2011 NBA Finals

The NBA season started in June 2010.  No games were played, no timeouts were taken, no last second threes.  What did happen was free agency went wild.  Players and stars realigned to shape the new NBA.  New villians emerged in black after Lebron made "The Decision."  Dan Gilbert guaranteed that the Cavaliers would win a championship before the King.  Chris Bosh left Canada for southern Florida.  Amare changed New York, Melo followed.  The Suns missed Amare.  The Nuggets didn't miss Melo.  The Bulls added Boozer.  D. Rose took the next step, but the parade of below average shooting guards left a lot to be desired. Through all of this, the Mavericks were criticized for not adding anyone of substance in the offseason.

Fast forward to a year later, the Mavericks and the Heat are going to square off in the 2011 NBA Finals, five years after their last meeting.  And with all the drama surrounding the Heat's offseason roster changes, the free agent that has made all the difference is Tyson Chandler.  Chandler played last season for the Bobcats, and was essentially let go for a high five and some old Halloween candy.  Now, Chandler looks to be the piece needed to push a team with 12 consecutive seasons over 50 wins to its first title.  Chandler and DeSean Stevenson didn't go to Dallas with a ticker tape parade.  Hell, ESPN barely mentioned it.  It was lucky to scrape the ticker.  Now with a legitimate defensive force in the middle, Dirk is free to be the defensive liability he plays so well.

The Heat have been through more drama in a single season than any team in recent memory.   For a top contender,   The Heat roster has undergone dramatic changes.  Compare the 2006 roster to he 2011 roster:

				2006                              2011
				Shandon Anderson Earl Barron Michael Doleac Udonis Haslem Jason Kapono Alonzo Mourning Shaquille O'Neal Gary Payton James Posey Wayne Simien Dwyane Wade Jason Williams Dorell Wright Antoine Walker Derek Anderson Anthony, Joel Bibby, Mike Bosh, Chris Chalmers, Mario Dampier, Erick Haslem, Udonis House, Eddie Howard, Juwan Ilgauskas, Žydrūnas James, LeBron Jones, James Magloire, Jamaal Miller, Mike Pittman, Dexter Wade, Dwyane
				Now the team focuses around a new star in Lebron James.  After last week, Scottie Pippen described Lebron as potentially better than Jordan.   He backed off his words, but it gives the idea of what he thinks.  Looking at the series, it looks like it could be his show.  I think Nowitzki can put together some stellar performances, but at the end of the day there is nobody who will be able to stop Lebron.