After watching the Mavericks close out the Heat with a 105-95 win in Game Six of the NBA Finals, a few things came to mind: 1) I owe Dirk Nowitzki an apology 2) LeBron James isn’t mentally tough enough to win a championship 3) Pat Riley needs to fire Erik Spoelstra immediately and take over as Miami’s coach 4) Miami has the worst fans in all of professional sports….

I’ve been a harsh critic of Dirk’s over the years and said before this year’s playoffs than no team with Nowitzki as their best player could win a championship….

I’ve always believed he was soft, but in the 2011 post-season Dirk put on a legendary performance, taking his team on his back and winning a championship….

He hit clutch shots, got to the rim, finished plays to win games and proved me wrong….

So Dirk, I officially apologize and congratulate you on a great performance and accomplishment….

As for LeBron, I was disappointed in both his play and explanation for disappearing….

In the post-game press conference, James was asked about his struggles and credited the Mavericks defense for getting him out of his game….

Bulls***….

King James settled for jump shots against the likes of Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, didn’t post up, didn’t go to the rim and deferred to Dwyane Wade far too often….

Hell, LeBron deferred to Udonis Haslem and Eddie House….

Despite his incredible gifts, LeBron lacks the toughness, killer instinct and will to win of Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell and Michael Jordan….

He needs to grab the ball, wave off his teammates and attack, attack, attack. If his team loses, so be it, but it’s better than running from the spotlight when games are on the line….

Nobody has been a harsher critic of Pat “Benedict” Riley than me, because in my opinion he’s an egomaniacal, lying, backstabbing weasel who stole Stan Van Gundy’s job….

Riley also runs and hides when the going gets tough, evidenced by his quitting on his team three times since he took over as coach….

Yes, he’s a low life and a phony, but he’s also a hell of a coach and the Heat win this series with him on the sideline….

There’s no way the Heat fold up and give away two games with Benedict coaching, because he drives his team and demands maximum effort….

There’s also no way Riley would have sat on the bench with his thumb up his ass and not made a single adjustment in the NBA Finals….

This team needs an a**hole to lead them and there’s no one better qualified than Pat “Benedict” Riley. It’s time to break out the whip and drive these prima donnas to maximize their potential….

It was amazing to watch Spoelstra sit there with a cluless look on his face as the Mavs did pretty much whatever they wanted….

He should have put LeBron on Dirk whenever Nowitzki got hot or was in a position to win a game. Haslem and Chris Bosh had no chance against him, but James’ athleticism, quickness and strength would have bothered Dirk….

Instead, Spoelstra had the best seat in the house for the Dirk Show….

No adjustments and no coaching….

Question: Has Spoelstra ever seen a zone defense? I know he’s been coaching a long time and has a reputation for breaking down film, so why was his team so clueless whenever Dallas went zone?….

No adjustments and no coaching….

Offensively, the Heat are consistent in one thing: They don’t run an offense….

Unless you call Wade or LeBron dribbling at the top of the key with the shot clock running down, while their teammates stand and watch, as running an offense….

It would have been nice to run some motion and get Wade or James the ball coming off screens; because that would given the Mavs a new look, made them move their feet and work….

No adjustments, no coaching….

If I’m Pat Riley, Spoelstra is on the unemployment line tomorrow morning….

Miami has always had a reputation as a lousy sports town, but this year’s finals puts them solidly in first place, with no contenders on the horizon….

In Game One, seats were available at game time, an unheard of situation in the NBA Fianls….

Last night, in a close out situation, the Heat fans sat on their hands while hundreds of Dallas fans drowned them out….

During the game I took a bathroom break and turned up the sound so I could hear the play-by-play. Since I couldn’t see the screen, it was difficult to tell which team had scored, because the small group of Mavs fans were making more noise than the thousands of Heat fans….

It was really embarrassing and the Miami fans should be ashamed of themselves….

After the Heat lost Game 5 to the Mavs, 112-103, I started to think about what life is going to be like for LeBron James if he loses this series….

Because if thinks he’s being heavily criticized now, wait until you see the vitriole if his team gets closed out on their home court….

My suggestion to LeBron is the following: Step up, demand the ball, go to the rim, defend as if it’s your final NBA game and will your team to wins in Games 6 and 7….

Anything less will result in a firestorm you might never escape….

Sure, LeBron has taken some criticism in the past for post-season failures, but in truth was never on a good enough team to win….

He got to the finals in 2007, but the Spurs were simply a better team….

The last couple of years the Cavs were very good, but not good enough….

This year, however, Miami is the better team and a loss will result in fingers pointed directly at the self-proclaimed media mogul….

And with King James disappearing act in Game 4 and the fourth quarter of Game 5, he’ll deserve it….

Yes, LeBron had a triple-double last night, but it was probably the softest, most ineffective one I’ve ever seen. And with his performance in the fourth quarter, his triple-double meant nothing….

