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The gut-kicking nature of the Spurs’ come-from-ahead overtime loss in Game 6 of the NBA Finals reminded Mark Cuban of one of the most miserable moments in Metroplex sports history.

“Hate to say this, but this game felt like the Rangers in the World Series,” Cuban tweeted after the Heat’s home rally from 13 down to even the series, including a five-point comeback in the final minute of regulation.

As far as historic Game 6 meltdowns go, the Spurs’ crunch-time crumbling certainly conjured memories of the Rangers’ blowing leads when twice being a strike away from finishing off the St. Louis Cardinals for the franchise’s first title two years ago. The image of Nelson Cruz’s right-field adventure at Busch Stadium that resulted in a David Freese triple will forever be burned in the minds of Rangers fans.

At least the Spurs have four NBA championships to fall back on if they can’t claim Game 7 in Miami.

Of course, the Spurs’ loss could also cause flashbacks of the Mavs’ Miami meltdown in the 2006 Finals, when Cuban’s squad left Dallas with a 2-0 series lead before letting a 13-point lead slip away in Game 3, the first of four straight, controversy-packed, free-throw-filled losses.

The Mavs got their revenge by beating the Heat in 2011, months before the Rangers came one play away in St. Louis.

There might as well be a neon “FOR SALE” sign on the No. 13 pick. The Mavs aren’t just listening to offers for their lottery pick. They’re actively pursuing them, hoping to pick up a future asset while preventing the pick’s $1.655 million cap hold from getting on their books before free agency begins.

What if the Mavs don’t part with the pick? A pair of point guards – Syracuse’s Michael Carter-Williams and Germany’s Dennis Schroeder – are the most intriguing possibilities.

The Mavs aren’t likely to agree to any deal until they’re on the clock, just in case a player they love falls to them at No. 13. Put it this way: It’d be extremely difficult for Dallas to pass on Carter-Williams, an athletic, creative point guard who comes in a 6-foot-6 package.

Schroeder, who worked out for the Mavs, would also get serious consideration at No. 13.

No, not because he shares a homeland with Dirk Nowitzki. That’s just a neat little storyline.

PODCAST
Chuck Cooperstein joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Coop is staying true to his pick that the Spurs will win in six games and says that the Heat's legacy is on the line. Listen

One talent evaluator sees shades of Rajon Rondo in the 6-foot-2, 165-pound, 19-year-old Schroeder: long arms, big hands, excellent quickness, explosive athleticism, natural passing ability, confidence. His game is still raw, but Schroeder is a good shooter and penetrator who gets his teammates involved.

And the Mavs would likely be able to talk Schroeder into staying in Europe for a season. That’d be the best-case scenario: acquiring a talent they’re high on without impacting this summer’s salary cap.

Maybe the Mavs could trade down and still pick Schroeder. If not him, there are other overseas stash candidates who might be Mavs targets in that scenario, including Russian swingman Sergey Karasev, French center Rudy Gobert and Greek small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

But it wouldn’t be surprising if the Mavs stay at No. 13 and pick a point guard.

It’d be news if the Mavericks weren’t interested in a starting-caliber free agent who plays point guard, shooting guard or center.

At this point, the Mavs must explore all options and at least do their due diligence on every potential roster addition. It’s imperative to be prepared for Plans C, D, E, etc. in case they don’t land Chris Paul (looking like a longer and longer shot by the minute) or Dwight Howard.

So an in-his-prime guard with a career average of 19.4 points per game is definitely going to pique the Mavs’ interest. That doesn’t mean Monta Ellis would be a perfect fit here by any stretch of the imagination.

The Mavs’ preference would be to get an established pass-first point guard to work with Dirk Nowitzki. That description definitely doesn’t fit Ellis, who has never averaged more than six assists per game and launched more shots than any player other than Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony last season. Ellis is really a combo guard, not a point guard. (He'd be a great fit for Jason Terry's old role, but that's a luxury the Mavs don't have right now.)

