The Dallas Mavericks team emerged as a dark horse after winning the 2011 NBA championship. The Mavs were touted against the contending Miami Heat team, consisting of their newly formed Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Despite the firepower that the Heatles contained, the Mavs overwhelmed the Heat 4-2 in the series, thus clinching the championship hopes of LeBron James and Co.
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The Mavs entered the series knowing that the Miami Heat were the clear favorites for winning the championship. The Heat had even gained a 2-1 lead in the series before the Mavericks won the next three games to achieve their first championship in franchise history. Shawn Marion, who played as a forward for the Mavs during their championship campaign, recently appeared on the ‘Club 520 podcast’ and recalled his experiences of winning the championship.
Marion revealed that the Mavs had deliberately adjusted their games and style of play according to their opponents. This meant every player understood their roles and fulfilled them diligently to prove their might as a team on the court. Speaking about this experience, Marion said,
“When they needed me to score, I scored. When they needed me to lock somebody up, I locked them up. And, it’s just or when they need me to facilitate, I was able to do that as well. So, it just depend on what position they need and who we were playing.”
In a way, the Mavericks team of that time had achieved the best team dynamics, making them fearless against facing any opponents in the league. Marion added, “We knew how to hold people accountable and we knew how to adjust how we played to the level of our opponents. That’s how f**king good we were. Nobody beating us that year, I don’t give a f**k who we played.”
Even Wade came after the series to him and asked him to “enjoy the moment” and appreciated the epic run that the team had that season. The Finals series was indeed one of the best moments in Dallas’ franchise history. The German Wunderkind was crowned the Finals MVP, becoming the second European to win the award after Tony Parker in 2007. Given the Mavs’ turbulent playoff runs in the previous seasons, many NBA pundits acclaim this Finals series as one of the greatest of all time.
Mark Cuban threw a lavish party for the Mavs after their first championship
A first championship for the Dallas Mavericks called for a grand celebration. Mavs owner Mark Cuban knew the best way to celebrate with good champagne at the after-party. As Shawn Marion revealed, Cuban ordered a $100,000 champagne bottle for players to rejoice in the moment. Indeed, the Mavs deserved to celebrate in the most lavish way possible, given this was an outstanding achievement in the franchise’s history.
The party was at least 31 years in the making, and the Mavericks’ parade after the championship was no less than a grand show. Around 200,000 people pulled up to the parade, and it was filled with emotional moments. The parade’s highlight was Mark Cuban celebrating the championship, which he rightfully deserved following such an incredible run.
