Mavs now have Jerry Stackhouse back on court and that could help Dallas shut-out Miami.

June 20, 2006 — -- DALLAS -- The fruitless Miami trip is behind them. And now the Dallas Mavericks, having lost three road games, have the chance to bring home their first NBA title by winning Games 6 and 7.

They have a great chance to do it. I expect the Mavericks to come out in Game 6 at home and play a great game. You're going to see a much quicker Dallas team out there. Jerry Stackhouse is coming back after missing Game 5 with a one-game Sack-A-Shaq suspension. Overall, you're going to see Mavs players who are prepared to take care of business.

Dirk Nowitzki, especially.

You saw him kick the ball in the stands after a tough Game 5 loss, and he was later caught on tape, taking out his postgame frustration on an unsuspecting exercise bicycle.

Take it as a good sign. I applaud his passion, and the will he has to win. Dirk wants to be the best, which frankly not everybody wants to be. I think he was frustrated in his own performance, and how the game went. I think he will feel very comfortable back at home for Game 6.

But what about Miami's chances? Winning in Dallas has proven to be a tall order for them.

Dwyane Wade has yet to play a great game in Dallas. Shaquille O'Neal's foul-shooting troubles have resurfaced. Still, if those two can excel, and the Heat get one other standout performance, I see a window of opportunity for the visitors.

Climbing through the window could be none other than Antoine Walker.

Talking Points Heard on ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick Show on Monday: Greg Anthony: Officiating was solid. There was contact on Wade.

Charles Barkley, TNT: Wade has been more of a factor than the officials

Reggie Miller, TNT: Officials are covering for themselves and Wade is getting 'Jordan-like' calls

It is now just a question of which 'Toine we see. He took seven shots in a Game 5 win and 19 in a Game 1 loss. Ideally for the Heat, he should be taking between 13-14 shots. What happens with those shots could be the difference between winning and losing.

But if things don't go very well for Shaq-Wade-Walker, we'll probably be seeing a Game 7 in Dallas.

After Wade's 43-point heroics Sunday, a team might want somebody else to beat them. But I don't think Dallas will use as much doubling on Wade as some would think. Down the stretch in Game 5, I think a player like Wade can sense when a team is confident in defending him; Dallas was not. That feeds him even more.

However, it's a different game in Dallas. This series may prove definitively why the home court means so much. Miami joins the 2004 Detroit Pistons as the only team to win the middle three home games of a series.

That's why you work so hard to get it -- I think the home-court advantage in basketball means more than in any other major sport. And it's also why Dallas deserves so much credit for taking down the defending champs on the road in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Dallas has played well for many stretches in Miami, and only really completely unraveled in the Game 4 loss. Miami had a spectacular effort from Wade in Game 5. When LeBron goes for 45 and Nowitzki hits for 50, it's always going to be hard to beat a team like that.

Dallas almost did. Now, Game 6 awaits.