The Mavs’ ideal point guard would be a deadly 3-point threat who could also consistently knock down the midrange jumpers that are so often wide open when running pick-and-pops with Dirk. Ellis is a classic volume jump shooter; he fires up a bunch and a few actually go in.

PODCAST
Chuck Cooperstein joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Coop is staying true to his pick that the Spurs will win in six games and says that the Heat's legacy is on the line. Listen

Ellis’ 3-point accuracy last season (28.7 percent on 328 tries) was the NBA’s worst among any player with more than 170 attempts. According to hoopdata.com, Ellis attempted the second-most long 2-pointers among point guards (4.9 per game) despite hitting only 34.0 percent of them.

And Ellis is an inconsistent defender, to put it kindly. He gets a lot of steals, but he gets beat too often.

Why would the Mavs be interested in a player with so many flaws?

Start with the fact that Ellis is one of the most dynamic penetrators in the league. You could make a strong case that Nowitzki has never played with anyone who could match Ellis’ ability to get to the basket. Signing Ellis would immediately and significantly ease the offensive burden on Nowitzki, adding an element that has been missing from the Mavs’ offense.

And, other than CP3, it’s not like there are any perfect point guard candidates in free agency.

Jose Calderon is a great passer and shooter, but he’s a poor defender who isn’t a creator. Mo Williams is a shooter who doesn’t scare anyone off the dribble. Jarrett Jack is a combo guard who isn’t especially athletic. And on and on.

The Mavs have some interest in all of them. Which one they sign, if any of them, will depend on money among other factors.

If Ellis gets close to the $11 million salary he’d been making, the Mavs would be wise to pass. He’s far from a perfect fit for the Mavs as a point guard, so he’d better be a good fit financially.

The Mavericks’ backup plan if they miss out on a big fish apparently doesn’t recruit chasing restricted free agents.

At least, that’s what Mark Cuban indicated during his radio appearance Monday afternoon.

“I don’t know if there are any free agents that are requiring offer sheets that are on our radar right now,” Cuban said, pointing to the process of waiting for the player’s previous team to exercise its right to match as the reason.

The most intriguing restricted free agents: Minnesota center Nikola Pekovic, Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings and Sacramento combo guard Tyreke Evans. Hold off on custom orders for any of those guys in Mavs jerseys, no matter how well the burly Pekovic's low-post game might mesh with Dirk Nowitzki's shooting skills.

Of course, the Mavs radar can change at a moment’s notice once the free agency frenzy gets going.

The Mavericks’ big-fish recruiting pitch includes essentially offering an assistant GM job and a squeaky-clean salary-cap picture for next summer.

We’ll see whether Chris Paul or Dwight Howard bite as they weigh the opportunity in Dallas against other options.

Never mind the dollar details for a moment. The Mavs must sell that their situation is more attractive than staying in Los Angeles – where the Clippers’ front office is working feverishly to upgrade the supporting cast and coaching staff and the Lakers will also have loads of cap space next summer – or joining James Harden in Houston or CP3 and D12 forming a duo in Atlanta.

Here’s the pitch …

“In essence, you get to come in and, it’s you and we have room for two more max free agents (next year),” Mavs owner Mark Cuban said during a Monday appearance on KTCK-AM. “That’s why when I talked about a two-year plan, that’s the concept there.

“So part of our sales pitch is, look, we’re not going to try to fool you and say that you and Dirk (Nowitzki) and Shawn Marion and Vince (Carter) and fill are basically a championship team. Maybe we get on a run, maybe we’re pretty good. But the reality is you’re going to work with us and Dirk to get out there and pick your team.”

Nowitzki’s intention to take a massive pay cut on his next contract is no secret. The big German has essentially hollered from the mountaintops that having a chance to win another championship is much more important than padding his bank account at this point of his Hall of Fame career.

There’s no doubt that Dirk will do what he can to make sure that the Mavs are active shoppers in next summer’s market, when LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Danny Granger and many others could be available along with restricted studs such as Kyrie Irving, Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins. Cuban’s comments are an indication that Nowitzki would be willing to play for the minimum, or close to it, if the Mavs can add multiple stars.

