The 2011 NBA Finals were special for a lot of reasons. For starters, it was the first time that the Big 3 of the Miami Heat were playing together on the biggest stage in the world. On the other hand, they were facing Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks, who overcame all the odds to book a place in the finals.
As we all know, the Mavs ended up winning the series in six games. Dirk got the first and only ring of his career. Meanwhile, the Heat learned a valuable lesson to never underestimate your opponents.
Additionally, LeBron James’ abysmal performance in the finals was celebrated by most fans. During that time, James and co. were playing the role of villains, and in an instance before Game 4 of the series, their actions justified it.
It was revealed that Mavs’ superstar, Dirk, was suffering from flu-like symptoms and might not be at his 100% in the fixture. Well, James and Wade decided to make fun of Dirk and mocked his coughing in the pre-game warmups.
To this date, the two deny the accusations of mocking Dirk, but you can be the judge by watching the video.
When the video went viral, it further tanked the image of LBJ and Wade in front of fans. As for Dirk? It straight up motivated the German forward.
He helped the Mavericks win Game 4 by scoring a solid 29 points, leading all scorers in the match.
From that point on, the Mavs never looked back and continued to beat down the Heat by winning Game 5 and 6 as well.
When the dust settled, Nowitzki was an NBA champion and the first season of the Miami Heat Big 3 ended in disappointment.
Whether or not the mocking played a role in the demise of the team is up for debate. But former Mavericks player Caron Butler believes Miami lost the series at that point.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the Heat messed up by mocking Dirk? Did their over-confidence cost them a ring or Dirk was simply insane that season? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
