DALLAS — Former LSU All-American and National College Player of the Year Shaquille O’Neal made good on his promise to bring an NBA championship to his Miami Heat Tuesday night in Dallas when the Heat downed the Dallas Mavericks, 95-92, to win the best of series, 4-2.
It marked just the third time in The Finals history that a team has come from 2-0 down to win the championship.
While not as dominant a factor as in his past championship appearances, O’Neal was there when the Heat needed him. He played in 59 games this season, averaging 20 points a game, showing many in the league the 34-year-old still had plenty of game after 14 NBA seasons.
For O’Neal it was his fourth NBA championship, the other three coming in the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He moved to the Heat after the Lakers lost to Detroit in the 2004 Finals, promising to bring a championship to a franchise that has yet to experience The NBA Finals.
O’Neal, the two-time Player of the Year in the SEC and the 1991 National Player of the Year in college, was the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft in 1992 after his junior season by the Orlando Magic.