PODCAST
Mark Cuban joins ESPN Dallas GameDay to discuss the Mavericks' plans, the free-agent market and what possibilities there are for Dallas. Listen

The most logical Step 1 is signing one of the two proven superstars who are available this summer. (The odds of adding both via various versions of cap gymnastics are “extremely difficult,” as Cuban puts it. We’ll call it so miniscule that they don’t merit more than a parenthetical mention.)

But the Mavs aren’t the favorite for either big fish.

“I can’t lie and say, 'look, this is a slam dunk,'” Cuban said.

Let’s be brutally honest. Neither one is even an acceptable shot out of a typical offensive set. Some consider Paul and Howard halfcourt heaves for the Mavs. I’m optimistic enough to call them 30-footers, with the right for revision depending on news that develops as July 1 approaches.

So it’s on the Mavs to come up with Plan C, D, E and so on. And it’s smart of Cuban to try to create a little PR wiggle room for how this summer is judged.

“If we get one of our big names, that would be successful and get us on a two-year plan,” Cuban said. “(If) we don’t get one of the two big names and we sign two or three guys that make us good this year and allow us to compete for the fifth or sixth playoff spot or better and still keeps our cap room for next year to sign … let’s just say we keep it under $18 million, $19 million and we get a lot better with those three players and we still have cap room for two max-out guys, then we’ll also be successful.”

The Mavericks' selection in ESPN Insider Chad Ford's mock draft must be revised after his report that Croatian small forward Dario Saric is withdrawing from the draft.

The Mavs were interested enough in Saric for a Donnie Nelson-led contingent to recently travel to Croatia to scout the skilled 6-foot-10 teen. Saric could have been a fit for the Mavs with the No. 13 on two fronts: He’s a high-potential player who could have been stashed in Europe for a season, keeping him from counting against the salary cap this summer.

Alas, Saric has opted to delay his entry into the draft while he develops for another year, taking perhaps the Mavs’ most attractive draft option off the table. There are still many avenues the Mavs could take with their first lottery pick since 2000.

The Mavs are doing their due diligence in determining the value of the pick, actively engaging in trade discussions with teams around the league. That’s one possible way to keep the pick’s $1.655 million hold from counting against the Mavs’ cap as they try to create enough room to offer a max contract to Dwight Howard or Chris Paul.

PODCAST
Chuck Cooperstein joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Coop is staying true to his pick that the Spurs will win in six games and says that the Heat's legacy is on the line. Listen

(The Mavs technically can’t trade the pick due to the rule forbidding NBA teams from dealing first-round picks in consecutive years due to the protected-through-2017 pick that was part of the Lamar Odom deal/debacle and is now Oklahoma City’s property. But the Mavs can agree in principle on a deal, make the pick for another team and then trade the player.)

The Euro stash is another possibility. German point guard Dennis Schroeder and 7-foot-2 French center/forward Rudy Gobert are among the prospects who have worked out for the Mavs and are projected to be selected in the late lottery or middle of the first round. However, it isn’t clear if either would be interested in delaying the beginning of their NBA career to continue to develop in Europe.

The Mavs could also just pick the best college player available – Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams and UCLA small forward Shabazz Muhammad are big names with Mavs-related buzz -- and address their cap issues in other ways.

The truth is the Mavs don’t yet know what they want to do with the pick.

“It depends on what kind of offers we get,” Mark Cuban told us late last month on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM. “Everyone talks about this being a weak draft, so it depends on who falls to No. 13. We’re not going to make the decision way in advance.

"If we like the person at 13, we’ll keep it and we’ll figure something out elsewhere to free up cap space to get there, but that’ll be an option for us. If our guy doesn’t get there, we’ll look at trading it. … If a guy falls, we’ll be happy to take him and figure out how to work the cap. If no one wants to make a trade for whatever reason, we can maybe get a guy to stash overseas somewhere. If we put him overseas and he doesn’t play, he won’t count against our cap. There are so many different options, and we’ll explore them all.”

