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If, on the morning of May 31, you placed $100 down on the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA Finals, you'd be collecting a return of $1,800 from the Vegas bookmakers today.
The Mavericks were an 18-1 afterthought prior to the start of the NBA Finals, the red carpet over which the Miami Heat would step to accept their crown. The assumption was that a team comprised of mostly 30 year olds didn't have the flash or fury to overcome the superstar triumvirate assembled in Miami 10 months ago when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade on South Beach.
But Sunday, as Wade and James flagged, the Mavericks clinched the first title in franchise history. The display was a dedication to teamwork, an example that the power of a collective body was more than the power of a single body. Below is a collection of pieces from around the country reflecting on Dallas' six-game victory.
Eddie Sefko, Dallas Morning News: The Mavericks clinched their first NBA title with victories over the Heat, Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder. In doing so, they were 4-0 with the chance to close out a series.
Brandon George, Dallas Morning News: Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks 11 years ago with the dream of bringing a championship to Dallas, until that point an historically unsuccessful franchise. Cuban built the Mavericks into a winner, one of the most consistent teams in the league. And, Sunday, finally delivered a championship. "There’s not a guy on our roster who hasn’t been doubted significantly for one reason or the other. And the fact that they were able to pull together, I mean, I’m just so [expletive] proud of them," Cuban told reporters.
John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Just as Cuban deserves credit for transforming the Mavericks into a winning franchise, coach Rick Carlisle deserves a hand for devising the formula to stop the Heat. Carlsisle, Hollinger writes, was pitch perfect in adjusting his team to beat the Heat.

By the 19th inning on Wednesday night, the Philadelphia Phillies had used up all of their actual relief pitchers. Unwilling to send in anyone else from his starting rotation, manager Charlie Manuel instead turned to 33-year-old Wilson Valdez,  usually a backup infielder, who had started the game at second base.
Valdez came through with a hitless inning, and he picked up the victory after Raul Ibañez broke a tie with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 19th to end the longest game of the season — 6 hours, 11 minutes.
Valdez became the first position player to get a pitching win since catcher Brent Mayne in 2000 for the Colorado Rockies. Heck, at least Mayne had some major league experience returning the ball to the mound. Valdez's feat is much more impressive.

Dallas Mavericks star Shawn Marion is gonna be busy next month -- because we're told, he's shooting a pilot for a reality TV show ... right around the same time the Mavs crush Miami in the NBA finals (if there is a God).It's tentatively called "The Ladies in My Life" -- and big surprise ... it's all about Shawn and the important women in his day-to-day ... including his mom, sisters, publicist ... and his endless stream of lovers.

One of the featured family members is Shawn's twin sister Shawnett -- who's 6-feet tall and can DUNK a basketball!!

Oh, we almost forgot -- the show is being filmed in the NBA star's 14,000 square foot Dallas mansion.

James Harden did not have a great first half of his season. He was passive, and struggled to find an identity in the Thunder's offense. But after nearly being traded at the deadline, Harden went on a tear. Then, in the playoffs, he hit another gear all together. That gear hit the absolute limit on Thursday night as Harden dropped an elite performance in the Thunder's Game 2 win over the Mavericks.

Harden scored 23 points on nine field goals, and added 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals with no turnovers in Game 2. Pull-up three-pointer and-one? Yeah, he got that. Driving layup in transition off a rebound coast-to-coast and-one? Indeed.

James Harden played above his ceiling Wednesday night. But it's only the ceiling for where he's at right now, as a 21-year-old role player on a young roster. It's probably closer to his career ceiling, as a potential No. 2 option on a championship-caliber squad. And it should be noted that, when give time this season, he's produced 20-points-plus games. But with all the rest of the production, you have to be a little concerned this was an outlier, just for where he's at right now.  Harden may crash back to the earth, but if he doesn't, he's in position to be the difference between for the Thunder between a championship and a disappointing finish. If he produces even 75 percent of this production consistently, the Thunder will be nearly unstoppable. You can contain the Thunder when it's just Westbrook and Durant. But if they can counter with this kind of all-around brilliance from Harden, it's too much.

Harden's advantage in this series isn't just tricks and fireworks, though. The loss of Caron Butler for the Mavs rears its ugly head again as Dallas has no player to check Harden. DeShawn Stevenson, Shawn Marion, J.J. Barea, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry... no one matches up well on Harden, and he's exploiting it. Overplay him and he draws the foul. Give him space but cover the jumper, and he makes the perfect pass. There's not a combination of players or schemes Rick Carlisle can afford to throw at Harden, not with Kevin Durant and, most often, Russell Westbrook on the floor.

Harden's in his second year. This development shouldn't be accelerating as quickly as it is. But that's what teams need to make championship runs: for good players to play great. And that's what Harden's done in the face of a matchup advantage. If he keeps producing like this, Harden will get to see if he can duplicate his production in the Finals.