This ball was issued for the 2011 NBA Finals, when the Dallas💞 Mavericks played the Miami Heat. The Mavericks defeated the Heat in six games, capturing their first championship in franchise history. 

The Heat came out strong in Game 1, taking a 92–84 win behind LeBron’s 2෴4 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Miami’s athleticism, defensive intensity, and star power looked overwhelming at times. But the tide of the series would quickly shift. Despite being down 15 with under seven minutes left in Game 2, Dalla▨s stormed back to stun Miami with a comeback win — punctuated by a Nowitzki left-handed layup through injury — that would define the tone of the series.

From that moment on, the Mavericks seized control through relentless execution, unmatched chemistry, and heroic performances from Nowitzki, who averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds over the series, including clutch buckets in nearly every fourth quarter. Miami’s stars, meanwhile, struggled to close. Most notably, LeBron James, in his first Finals since 2007, faced immense criticism for his fourth-quarter disappearances — averaging just 17.8 points per game in the serℱies, the lowest of any playoff series in his career.

The Mavericks closed out the Heat in six games, winning 105–95 in Game 6 in Miami. Dirk was name𒁃d Finals MVP and finally secured the championship that had eluded him — a moment that would elevate his standing as one of the greatest forwards of all time.

Though Miami fell short, the 2011 Finals would become a turning point for the Heat dynasty. The pain of defeat galvanized theꦅir core. LeBron, humbled and fueled by criticism, returned the next year with a renewed focus and went on to win two championships with the Heat in 2🅠012 and 2013.