The only certainty: Saric won’t be one of those options.

UPDATE: “There’s risk involved," Cuban said Monday on KTCK-AM regarding the Mavs exploring possibilities with their lottery pick. "If somebody falls that we think is going to be a superstar and nobody else does, we’ll make the pick. I don’t think that’s likely. On the flip side, if you look at those teams that are over the tax threshold, they can’t sign-and-trade for a free agent. They only have the mini-mid level to sign and for the first time this year, they get hit higher with a new tax level. There are a lot of issues involved with those teams.

“As a result, the one way that they can inexpensively add decent players is through the draft. There able to trade future draft picks and or current players to get current draft picks, so the value of 13 is considerable. We’ll look at taking future draft picks. We’ll look at moving down and getting multiple draft picks. We’ll look at trading for players that we think are good. There are a lot of opportunities and options that we have.”

Déjà vu: The Heat’s backs are pinned against the wall as the NBA Finals head from Texas to Miami for Game 6.

Two years ago, the Mavericks put on their best black suits and finished their business, closing out the Heat in AmericanAirlines Arena before opening up a $90,000 bottle of champagne in a Miami Beach nightclub. Mavs fans surely have mixed emotions as the Spurs prepare for their chance to repeat that feat and clinch their fifth NBA title in 15 years.

This series, pitting the Mavs’ two primary rivals during Dallas’ dozen-year playoff run, represented the worst-case scenario for rooting interests around these parts. Folks here hate the Heat, plain and simple. They begrudgingly respect their Interstate 35 rivals -- the Spurs are a lot harder to hate now that Bruce Bowen is talking for ESPN instead of tripping jump-shooters, huh? -- but they actually have to interact with San Antonio fans and sure don’t want those yahoos to have another title to scream about.

Chief MFFL Mark Cuban has made it clear that he’d prefer for the Spurs to prevail. That’s a small dose of Lone Star State pride and a heaping helping of intense Heat hatred talking.

That deep-seated hatred is understandable for Dallas basketball fans. After all, Dwyane Wade and the Heat not only ripped the Larry O’Brien Trophy out of the Mavs’ hands in 2006, but they did so in especially painful fashion, with the assistance of dozens of whistles that have fueled more conspiracy theories than JFK’s assassination. And Wade had the nerve to rub it in months later, publicly dissing Dirk Nowitzki’s clutch chops and leadership skills.

PODCAST
Chuck Cooperstein joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Coop is staying true to his pick that the Spurs will win in six games and says that the Heat's legacy is on the line. Listen

Oh, and during the title rematch five years later, Wade, a man who holds the NBA record for milking drama out of injuries and ailments, had the nerve to mock Dirk’s cough after the face of the Mavs’ franchise delivered a Finals game-winner despite a three-figure temperature. LeBron James made the PR mistake of playing along with Wade in that instance – less than a year after making the biggest PR miscalculation in modern sports history, breaking up with his hometown by infamously using “The Decision” to tell the world that he intended to take his talents to South Beach to join forces with Wade and Chris Bosh.

That tremendously tone-deaf decision ensured that the Heat would be among the most polarizing teams in NBA history. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em, and that isn’t a difficult decision in Dallas.

I get that … but the Heat winning enhances the historical importance of the Mavs’ first title.

If the Heat fulfill LeBron’s post-signing, pep-rally promise to claim multiple championships, the 2011 Mavs will always be remembered as the team that delayed the dynasty. There’s a decent chance, depending on LeBron’s decision next summer, that the Mavs could be the lone team to eliminate King James’ Miami crew.

That’s a heck of a piece of history. That ought to trump Heat hate, but then again, it’s hard to judge another man’s hatred.

With the NBA Finals in full swing, the Mavericks are watching two familiar foes -- the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat -- battle it out for the chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Both teams have key components that established them as championship contenders. Let's point out those components and how the Mavericks can learn from them.

