2011 NBA Finals
The 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2010–11 season. A rematch of the 2006 Finals, the series was contested between the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks and the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat. It was held from May 31 to June 12, 2011. Entering the series as heavy favorites, the Miami Heat won the opening game and eventually led the series 2–1 before the underdog Dallas Mavericks won the next three games to achieve their first championship in franchise history. Mavericks forward and German player Dirk Nowitzki was named Finals MVP, becoming the second European to win the award after Tony Parker (2007) and the first German player to do so. Due in part to Nowitzki's turbulent playoff runs previously, the series has been acclaimed as one of the greatest finals of all time. Background Both the Mavericks and Heat made their second appearance in the NBA Finals, the first for both teams being the 2006 NBA Finals. This Finals marked a rematch of those 2006 Finals, won by Miami in six games, after the Mavericks were up 2–0. It was also the first time since 2006 that neither the Los Angeles Lakers