It’s time for the King to take the attitude that it’s his team and he’s going to be the leader. No deferring, no passing up shots and no disappearing….

Attack, attack, attack and let the chips fall where they may….

On the other hand, Dirk Nowitzki is on the verge of forever erasing the soft label that has followed him for years. And with his tremenous play this series, some would say he’s already shaken that label….

But not me….

No doubt, Dirk has proven me wrong thus far and played brilliantly; but he’s not to the finish line yet. If Nowitzki plays poorly and Dallas loses the series, the soft, never-won-anything tag will remain….

But if the Mavs close them out, I will admit defeat, apologize to Dirk and eat a healthy serving of crow and humble pie….

Dwyane Wade was very close to getting a Man Card Violation last night, when he hobbled off the court and missed half the third quarter with a contusion; which is a fancy way of saying a bruise….

When I saw this, my mind drifted back to a few years ago; when Wade injured his shoulder and wound up being taken off the court in a wheelchair; crying like a baby….

By the way, I still don’t understood why a guy with an injured shoulder needed a wheelchair….

I know a seerated shoulder is very painful; but he should have insisted on walking back to the locker room instead of taking a wheelchair….

And sitting out half a quarter with a bruised leg in Game 5 of the finals furthered my suspicions about him….

It’s hard to believe the trainers couldn’t get Wade ready during halftime, but when the third quarter began Dwyane remained in the locker room, with his team down 60-57….

Twenty minutes in the locker room and a bruise keeps Wade off the floor for the second half tip-off?….

Finally, with 4:33 remaining, Wade re-entered the game with the Heat trailing 75-71….

Sure, his team only lost a point while he was out; but had he began the quarter and played well, Miami could have been up by 10….

Dwyane Wade is an NBA champion and one of the greatest players in NBA history, but am I the only one who finds his abscence in the third quarter puzzling?….

Can you imagine Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant staying in the locker room, in the most important game of the season, with a bruise?….

Just asking….

There’s no doubt LeBron James disappeared last night and deserving of criticism in the Heat’s 86-83 loss to the Mavericks. Chris Bosh also went AWOL after halftime and also deserves to get ripped….

But the guy most responsible, Erik Spoelstra, somehow escapes criticism from the press….

I’ve been watching playoff basketball for a long time, but I think Spoelstra’s coaching in this series is the worst I’ve ever seen….

Yet hours after the game I haven’t found one single word of criticism in any media outlet….

Not one….

After the game, when asked to explain LeBron’s disappearance and his team’s 4th quarter collapse, Spoelstra responded “We’ll have to take a look at the film and make adjustments.”….

Say what?….

After Spoelstra spewed this nonsense, I anxiously waited for the obvious follow-up questions:

-Why in the hell didn’t you make any in-game adjustments, since waiting to “watch the film” is too late?

- Since Dirk Nowitzki keeps making uncontested lay-ups in the final seconds with Udonis Haslem guarding him, why wasn’t LeBron assigned to Dirk during the 4th quarter?

-Why is it that your offense consists of everyone standing around while LeBron or Dwyane Wade go one-on-one?

-Why did your team come out of two late game time outs and shoot rushed, ill-advised three-pointers?

-After watching your team blow a 15 point, 4th quarter lead in Game 2 because they fired up long range shots, why didn’t you insist your players attack the rim, get to the free throw line and close them out?

-After watching your team blow a 15 point, fourth quarter lead in Game 2 because you had Haslem and Chris Bosh guarding Dirk, why didn’t you make an adjustment and put LeBron on him?

I could go on and on, but those are the queations those lame reporters should have been asking….

I said a few games ago that if I’m Pat Riley, Spoelstra’s job is on the line. The Heat clearly have the better team, so the coach should take the pipe if they lose….

As you all know, I’m not a fan of Riley. But I’ve never questioned his coaching ability and if he were on the sideline the Heat would have swept and they’d be planning a parade in Miami….

Riley never would have tolerated this disorganized offense and defensive mistakes on Nowitzki; because he would have made in-game adjustments….

I can’t imagine a Riley team giving away two games where he had huge, 4th quarter leads….

So now, instead of celebrating a sweep over an inferior team, the Heat are in the fight of their lives and in danger of actually losing the series….

And if that happens, Spoelstra should be hitting the unemployment line….

My prediction still stands, though: Heat in 6….

With a few minutes to go and the Mavs down by 15, my mind wandered to five years ago, when Dallas had a similar lead against Miami in Game 3 of the Finals….

If the Mavs simply held on, they go up 3-0, sweep the Heat and history changes for Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Cuban and Shaquille O’Neal….

But Dallas suffered a monumental collapse, lost the series and the “soft” label stuck with Dirk for years….

On Thursday night the situation was reversed, as Miami held a 15 point lead with time running out….

Surely the Heat would close them out, because LeBron James and Dwyane Wade would make plays, get to the free throw line and not allow a comeback….