Miami and San Antonio clearly have chemistry through continuity. Chemistry is something that is often discussed as an intangible, but it’s often difficult to quantify how much of an impact chemistry plays in success or failure. Some say it is the X-factor that separates two teams that are evenly matched. Some say it’s just a lame excuse to explain why a talented team just didn’t fulfill its potential.

If you're familiar with your environment, you will likely maneuver through it in an easier fashion. You gain familiarity over time. That familiarity and continuity allows you to feel confident in your abilities, even when you have to travel on the road into a hostile environment.

While San Antonio’s core has been together for much longer, Miami’s core has been together now for three years. They established their big three, and as the seasons moved by they have added parts to their rotation. On top of that, the Heat have kept most of those new parts together.

San Antonio has clearly had their big three together for a long time, with the earliest incarnation of it starting during the 2002-03 season. Through doubts of old age and improved competition, the Spurs kept their core together and have reaped the benefits of that decision.

PODCAST
Dirk Nowitzki joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett live in studio to discuss the moves he expects the Mavericks to make this summer, what his pitch would be to Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, and his upcoming Heroes Celebrity baseball game. Listen

The 2011 Mavs were a team that was built over time. They had established the two-man game between Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry over a span of just over half a decade. They also had a couple of years to incorporate Jason Kidd's basketball IQ and use it to create their flow offense. Shawn Marion had time within the organization before the championship year to establish himself as the defensive stopper on the perimeter. Over time, the Mavs created that continuity and chemistry that established the framework of their championship roster.

Looking back at this past season, they tried to build a makeshift roster, mainly on one-year deals, in the attempt to build chemistry on the fly. For multiple reasons, that attempt clearly didn’t work for them. The new CBA has worked against most teams, and the Mavs tried to work ahead of the learning curve as teams have to adapt to building a new form of cohesion and continuity.

Owner Mark Cuban certainly knows that his first major run with this new approach didn’t work and is willing to prepare with a new model if Dallas' grand attempts at acquiring a superstar fall short. “If we don’t get the big name (free agent), we want to start building that base of a team that can start having some continuity of playing together,” Cuban said earlier this month during a radio interview.

Based on the lack of information that’s being floated around, it seems like many of the current Mavs that are free agents are out of sight and out of mind in terms of coming back next year. Whether it’s a one-year or his noted two-year plan, Cuban is making it clear that the Mavs need to build continuity. That’s not a bad thing.

Bryan Gutierrez currently covers the Dallas Mavericks for The Two Man Game, an ESPN affiliate blog on the TrueHoop Network. Gutierrez, who has covered the Mavs since 2010, studied journalism and psychology at Texas Tech University.

IRVING, Texas -- With recently retired NBA star Jason Kidd being named the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was asked if an NFL player could leave the field and become a head coach quickly as Kidd did.

PODCAST
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle gives his take on the NBA Finals, talks about the Nets decision to hire Jason Kidd, the advice hed give Kidd about being a head coach in the NBA and more. Listen

"It would be a challenge," Garrett said. "If anybody could do it, Jason Kidd could do it. If anybody watched him play basketball for one minute knows how he sees the game and how he understands the game is as good as anybody who has ever played the game. The success that he's had throughout his career, individually and with the teams he's been on has been remarkable."

Kidd retired from the NBA on June 3, and after a conversation with his agent, Jeff Schwartz, the idea was broached about becoming a head coach.

"I have a lot to learn about coaching," Kidd said at a news conference Thursday. "But when I played the game, I looked at myself as an extension of the coach. And now I look at Deron (Williams) to be that guy."

Garrett, who follows some of the New York-area pro teams, is an admirer of Kidd.

"I'm a true fan of his," Garrett said. "I wish him nothing but the best."

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle gives his take on the NBA Finals, talks about the Nets' decision to hire Jason Kidd, the advice he'd give Kidd about being a head coach in the NBA and more.

Listen here.

