Shaq is Baq

The two teams in the NBA Finals are set, and I'm told that we should be surprised about the participants. The Mavericks, with the league's best regular season record, were supposed to bow down to the Spurs. The Pistons were supposed to roll over everyone. I bought into it too...it's hard to argue with what those teams have done in the last few years. We were all ready for another snoozer of an NBA Finals series, with two teams that are impressive, successful, and, above all, boring to watch.

But I'm not surprised, and I feel a little dumb for forgetting about the Miami Heat. The Heat would have easily won it all last year if not for an unfortunately timed injury to Wade. Shaq is a year older, but hasn't lost that much. The rest of the team is clearly better than last year's team...there are scoring options available other than Wade and Shaq, and a more mature but still extremely talented "white chocolate" is adept at getting his teammates involved, and doesn't jack up ridiculous shots the way he used to in Sacramento. If I had really been paying attention, I think it would have been obvious that the Heat were the real favorites in the East, not a Pistons team without the great Larry Brown, and without their primary cheerleader, the human victory cigar...that's right, I'm talkin' bout Darko.

As for the Mavs, they are still a strong team, and had the good fortune of the Suns taking care of the Spurs for them. Coach Avery has his team thinking about defense, and that's what got them over the hump and into the Finals.

I would like to see the Heat win it all here, for a few reasons. First and foremost, I'd like to see Zo retire with a title. After all that guy has gone through, nobody deserves it more. I would also like to see Shaq win another championship so that he can stick it to the Lakers, Phil Jackson, and Kobe Bryant. Phil and Kobe have gotten a lot of credit for winning a few championships, but the fact is that they were both merely fortunate enough to be affiliated with the same organization as the most dominant basketball player since Jordan. (Phil got to ride Jordan's coattails too. He is the luckiest, most overrated coach in the history of basketball. The man literally does nothing on the sidelines). Wade is a good story, too. Talented kid from a small college, part of a historically strong draft, and he has a team-first attitude. And another title for greaseball Pat Riley? Sure, why not?

Plus I'm not a big fan of the Mavs. The only thing I would like about seeing the Mavs take the series is the credibility it would give to Avery Johnson. He might be the best coach in basketball right now, and it would be nice to see him get his due. He is far from the prototypical NBA coach...he is young, he is black, he actually played basketball and was reasonably successful, and he cares deeply about the success of his team. Avery Johnson is proving that you don't have to get a coach out of the good ol' boys network...a smart former player who knows the game and can relate to the players will do just fine.

Avery Johnson will get his in due time...but I think Shaq turns it on in the Finals, as he is known to do, and returns to his former dominant form for just long enough to get one more ring...which he will place on his middle finger and wave at Los Angeles.

Heat in 6.