The Heart of a Lion... The Heart of a Champion

A “champion” can obviously be defined in simple terms. In sports, the word becomes a little tougher to discern. The qualities of a championship team differ from sport to sport and even from year to year. But when a season concludes the way the NBA did on Sunday – when the qualities of a championship basketball team illuminated and the facets of a villainous powerhouse crumbled in shambles – we were all reminded of what distinguishes a championship team from the rest. In the most unambiguous fashion, the Dallas Mavericks portrayed what a championship basketball team is supposed to look like.
The first component of that look begins with situation and opportunity. Before the 2011 Finals between the Mavericks and Miami Heat began, both Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and LeBron James of Miami had placed themselves in pristine situations to vault not only their legacies as individuals, but their organizations as well. Now that the Mavericks have won a championship behind their prized German MVP, they have now fulfilled their roles as the cooperative protagonist to Miami’s mainstream antagonism in this fairy tale story known as the NBA. Take it however you want, but that storybook ending will be the resonating storyline when the 2011 season is looked back upon years from now.

Remember when Heart and Hustle was the premier theme of the Western Conference finals? Well, it had a little something to do with the NBA Finals as well. As said before, heart is what’s left when the ambition is tapped out. Dirk Nowitzki had all the ambition in the world throughout the entirety of his career. He was part of one of the most likeable tandems in NBA history at the outset of his career alongside Steve Nash, until Nash was let go and Dirk was left with his own team. He exited in furious anger when his 2006 team relinquished a 2-0 series lead to Miami in that year’s Finals. He carried his ambition into an MVP season the year following, as he posted lesser numbers than the previous two seasons but still managed 24 points and nine rebounds a game on 50% shooting and 42% three point shooting. That same season, the Mavericks won 67 games and were poised to win a championship. That is, until they faced the Golden State Warriors and became victims of the greatest first round upset in the history of the NBA playoffs.

Even after all the individual accolades and all the hard work, Nowitzki still felt like he had to prove himself. He still had the ambition. He still felt the sting of 2006 and 2007. He still felt like he had to improve as a basketball player, even after nine years of experience and a track record that guaranteed him a spot as a top-35 all-time player. Looking at it retroactively, I can say that credibly without having to ask him or be in position to ask one of his sources because I’ve seen it with my own eyes as a fan. There's no way Stephen Jackson could successfully guard him the way he did when my Warriors made history. Dirk Nowitzki is a better basketball player in 2011 than he was in 2007 when he was an unbelievable talent. Now, he’s a champion because his ambition is finally tapped out. His Heart defined the Dallas Mavericks; and his teammates, coach and organization followed suit. Owner Mark Cuban slid under the radar and let Dirk lead the way. Jason Terry stood alongside him as his fearless accomplice. Shawn Marion fit in seamlessly as a vital cog in the unproven core. Jason Kidd used his veteran presence to make sure the team didn’t deviate from its identity.

And that's the key word: Identity. Dirk Nowitzki gave the Mavericks an identity that every one of his teammates believed in. They were all in a championship run for the same exact purpose. None had won a ring prior, and each could make a connection with the heart Nowitzki emitted with his play. They balanced Heart and Hustle most effectively and retained the major quality in terms of basketball chemistry and success: A championship identity.
Conversely, the Miami Heat did nothing of the sort. In the Eastern Conference playoffs, they showed passion and togetherness for a purpose. They vanquished the Boston Celtics with admirable vehemence (despite the over-decorated celebration), and stepped on the collective throats of the Chicago Bulls behind LeBron James. Once the Finals came around, what was the Miami Heat’s identity? What was the one thing that every player in the rotation could connect with? There was nothing. We didn’t know if it was LeBron’s team, Wade’s team, a combination of both, or even a team collectively battling against the masses of hatred. LeBron James was non-existent when his team needed him most, staying passive even after game 3, when it seemed as though he was keeping Dwayne Wade and the rest of his team involved before an inevitable breakout. Set-up games, if you will.

But it didn’t happen. LeBron will now be remembered for game 5 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals and game 4 of the 2011 NBA Finals until a championship nullifies those demons. There’s absolutely no middle ground here, so those that hate him are vindicated, and those who felt his change of scenery would benefit him as a player are left curious and disappointed. The most we can say about LeBron James at this point is that he’s the second-most compelling basketball player ever, and unequivocally the most polarizing. His talents are that of a freakish superstar, but his play is that of an equal counterpart and even a front-running follower to some degree. It seemed as though he wanted to leave Cleveland to alter some personal aspects with a fresh ambiance, when, in fact, he went to Miami to be the same guy he always has been without the weight of the world on his shoulders. So much for that.

James himself said the Miami Heat came together by influence of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and the Boston Celtics. When that big three and that Celtics team came together in 2007, they were immediately cognizant of their team identity. It was centered around Garnett’s passion and warrior-like mentality. Each player had a connection with that mindset because they had all endured zealous careers that didn’t consist of a title. Head coach Doc Rivers augmented a team-first philosophy to the identity, and the 2008 champion Boston Celtics team became one of the most memorable teams I’ve ever watched. There’s absolutely no correlation between that team and the team currently constructed in Miami. The only identity they obtain is one of the villain, which suits the Heat best because of what they’ve done off the court, but nothing on the court gave the Heat a clear identity in 2011.

So forget Dirk Nowitzki’s discernible talents. Forget his pure jump shot, his mesmerizing high post game, his enhanced low post game, his unstoppable fall-away jumper, his beautiful three point shot and his ability to will his team to victory in the fourth quarter.
As Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said of Nowitzki subsequent Sunday’s title-clinching game, he obtains and portrays “the heart of a lion.” What manifested before my eyes as a fan this postseason and through Dallas’ championship run is why I watch basketball in May and June. It displayed the passion necessary in order to succeed. It conveyed what it means to have a true championship identity. It rejuvenated my stern belief in karma. It reminded me why there’s a right and wrong way to do things. It reminded me of why I love to watch guys like Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry succeed. It reminded me of why those attributes of passion, grit, will, emotion, ambition and heart influence myself personally. It reminded me of why I’m a ridiculous fanatic.

It reminded me of why I Love This Game.