With the NBA Finals in full swing, the Mavericks are watching two familiar foes -- the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat -- battle it out for the chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Both teams have key components that established them as championship contenders. Let's point out those components and how the Mavericks can learn from them.

One of the most efficient shots on the floor is the corner 3-pointer. One thing that both Miami and San Antonio have in common is that they’re both strong in terms of offense and defense from that spot.

For Miami, they were first in the league during the regular season with 309 corner 3s made. The Heat's biggest weapons were Shane Battier and Ray Allen. Battier actually led the entire league with 88 corner 3s, while Allen ranked eighth with 63. Miami maximized this strength and made sure other teams couldn’t capitalize on it as they ranked second in defending corner 3s based on percentage.

Miami ranked first in corner 3s and San Antonio wasn't far behind, ranking third with 261 makes. The Spurs had two players who ranked in the top 20. Danny Green was second with 73 corner 3s made and Kawhi Leonard had 52, ranking 18th in the league. San Antonio allowed only 156 corner 3s in the league, the seventh-fewest in the league.

Looking at Dallas, the Mavs ranked 21st in the league in corner 3s made with only 141. O.J. Mayo made the most with 26 and ranked 65th in the league. The Mavs only had two other players in the top 100 -- rookie Jae Crowder ranked 78th and Darren Collison ranked 89th. The Mavs allowed the fifth-most corner 3s in the league. They also ranked as the 10th-worst team in defending corner 3s based on percentage. Those numbers show that Dallas didn’t utilize or defend that critical zone.

Looking back at the Mavs’ 2011 championship team, there is a radical shift in the numbers between then and now. Back in 2010-11, Dallas was fifth in the league with 211 corner 3s.

PODCAST
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle gives his take on the NBA Finals, talks about the Nets decision to hire Jason Kidd, the advice hed give Kidd about being a head coach in the NBA and more. Listen

The eventual champions had two players who ranked in the top 25. DeShawn Stevenson was 21st with 45 corner 3s, while Jason Terry had 44, ranking 24th in the league. Surprisingly, Brian Cardinal ranked 67th. Dirk Nowitzki ranked 96th and Jason Kidd was 99th in the league.

Like the teams in this year’s NBA Finals, the Mavs held their own defending the corner 3 during their championship run. The Mavs allowed only 158 corner 3s that season, the eighth-fewest in the league. They also ranked ninth in defending corner 3s based on percentage.

Dallas has one of the best weapons the league has to offer as a shooter in Nowitzki. They need people on the corner that can be just as dangerous of a weapon.

Bryan Gutierrez currently covers the Dallas Mavericks for The Two Man Game, an ESPN affiliate blog on the TrueHoop Network. Gutierrez, who has covered the Mavs since 2010, studied journalism and psychology at Texas Tech University.

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is president of the coaches association and a key member of the NBA's competition committee. What does he think about some Hoopideas, including adjustments to replay and potential rules changes?

With the NBA Finals in full swing, the Mavericks are watching two familiar foes -- the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat -- battle it out for the chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Both teams have key components that established them as championship contenders. Let's point out those components and how the Mavericks can learn from them.

Both Miami and San Antonio have depth at their disposal. On top of that, their depth is versatile. Whether it is Kawhi Leonard, Ray Allen, Matt Bonner or Shane Battier, each team has multiple options who are solid at multiple facets of the game.

PODCAST
ESPN senior NBA analyst Marc Stein joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the NBA Finals and latest Mavericks news. Listen

Each team’s respective big three carry the load, but the role players can step up in big situations. If LeBron James has to be relied upon to bring more offense, Miami has someone in Battier who can take on a larger defensive responsibility and still be viewed as a threat from beyond the arc. San Antonio’s Boris Diaw can bring versatility as a big man if the Spurs have to adjust to a shrinking lineup Miami might throw at them.

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle isn’t very fond of judging players by the old, by-the-book way of thinking. “He’s a basketball player” is a phrase that often comes out of the coach’s mouth. The game is shifting away from defined labels for players based on position. Carlisle, as well as the two coaches involved in the NBA Finals, have recognized this and often try to find the best lineups that can be placed out on the floor, regardless of the traditional positions.

