10 Greatest NBA Finals performers in Dallas Mavericks history

6. Jason Kidd

The Dallas Mavericks had plenty of heroes against the Miami Heat in the 2011 Finals, and Jason Kidd deserves praise for being one of them.

His numbers may not show it (7.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest), but the current Mavs coach performed really well in the championship round. Against an opponent that had the advantage in star power, Kidd provided Dallas with stability and steady ball-handling.

Despite being the chief playmaker, the 10-time All-Star also served as one of the team's most dangerous 3-and-D threat. He sank 12 3-pointers in the series, which was second only to DeShawn Stevenson's 13 makes, and hit 42.9% of his shots from beyond the arc.

J-Kidd also took on the assignment of defending LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, more than holding his own against the superstars and his "Redeem Team" teammates. At 38 years old, he was a step slower in 2011 than he was back in the day. However, he proved against the Heat why he deserves to be named one of the 15 best defenders of all time.

It would have been quite a feat to help Dallas win a title as a player and then a coach. Still, steering the franchise to a third-ever Finals appearance when people expected him to fail is already a significant achievement.

With his experiences as the Mavs' starting point guard during the 2011 title run and the lessons he gained from the recently concluded Finals, Kidd should give fans hope that the organization will continue to compete for championships in the following years.