Inside Report: NBA Finals Game 1 Preview — Dallas Mavericks (0-0) at Miami Heat (0-0)

Earl K. Sneed previews Game 1 of the NBA Finals from Miami, as the Dallas Mavericks look to extend a five-game road playoff winning streak by taking the home-court advantage away from the Heat.

MIAMI — The Dallas Mavericks have yet to trail in a playoff series during their run to the NBA Finals and they don’t plan on that trend ending now that they are just four wins away from claiming the ultimate prize.

After fighting through the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, sweeping the two-time champion Los Angeles Lakers and dismantling the Oklahoma City Thunder in five matchups, the Mavericks and their 12-3 postseason record travel to Miami to kick-start the Finals armed with a franchise-best five-game road playoff winning streak. But after never once getting behind the eight ball in this year’s championship chase, the Mavs know that in order to avoid a 0-1 hole in the 2-3-2 format they must find a way to quiet the Miami Heat’s Big Three of two-time MVP LeBron James, 2006 Finals MVP Dwyane Wade and perennial All-Star Chris Bosh.

“Listen, their three stars are major challenges, all of them,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of the Heat. “Bosh is having a great playoffs. He’s shooting the best percentage of anybody on their entire team. He’s playing a well-rounded game, and we all know what James and Wade can do. So, they’ve got three guys that are really high-magnitude players, and we’re gonna have to deal with them. And their support players are built around those guys, and they play very well.”

The Mavericks have faced great players before, however, in this postseason, taking down the likes of Portland big man LaMarcus Aldridge, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and the Thunder’s 1-2 punch of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Still, Carlisle admits that the Heat’s trio offers an even greater challenge with all three capable of carrying the offensive load for Miami at any given time.

And for that reason, Carlisle could once again employ the Mavs’ patented zone look on the defensive end of the floor, after seeing success with the strategy against the Heat in a 106-95 home win on Nov. 27 and 98-96 victory in Miami on Dec. 20 to complete the season series sweep.

“Everything leading up to this point helps to prepare us. The difference here is that instead of one Kobe Bryant, they’ve got two guys that are top five players in the game, and that makes it more challenging, for sure. … You know, when you have three players of that magnitude on the court at the same time, it makes it extremely challenging. We’re gonna look at [playing a zone] at certain points, but I don’t think we go into the series feeling like it’s anything that’s gonna be a solve-all-our-problems type of situation. … We’re working on a mindset I think you have to have against Miami, which is you’ve got to be extremely solid at both ends and efficiency is an absolute must on offense, because they convert turnovers into baskets better than anyone in basketball,” Carlisle explained.

Now, after tying with the Heat during the regular season with a league-best 28-13 road record, the Mavericks head into American Airlines Arena a confident crew, looking to draw off that success away from Big D when they enter Game 1 of the Finals Tuesday night.

“We’re a good road team. I think we proved it all season long,” Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki explained. “We won big games. We won two games in L.A., we won a big closeout game in Portland, stole two in Oklahoma, so I don’t think we’re gonna be scared to play on the road. So, it should be a phenomenal series starting Tuesday on the road.”

The Mavericks will also try to turn the table on the Heat in a complete reverse of the ’06 Finals, when Dallas held serve on its home floor in Games 1 and 2 only to lose four straight to fall in the championship series. Now, with a veteran team that’s motivated by past playoff failure, and Nowitzki and sixth man Jason Terry looking to avenge that ’06 second-place finish, the Mavs approach Tuesday night’s matchup looking to deliver an early message.

“We had a huge chance in ’06 and let it slip away. So, we got another crack at it,” Nowitzki said. “You never know in this league if you’ll ever get another chance. We were able to get to this stage again, and it feels good. Now, we’ve just gotta go for it and do all the things that got us here, and that’s play some defense, rebound the ball and ball movement on the offensive end of the floor.”

“It’s more about this time, this season, the way we’ve come together, the way our veteran guys have carried us and the way Coach Carlisle has made adjustments and been able to outcoach pretty much every opponent we’ve faced,” Terry added. “Thinking about that and then thinking about our past failure in ’05-06, hey, the time is now.”

Note: The NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat will tip off Tuesday in Miami, airing nationally on ABC at 8 p.m. CT.

The Mavericks will host Game 3 at the American Airlines Center on Sunday, June 5, in a game that tip off at 7 p.m. CT and air nationally on ABC. Tickets for the Finals are on sale now. Visit Mavs.com for details or call 214-747-MAVS (6287).

All of the Mavs’ home Finals games at American Airlines Center will be a MAVS ROYAL BLUE-OUT!

Every seat at the American Airlines Center will have a MAVS ROYAL BLUE playoff T-shirt placed in it. We need for you and every Mavs fan to show their Mavs pride. So, dress ready to put on your MAVS ROYAL BLUE playoff T-shirt when you get to your seat.

The Dallas Mavericks will host FREE watch parties for fans on Tuesday, May 31 and Thursday, June 2 as the Mavs take on the Miami Heat in Games 1 and 2 of the 2011 NBA Finals.

Fans can join the Mavs Dancers, ManiAACs, Street Team, Ali Dee and Ro Parrish and watch the game on the full HD video boards inside American Airlines Center.

Parking will be available in Lots E and F for $5 and the Platinum parking garage for $10. Fans can enter American Airlines Center through the north and east doors beginning at 7 p.m. both nights.

The North and South Fan Shops will be open for fans to purchase NBA Finals and other Mavs apparel. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase.

A special thanks to 106.1 KISS FM, ESPN and ESPN Deportes for their support of the Mavericks watch parties.