[milatown]

The Mavericks' final hurdle is the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, led by the muscle-and-flash duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade. The Mavs swept the two-game season series from Miami with two double-figure wins and are 4-0 against the Heat in the O'Neal era.
The best-of-seven Finals begin Thursday with the first of two games at American Airlines Center. The series shifts to Miami for the next three games, if all three are needed. Games 6 and 7 would be at AAC.
A first-time champion is guaranteed; being the first time since 1978 and seeing that both teams are making their maiden trips to the Finals. The last time two first-timers met was Milwaukee against Baltimore in 1971.
The worst professional team of the 1990s has completely reversed fortunes in a new decade. Renegade owner Mark Cuban changed the culture, and former coach Don Nelson laid the foundation of the current six-year playoff run.
But the team needed coach of the year Avery Johnson and All-NBA power forward Dirk Nowitzki to take that next step.
Guard Dwyane Wade went to the hospital early Friday morning because of flu-like symptoms and dehydration and wasn't released until 3 p.m., three hours before tip-off. Yet he still finished with 14 points and 10 assists in 37 exhausting minutes.
"Anything I could do to help my team," Wade said after the game, "that's all I wanted to do."
Wade said he spent much of the evening ill as his wife, Siohvaughn, gave him tea and rubbed VapoRub on his chest. Then he had Siohvaughn call trainer Ron Culp, who sent him to Miami Children's Hospital, where Wade received fluids.
Heat fans got nervous Friday afternoon upon hearing the news about Wade. They remember last year when Wade missed Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit and the Heat lost, 91-66, at The Palace of Auburn Hills before losing Game 7, 88-82, at American Airlines Arena.
But Wade, who missed a few early minutes of the third quarter as he stayed in the training room, presumably getting fluids, came through in the end.