Nowitzki's clutch performance helps Mavericks tie series

Dirk Nowitzki came up big for the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 of the 2011 NBA finals, leading his team to the 95-93 win against the Miami Heat on June 2. With the win, the Mavericks tie the NBA finals 1-1, and will get to play the next three games in Dallas, Texas.

For a moment, it looked like the Miami Heat were on their way to take a 2-0 lead in the series, leading by 15 points with a little over 7 minutes to go in the game. The Mavericks stepped up their defense, limiting Miami to only five points for the remainder of the game.

With 24 seconds left and the game tied 93 apiece, Dirk Nowitzki pulled of a beautiful post move on Bosh, finishing it off with long layup that gave the Mavericks the two-point lead over Miami. With no more timeouts and only 3 seconds remaining, Miami Heat fans watched in anguish as Dwyane Wade's prayer bounced off the rim.

Dwyane Wade was on fire in Game 2, leading the Miami Heat with 36 points. LeBron James also shot the ball well, finishing the game with 20 points and eight rebounds for the Heat. Chris Bosh struggled in Game 2, shooting 25 percent from the field. Bosh finished the game with 12 points and eight rebounds for the Heat.

For the most part, Miami's game plan against the Dallas Mavericks worked as planned. While I have to give Dirk Nowitzki a lot of credit for his excellent performance in the final quarter of Game 2, it was the Heat's early departure from the game that dictated the outcome.

From the midway point to the final second of the game, the Miami Heat only took one shot within 15 feet. That must have been especially frustrating for Miami coach Erik Spoelstra, given the fact the Heat were 17-25 from that range for the first three quarters.

Chris Bosh said it best while speaking to reporters after the game:"We just didn't execute down the stretch, there's no shock. There's disappointment. But the reality is the reality. We might as well get used to it and focus on the next one."

For Dirk Nowitzki, it must be nice to finally get payback on Wade for what he did in Game 3 of the 2006 finals. For the Miami Heat, they'll get to take out their frustrations on Nowitzki and the Mavericks in Game 3.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the Heat for 15 years.

Sources:

Associated Press,"Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks rally in fourth quarter to even Finals at 1"

Player and game information from espn.com