After the Dallas Mavericks enjoyed their ring and banner ceremony, the Miami Heat took the floor and pretty much blitzed the Mavs for 48 minutes. Miami enjoyed a 30 plus point lead for much of the second half, but Dallas went on a run in the fourth quarter to make it slightly more respectable. When it was all said and done, the Heat closed out Dallas with a 105-94 Christmas day win. The score was most certainly not indicative of how complete and dominating Miami was for most of the afternoon.
Miami dominated Dallas on both ends of the floor, and in pretty much every statistical category. LeBron James led all scorers, finishing with 37 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. LeBron set the tone throughout the game and put on a dazzling display in transition. Dwyane Wade finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. James and Wade were a key part in Miami dominating Dallas on the glass, with the Heat enjoying a 51 to 31 rebound advantage.
While the game doesn't necessarily exorcise the demons from last June, it was an impressive performance for Miami as the Christmas Day win could provide the launchpad for a championship season.
For more on these two teams and their big rematch, head to Mavs Moneyball and visit Heat blog Peninsula Is Mightier. For news and notes from around the league, be sure to followSB Nation's NBA hub.