Game 4 - What to look for

After seeing Dwayne Wade's performance in the last two games, one thing is certain for the Mavericks: Keep him out of the paint. Mavericks will certainly defend Wade tightly to make sure he does not score as well as he has been.

But this raises the question, what about Lebron James? Sure he has not contributed as much as he usually does during the last two games but if he steps up it will become a problem. Doubling up on Wade will only mean more openings for Lebron. If the Heat decide to take advantage of the tighter defence on Wade, they should do so by making Lebron penetrate the paint instead.

The Heat on the other hand have to make sure they do not foul. They especially have to make sure Dirk Nowitzki does not get to the free throw line. Nowitzki is very troublesome with his great shooting skills, already making over thirty consecutive free throw shots. If Heat can pressure the Maverick offensive without fouling and keeping Nowitzki tightly defended they will win Game 4.

Mavericks seeks to prove they can beat the Heat

As the NBA Finals approaches, a rivalry is renewed as the Mavericks take on the Heat again after the Mavs lost to the Heat in the 2006 Finals. Both teams have gone through significant changes after five years. Even though the Mavs could not fill their roster with All-Star players, they have improved for the better.

Here are few things to look out for in the Mavs:

1. Dirk Nowitzki is still the MVP of his team. Nowitzki have improved his defense to complement his offense. Nowitzki is fast on the dribble and he can easily pull up and hit the fade away. He can affect both his team and the opposing team mentally when he makes tough shots and lifts his team spirit up when they are on a scoring drought.

2. Jason Kidd is arguably the best pure point guard left in the playoffs. He can find his teammates open and make excellent passes. In the playoffs he is making and attempting more three pointers than in the regular season. The Heat can not afford to lay back against Kidd just because he is 38 years old.

3. Since the Heat play really tight defense, the Mavs will be taking plenty of three-pointers. If the three-pointers go in, it will open up the defense inside the paint allowing players to drive in and get the rebound.

The Edge The Mavs need to win

The Dallas Mavericks are a veteran team who all have come up short during the Finals. All of their players have been close so they know the feeling of defeat. In order for the Mavericks to be successful in this series, the following has to happen:

• Dirk Nowitzki is averaging 28.4 ppg and is only missed two free throws in the last round vs the Thunder. Dirk is doing great all around the court and he is virtually unguardable.

• They shoot 39% from three point range and average eight a game giving them 24 points from three land

• Their bench is strong, filled with pure scorers such as Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic . These guys come of the bench and  giving 10 to 15 points of offense per night.

• They have powerful paint game led by Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion. These guys control the rebounding in the Mavs.

• The Mavs play great zone defense keeping Dwanye Wade out of the paint. If they can keep Wade under 20 points, it will be an interesting series to watch