Where's the Beef?

Wade did something shocking the other day, and for the most part it went unnoticed. He called out Dirk Nowitski.

This not only got ESPN to plaster it on the screen tonight while knee-deep in the sludge of Cleveland (as the Heat eventually where stifled by the Cavs and a less-than-gimpy LeBron) but it also drew the ire of big-mouthed owner Mark Cuban.

First of all, the sound bite from Wade:

"Dirk said that they gave us the championship last year," Wade said Thursday. "But he's the reason they lost the championship because he wasn't the leader he's supposed to be in the closing moments."

Kind of stunning coming from Wade, but anyone who followed the Heat and the Finals last season knows EXACTLY where he is coming from. Also remember, this guy is not exactly outspoken. He prefers to do his thing and not talk much.

Ironically, the big problem is with what Wade said. Mavs fans, and their classy owner Mark Cuban, have made it no secret that they dislike (to be polite) Wade and his "ability" to get to the charity stripe. They even point a ringless finger at Wade whenever he falls down and scream "fraud". Yet, this time Wade fires back and undercuts Dirk with a tongue-lashing in the media.

The real question is, is there not any truth to it? Nowitski did seem to melt in the spotlight of the Finals, but it gets overlooked mostly because of Wade's greatness in that series.

Exhibit A

In game 3, Nowitski did have 30 points on 9-20 shooting, but was 2-7 from 3 point range. He was also 10-12 from the free throw line while Wade had 42 points (13-18 from the free throw line, Markie mark). He grabbed his last rebound with 1:59 to go in the 3rd quarter. From then on, he would settle for being outside and shooting jumpshots.

Yet, it was his shooting touch that failed him, wasn't it? With 3 seconds to go in Game 3, the Heat were up by 2 but Dirk got put on the free throw line - on yes, a questionable call. What did Dirk do? He made the first and CHOKED on the second. 97-96, Heat.

Dirk makes the free throw, they TIE the game.

And guess who got that rebound? Wade. And guessed who immediately fouled him? Dirk.

Wade went on to make the first free throw and then miss the second, but it put them up by 2, 98-96. Call it a choke? You go ahead, but the fact is, the Heat would end up winning this game because of Wade's efforts.

One more thing - after the Mavs grabbed the rebound from Wade's missed free throw, they called a time out to set up a play for Dirk. Nowitski ended up turning the ball over in the final attempt to, guess who, Dwyane Wade.

Exhibit B

Dirk Nowitski's 16 point performance in Game 4, an important rebound game for the Mavs who just lost a tough Game 3. Dirk was 2-14 from the field, 1-5 from downtown, but what made his night respectable were FREE THROWS where he was 11-13. Otherwise what is that, a 5 spot on the night for ol'Dirk? Das ist nicht gut, mein freund. (Pssst...Markie mark, Wade had 36 points on 13-23 shooting and 8-9 from the FT line...)

Exhibit C

Dirk follows up his 16 point performance with a sulking 20 point performance in Game 5. This is where the whining about free throws would reach the highest pitch - because playing defense couldn't possibly help. The Mavs had no answers, and that is the proper perspective to maintain, despite how Wade earned his 43 points (he was 11-28 from the field and 21-25 from the free throw line, matching the Mavs' night from the free throw) he got it done when it mattered. Nowitski did tie the game at 91-91 with only seconds to go in the 4th (49 seconds), but it was the first time he scored in over 6 minutes (last score was at 6:41 putting the Mavs up by 5, 79-74). Meanwhile, Wade scored 13 points in that span keeping his team in the game and setting up for the win in OT - where Nowitski committed a 'controversial' foul on Wade where DWade iced the game by making BOTH free throws.

What plagued Dirk was he wasn't physical when it mattered. He didn't get into the low post to set up teammates or scrap for rebounds. He was all too happy to sit out on the wing and shoot jumpers, leaving the dirty work to everyone else. The ball didn't flow through him, but rather to him. Wade, however, did it all.

But there is something really vital Mark Cuban is overlooking in his polemic against Dwyane Wade - simple English.

Wade has NEVER proclaimed himself to be the leader of this team. In fact, read THIS or even THIS to see evidence of it.

Dirk, on the other hand, has. And he was underwhelming when it mattered, in the Finals. He showed up in Game 6, but it was too late at that point - the Mavs were playing for nothing more than a fool's hope. That fool happened to be named Mark Cuban, of course. It was basically garbage time.

So, let Mark Cuban say what he wants to say. Let him whine and cry from his expensive private jets and let his blogs flow like cheap beer (where you can't post comments unless you are approved it seems...). Just enough to give you a headache.

Wade, thankfully, has enough sense to stay out of it. He said his piece in response to Nowitski's bitterness about his team losing to the Heat. Cuban will not let it go. And his continued whining about Wade's free throw attempts are laughable, especially in light of the FTAs Nowitski commands (see Game 4, Markie Mark).

And pathetically, the Mavs had their regular season game in Miami THIS season circled on the calendar; even going as far as self-imposing a curfew of 10pm because they wanted to beat the Heat sooooooo bad.

Yet, if Dirk was anything of the leader he claims to be, wouldn't he have spoken up in response to Wade's comments? Instead of hiding behind his mommy, Mark Cuban.

If he was, maybe both he and Cuban would have rings.