The Dallas Mavericks were the Koko B. Ware of the NBA Finals

Last night, the Miami Heat captured their first NBA title. While Dwyane Wade is clearly the alpha dog of that team and maybe the entire league, it was the "old guys" - Mourning, Payton, Walker, etc. - who tipped the scales in this series. Rather than Dallas looking like a younger, speedier team, they just looked greener compared to Miami's cagey and hungry-for-a-title vets.

The Mavs' showing in this series reminded me of a certain professional wrestling personality from the 1980s and early 90s. I speak of none other than The Birdman, Koko B. Ware.


The Mavs and The Birdman even have similar colors...

Why, you ask? Because both like to come out early with a lot of energy. They are quick, high-flying, and fairly exciting to watch. I say "fairly" because, in the end, it seems predestined that both are going to lose, to the point that last night's fourth quarter was almost boring. The Mavs didn't have the juice to pull it off and everyone knew it. The bag of tricks is flashy, but it's not deep, and there's no ironclad will to win. And that, I say, is why the Mavs are the Koko B. Ware of the 2006 NBA Finals. I don't think they'll be the Koko B. Ware forever, and for their sake, let's hope not. Because if that's the case, they'll never wear the gold.

Hyperlinks:
- Washington Post story
- Miami Herald story link

Technorati tags: Sports, NBA Finals, Dallas Mavericks, NBA, Dwyane Wade, basketball