Neither Miami nor San Antonio rely on a dominant big man down on the block. Both teams faced challenges in their respective conference finals against clubs that had menacing big men. If either team lost, that might have shifted the balance in the future in regards to teams trying to gear more towards a traditional big man down on the low post. With San Antonio and Miami in the Finals, “small ball” prevails.

Now, Dallas has to try to find the right pieces that can bring true depth. The pieces they had this season didn’t amount to much, as they were depleted at the point guard and center positions. They have a relatively clean slate to work with. You have Dirk Nowitzki as the focal point and Shawn Marion and Vince Carter as the veterans. Those two could easily be moved in the offseason, but they also work perfectly in what the Mavs would need to do if they’re building a roster based on depth and versatility.

The championship team of 2011 provides an additional example of how the depth can be advantageous. The Mavs had players such as DeShawn Stevenson and Brian Cardinal who could provide tough defense and perimeter shooting. While Tyson Chandler was seen as the major big man, Brendan Haywood was a solid rim protector who could hold his own in the rebounding department. Like the Heat and the Spurs, the Mavs’ title squad had enough depth to withstand whatever challenges came their way.

Depth has delivered success to Miami and San Antonio. It clearly delivered to Dallas back in 2011. With a roster full of holes, the front office must choose wisely with their open spots.

Bryan Gutierrez currently covers the Dallas Mavericks for The Two Man Game, an ESPN affiliate blog on the TrueHoop Network. Gutierrez, who has covered the Mavs since 2010, studied journalism and psychology at Texas Tech University.

With the NBA Finals in full swing, the Mavericks are watching two familiar foes -- the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat -- battle it out for the chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Both teams have key components that established them as championship contenders. Let's point out those components and how the Mavericks can learn from them.

Miami and San Antonio aren’t one-trick ponies. It’s been established that they are skilled and efficient on the offensive end of the floor, but both teams are equally skilled on the defensive end. The “defensive rating” is an advanced statistic that measures a team’s points allowed per 100 possessions.

Out of all NBA teams, there were only three that were ranked in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency in the regular season. Oklahoma City was one of the teams. The other two are in the Finals.

Miami ranked first in offensive efficiency with a rating of 110.3 and seventh in defensive efficiency with a rating of 100.5. San Antonio was seventh in offensive efficiency with a rating of 105.9 and third in defensive efficiency with a rating of 99.2.

When it comes to defense, neither team has a dominant big man in the post who collects all of the rebounds or anchors the middle, so they mask that weakness by putting a stronger emphasis on contesting shots. The downside is that fouls tend to add up and fewer rebounds are collected. The risk is worth the reward because the opposing offense is disrupted with contested shots.

This season, Dallas had the 10th worst defensive efficiency in the league with a rating of 104.0. That rating was the third worst defensive mark for the Mavericks in the last 10 years.

PODCAST
Dirk Nowitzki joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett live in studio to discuss the moves he expects the Mavericks to make this summer, what his pitch would be to Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, and his upcoming Heroes Celebrity baseball game. Listen

With O.J. Mayo and Darren Collison as the perimeter defenders, the opposing team often had a clear path to the basket. The two guards being beaten by back cuts and off-ball screens that contributed to the Mavs' lackluster defensive effort.

During the 2011 title run, Dallas showed the defensive disposition that coach Rick Carlisle craves. The Mavs had the seventh best defensive efficiency with a rating of 102.3, their best during the last five seasons. While there were only three teams in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings this season, there were only two teams in the top 10 in both categories in 2011: Dallas and Miami.

The Mavs had a true defensive anchor in Tyson Chandler. He was a solid last line of defense as his teammates gambled on the perimeter. The Mavs also played together on a string. By doing that -- which requires teamwork, coordination, trust and synchronicity -- they were a team with only one premiere defender but became a roster full of team defenders. It came down to the five players on the floor doing their job, being in position and being accountable.

