The low placing of this 2006 encounter between Dwyane Wade's Heat and Dirk Nowitzki's Mavericks isn't due to its narrative arc. Miami embarked upon a stunning comeback after going 2-0 down, winning four consecutive games to clinch the first NBA Championship in their history. It was, however, a series plagued by an obscene number of niggly fouls and action-halting free throws. In Game 5, Wade shot from the line an outrageous 25 times (as many as the entire Dallas squad combined), sparking rumours of favouritism and referee bias towards one of the NBA's brightest young stars. The series still showcased some truly great performances despite this, including an ageing Shaquielle O'Neale dominating the glass like a sprightly 22 year old, and the impossibly nimble Wade racking up an average of 34.7 points a game.