Instead, 2006 repeated itself, as the Mavs came all the way back and miraculously won the game. 94-92….

I watched the whole thing and still can’t believe it….

All the Heat had to do was get the ball into their two superstars hands, get to the rim and close them out. Instead, the ball wound up in the hands of Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem….

A couple of bricks and turnovers later, Dallas was back in the game and had momentum….

From that point on, the Heat got the ball to LeBron and Wade; but instead of running an offense and attacking the rim, they looked confused, hesitant and timid….

Four times in a row, either James or Wade dribbled while their teammates stood and watched, with the shot clock ticking down….

Then it was a forced 3-point shot with a hand in their face; resulting in long rebounds and easy baskets for the Mavs….

This was a meltdown of epic proportions and the finger has to be pointed directly at Erik Spoelstra….

He made so many coaching blunders it was hard to keep track, but I’ll try….

-With 6:38 left, he’d used all his time outs and couldn’t stop the bleeding.

-As usual, his offense was everyone standing around waiting for LeBron or Wade to make a play. No movement, no motion, no early offense.

-Defensively, he should have put LeBron on Nowitzki, because Chris Bosh can’t guard him. Instead, he had Bosh on Nowitzki down the stretch, with no help, and Dirk made a jump shot, a three-pointer and two lay-ups.

-With a foul to give, the Heat allowed Nowitzki to get the ball at the free throw line, fake right, go left around Bosh and make game-winning lay-up. Not knowing he had a foul to give is inexcuseable and it cost Miami the game.

I could list more, but you get the point. Spoelstra is in over his head and making mistake after mistake….

I’m suprised Pat “Benedict” Riley didn’t fire him before he got to the locker room….

Who knows, we might see Riley on the sideline for Game 3….

I’ll tell you onr thing: The Heat never would have lost that game if Benedict were coaching. He would have willed his team to win….

I’ve been highly critical of Riley as a low character, control freak, lying back stabber; but I’ve never questioned his ability to coach….

And if Miami loses this series Spoelstra will be headed to the unemployment line….

Is anyone in the NBA more overpaid than Chris Bosh? So far in the series he’s shooting 9-34, given up game winning plays defensively and is so frightened and soft around the rim you’d swear it was Luke Walton….

If this continues it’s going to be hard for the Heat to keep him around; but they’ll probably have to because no team in their right mind will take on this softie’s contract….

Bosh has been absolutely terrible so far and the Heat have no chance to win if this continues….

So that’s it. The next three games are in Dallas, with the Mavs having a chance to close them out; but that’s not going to happen, because the Heat are too good to lose three in a row….

Bosh is a Dallas native, so you’d think if he had any pride he’ll bounce back and play well….

I still pick the Heat in 6, but it’s looking a little shaky….

Game One in the books and it went pretty much like my prediction for the series: Two superstars are always going to beat one….

In these type of games, when teams are evenly matched and games are decided in the last two minutes, it’s a huge advantage having two players who create plays every time down the floor….

The Mavs have Dirk Nowitzki, but the Heat have LeBron James and Dwyane Wade; which means Miami is going to win the series….

The Heat did not play well, but in the end it was the dynamic duo making plays….

LeBron was too passive, Chris Bosh was horrendous, Erik Spoelstra had the ball in the wrong player’s hands most of the game and the Heat shot an absymal 39%….

But the Mavs were even worse, shooting 37%….

The difference was Miami’s smothering defense and their two stars making big plays….

Dirk had 27 points, but it was probably the softest 27 in NBA Finals history. He shot 7-18 and appeared to be rattled by the Heat’s physical defense….

Nowitzki has been tremendous in the post-season, but now he’s finally facing a good defensive team who’s going to make him work for everything he gets….

And if not for some generous officiating, which put Dirk on the free throw line 12 times, it would have been much worse….

By my count, 8 of Nowitzki’s 12 FT’s were gifts from the zebras….

Four times Dirk went weak to the basket, got his shot blocked cleanly and was bailed out by an official. I thought he played soft and looked like the Nowitzki who disappeared against the Heat in the 2006 Finals….

Speaking of soft, Bosh is going to have to play better for the Heat to win. To say Chris played soft last night is an insult to Pau Gasol and Luke Walton….

He looked scared to death and every time he got the ball in the post rushed a horrible shot which led to a Dallas fast break….

One time he had an air ball lay-up and another had his shot blocked by Brendan Haywood; who twice previously stuffed himself on the bottom of the rim on dunk attempts….

Bosh was afraid of his own shadow and this must change. Good thing Dirk wasn’t much better, or the Heat would be down 0-1….

Holy s***, Bosh was awful….

The best thing about this Heat team is they can win games when they don’t shoot well and one of their stars disappears….

They’re the NBA’s best defensive team, which keeps them in games when they’re struggling. They also have two great players, who bail them out late in games….