Dallas’ flow offense is predicated on its ability to get stops. If the front office finds players who believe in playing on a string and bringing a strong defensive disposition, it will open things up on the offensive end of the floor. The Mavs don’t need a roster full of All-NBA defenders. They just need a set of players who will buy in to playing defense together as a team.

Bryan Gutierrez currently covers the Dallas Mavericks for The Two Man Game, an ESPN affiliate blog on the TrueHoop Network. Gutierrez, who has covered the Mavs since 2010, studied journalism and psychology at Texas Tech University.

With the NBA Finals in full swing, the Mavericks are watching two familiar foes -- the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat -- battle it out for the chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Both teams have key components that established them as championship contenders. Let's point out those components and how the Mavericks can learn from them.

There is an advanced statistic know as the “offensive rating” that measures a team's points scored per 100 possessions. Both Miami and San Antonio ranked in the top 10 during the regular season. Miami ranked first with an offensive rating of 110.3, while San Antonio ranked seventh at 105.9.

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It makes sense that the two teams are proficient on the offensive end of the floor, but what exactly are they doing to be so effective?

The three biggest ways Miami and San Antonio capitalize on offense: Spacing, ball movement and masking. All three require a high level of basketball IQ.

Both Miami and San Antonio ensure they have at least one or two guys on the floor who change the geometry of the floor with their ability to hit a 3-point shot. The threat of that forces opposing defenses to stretch themselves. That space creates an easy decision for the player driving to the lane, forcing the defense to collapse on them, and gives the ability to kick out to an open man.

Neither Miami nor San Antonio has one player on their roster that would be considered a ball stopper -- someone who gets the ball and doesn’t immediately do something with it, whether it’s dribbling, passing or shooting. The ball will always move faster than a player, so proper ball movement can eventually break an opposing defense down. Both of the teams in the Finals do a tremendous job of sharing the basketball and trusting everyone who is on the floor to do the right thing with the basketball.

Masking is a form of deception and misdirection. Deception is necessary now as advanced scouting allows teams to know specifics sets that will be operated against them. The masking forces the opposing defenses to believe a designed set is coming, only to reveal a hidden layer within the set. By the time the defense realizes the actual play, it’s too late. The deception is usually triggered by a player driving to the rim and having someone set a screen for a shooter on the weak side of the floor. As the driver gets to the rim, sucking in the defense, he dishes out the ball to the open man on the other side.

In regards to spacing, the Mavericks acquired Peja Stojakovic during the championship run after he was released from the Toronto Raptors because of his reputation for being one of the premiere perimeter shooters to ever play the game. At the time, Dallas was desperate to find a weak-side shooter to keep opposing teams honest and space the floor when Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry were on the floor together.

The Mavs’ ball movement during the 2011 title run was second to none. Nowitzki set the table for the ball movement with his unselfish plays either in the low, mid or high post. Since Rick Carlisle has been the head coach, the team has prided itself on crisp ball movement. The championship run was no different.

Finally, the Mavericks' deception was transparent, but still extremely effective. They clearly wanted to get the ball to Nowitzki. By making Nowitzki the screener, they were able to create space for him. Whether it was Jason Terry, Jason Kidd or J.J. Barea, they all waited to see how the defense would react to Nowitzki’s pick and pop motion. To keep defenses honest, the misdirection would come when Nowitzki would set screens for someone other than the ball handler. With the defense so focused on him, another teammate on the weak side would set a secondary screen for the last remaining player on the floor to where they could finish at the rim or along the baseline.

The spacing, ball movement and masking all work together. It’s worked to this point for the Heat and the Spurs. It certainly worked for the Mavs in 2011. With cap space, Dallas will need to reload with those three facets in mind.

Bryan Gutierrez currently covers the Dallas Mavericks for The Two Man Game, an ESPN affiliate blog on the TrueHoop Network. Gutierrez, who has covered the Mavs since 2010, studied journalism and psychology at Texas Tech University.