year, Miami completed its two-year turnaround from NBA champion to the NBA's worst team by winning only 15 games, equaling the mark set by the team in their inaugural season, which saw Shaquille O'Neal traded to the Phoenix Suns in mid-season and Dwyane Wade missing 31 games. The Heat gradually climbed back to contention in the Erik Spoelstra era, culminating in the much-publicized free-agent acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh. The Heat won 58 games in the 2010-11 season, and along with the Mavericks, returned to the Finals in 2011.

In the rematch, the Mavericks won in six games after trailing 2-1 in the Finals. It was the Mavericks' first NBA championship. Dirk Nowitzki was named Finals MVP.

As of 2011, this is Miami's fifth championship among the Big Four sports leagues; the MLB's National League Florida Marlins won the World Series in 1997 and 2003 while the NFL's Miami Dolphins won the Super Bowl in 1972 and 1973.

References

1. ^ Sheridan, Chris (2006-06-20). "Wade's World: Finals MVP leads Heat to first title in team history". ESPN.com (ESPN). http://scorecenter.espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=260620006. Retrieved 2010-06-17. 
2. ^ nba.com, NBA Announces 2005–06 Game And Television Schedule, accessed May 5, 2007.
3. ^ Stropoli, Rebecca (June 12, 2006). "NBA Finals a Slam Dunk for ABC". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/104534-NBA_Finals_a_Slam_Dunk_for_ABC.php. Retrieved June 10, 2011. 
4. ^ Stropoli, Rebecca (June 21, 2006). "Basketball Gives ABC Some "Heat"". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/104680-Basketball_Gives_ABC_Some_Heat_.php. Retrieved June 10, 2011. 
5. ^ Wade’s Heroics Have Heat One Win From Title
6. ^ usatoday.com, No backcourt violation on winning possession, NBA says, accessed May 5, 2007.
7. ^ espn.com, Cuban fined $250K for actions after Game 5, accessed May 5, 2007.

External links

• Official website