2006 NBA Finals Game 5 vs Mavericks

Lore & Background

Dwyane Wade shot 25 free throws—as many as all the Mavericks combined—leading the Heat to their third straight win. With 9.1 seconds left in overtime and the Heat trailing by 1 point, they inbounded the ball to Wade, who caught the ball in the air and then landed in the backcourt. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban felt Wade had therefore committed a backcourt violation after receiving the ball. Dallas was then penalized with a controversial foul call that sent Wade to the line to shoot the go-ahead free throws with 1.9 seconds left. Wade hit the first free throw, and Dallas coach Avery Johnson signaled to his team to call a timeout after Wade's second attempt. Josh Howard then made a timeout gesture with his hands and began to walk off the floor, and the referees called the Mavericks' last remaining timeout, which prevented them from advancing the ball after the second attempt if Wade converted. After the timeout, Wade made the second free throw to give his team a one-point lead, after which Devin Harris missed a half-court shot as time expired. Wade finished the game with 43 points while setting an NBA Finals record for most made free throws in a game with 21. Shaquille O'Neal had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Miami converted 32 of its 49 attempts from the free-throw line. Jason Terry led Dallas with 35 points, while Howard added 25. After the game, a frustrated Dirk Nowitzki kicked a ball into the stands and Cuban caused many 'acts of misconduct' resulting in fines of $5,000 and $250,000, respectively.

In Their Own Story

The clock ticked down in the fourth quarter, the air thick with sweat and tension. The Mavericks held a slim lead, their fans already celebrating a victory that felt inevitable. Dwyane Wade stood at the free-throw line, his jersey soaked, eyes locked on the rim. He drove left, absorbed contact from Josh Howard, and sank both shots. On the next possession, he stole the ball, sprinted down the court, and launched a contested layup over Dirk Nowitzki, the ball bouncing off the glass and dropping through the net with seconds remaining. The roar that erupted from the American Airlines Arena was not just noise; it was the sound of history being rewritten.

Reader's Guide

The Heat overcame a 2–0 series deficit to win the championship in six games. Game 5 was a pivotal home win that gave Miami a 3–2 lead, but the title was not clinched until Game 6 in Dallas.

Did You Know?

• Dwyane Wade shot 25 free throws in Game 5, as many as the entire Mavericks team.
• Wade set an NBA Finals record with 21 made free throws in a single game.
• Dirk Nowitzki was fined $5,000 for kicking a ball into the stands after the game.
• Mark Cuban was fined $250,000 for acts of misconduct after Game 5.