How surprised are you that the 2011 Mavs are NBA champs?

[ChrisKreager]

On a 1-10 scale, how surprised/shocked/stunned are you that these Dallas Mavericks are NBA champs?

The only other seasons I recall being this surprised at who won the title given how the entire NBA seasons played out- the '95 Rockets and the '04 Pistons.

[Patrick Chewing]

2

Once they wiped the floor clean with the Lakers, they weren't going to be denied.

[Joshumitsu]

Not surprised at all.

Me, being my homer self, acknowledge that any team that has beaten the Blazers these past 3 seasons are contending teams. Blazers are NOT a first round team, they just have had bad luck with injuries and match-ups.

Mavs would've had the best record in the league had Dirk not gotten injured (they were 2-9 when he got injured).

Essentially, Mavs were the true no. 1 seed and the true no. 1 team in the NBA this year.

[iamgine]

I'm actually more surprised they swept the Lakers. That would be a 10.

The win over Heat, maybe an 8.

[Shepseskaf]

7/10, I'm surprised.

The Heat were the more talented team and it seemed that they were in control of the series.

Without the LeBron 'incredibly shrinking' games, the Heat are champions this year.

[ihatetimthomas]

Pre-playoffs or pre-finals?

Pre-playoffs, probably a 9 or 10. I had no faith that this team could win a title and I think most people, even Dallas fans, didn't truly think this was a championship team.

Pre-finals, probably a 5 or 6. Miami was steamrolling through the playoffs. Mavs were playing at an extremely high level, but I felt Heat were playing better and felt that the Dallas Mavs hot streak offensively would come to an end.

edit, had rankings in reverse order

[thatoneblackguy]

10. I still can't believe it happened. I feel like there should be an NBA game coming up soon but it's over. Mavs won.

It seems like yesterday that LeBron scored 8 points LOL

[SCdac]

It has nothing to do with Dirk necessarily, rather the way the Mavs, and their coach, played in the past (IE. George Hill and the Spurs knocking them out early, Carlisle being outcoached by Pop in the first round last season, and every little thing leading up to 2010)...... I'd say a good 9 out of 10 for me. Not a 10 out of 10 at all, even a 9 out of 10 might be a little high, but it's all about my personal perception of that team, and they've improved in areas I thought they were weak (like all-around resiliency, stepping up under pressure). I wouldn't have guessed 2011 Mavs champions.... but that's one of the things I love about the NBA... it's unpredictable (for the most part).

edit: to add, I will say I'm almost equally surprised at Lebron James putting up one of the most weak Finals series I've seen from a perennial All-Star and multiple MVP. It's really hard for to digest the fact that he took 20 FT's in the entire Finals. He took 50 in the first round, in one less game... To a lesser extent, I'm surprised Pau Gasol averaged 13 ppg, 8 rpg, on .42% shooting in an opportunity to three-peat... And I'm surprised Brandon Roy - a player who is 26 year old - averaged only 23 minutes per game and 9 points through six games. That's sad.

[bleedinpurpleTwo]

9...very surprised.
I really thought my Lakers would stomp them. Boy was I wrong!
I really expected the Heat to beat them....3 superstars versus 1 superstar and collection of decent players.

[Data1000]

The Mavs have been my 2nd favorate team for about ten years. However I am completely shocked. I didn't think they could beat the Lakers. I had no confidence that they could beat the Thunder. And before the finals, I thought that the combo of Labron and Wade would be too much to overcome. But hey, I did have confidence that could get past Portland.

Somehow they proved most people wrong and reminded many of us not to underestimate a smart, gritty team with a collection of big hearts.

[D.J.]

I assumed that the Mavs were never winning as long as Mark Cuban was owner and David Stern was commissioner.