Sports media personality Nick Wright revisited one of the most debated series in basketball history to make a bold claim. He suggested a different superstar would have easily taken home the top individual award during the 2011 championship round. 

On an episode of the What's Wright with Nick Wright podcast, Wright said that Dwyane Wade was the best player for Miami during the 2011 NBA Finals and would have earned the Finals MVP trophy if the team had won.

He noted, "In the finals, he averaged 27, 7, 5, and was the best player on the Heat by far. LeBron was not with it that series. We all know the story there… They lose that series, but if the Heat managed to win that series, D Wade would’ve been finals MVP that series on a team with LeBron."

Wright claimed that Wade carried the team in earlier rounds. This performance stood in stark contrast to LeBron James' struggles during the series.

Wade averaged 26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists and recorded decent block and steal numbers. Meanwhile, James posted lower numbers across the board, finishing with 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists while struggling with efficiency and turnovers.

The series momentum shifted during Game 2. Wade delivered a masterful 36-point performance, and Miami held a commanding 15-point lead with only seven minutes remaining.

However, the Heat suffered a historic collapse, allowing Dallas to storm back and win the game 95-93. This loss allowed the Mavericks to tie the series and eventually win the 2011 NBA Finals in six games.

Dirk Nowitzki took home the Finals MVP honors for Dallas. However, Wright's entire argument relies on the "what if" scenario of Miami actually holding on to win that series.

Wright, a staunch James defender, uses the comparison to contextualize the superstar's only major Finals failure.

Why Nick Wright Revisits The Toughest Finals

Wright is widely known across sports media as a strong supporter of James. He acknowledges 2011 as the only major failure in an otherwise flawless Finals resume of James. 

The backlash from that Finals loss was huge at the time. Media members criticized James, calling him a choker who disappeared in the 4th quarter of crucial games. 

The statistic revealed that James scored a total of 18 points throughout all four quarters across the six games of the series.

The Mavericks played brilliant zone defense and scored clutch shots through role players like Jason Terry and Jason Kidd. Nowitzki played the hero despite fighting through a torn finger tendon and an illness. 

Dwyane Wade maintained his role as the team's most reliable player during the challenging period because he scored 26.5 points per game while shooting 54.6 percent from the field.

James was still adjusting to his new role and the pressure of the superteam spotlight.

What do you think about this 2011 Finals debate?

Read more at Air Jordan Chronicles! 

Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Gupta