It's official.

We have a series -  but before I go on, let me get this off my chest.

Dallas got screwed.                                                     

Stu Jackson in his infinite wisdom, couldn't resist fouling up a good call. Jerry Stackhouse's takedown of Shaq was "upgraded" to a Flagrant Two, and a Game Five vacation. A suspension was unwarranted. While the Stackhouse foul was indeed excessive, he was clearly preventing not only a breakaway slam, but a little Showtime by Shaq and Jason Williams I did not see any intent in injure, nor did several ex-NBA players and analysts who commented on the call.

Of course, such a consistent view towards common sense has never slowed down Stu Jackson before. I suppose I must give him some credit - he has been a consistent pansy. Expecting Stackhouse to wrap up a 350 pound man running at full speed is as unrealistic as expecting Shaq to not occasionally give a player a bloody nose, as Jerry received from him in Game One.

Looking at the replay, it's clear HOW Stackhouse could have avoided a flagrant two - by going through the motions of holding O'Neal upright after the foul. Yeah right...

Somebody PLEASE get Stu Jackson a Dairy Queen to manage.

Now back to our regularly scheduled flow...

After looking like an old and tired team the first two games, Miami is on a roll. The Mavs are currently in danger of being the first team to lose all three middle games since the 2-3-2 format was enacted. Who takes a truly pivotal Game Five? And it all comes back to The Stars.

The Good

It's entirely understandable that Dwayne Wade has battled back spasms and a sore knee. To paraphrase Kareem's immortal line from "Airplane!" YOU try carrying Shaq on your back and see if your spine doesn't protest. Flash Wade has entered the lane with as much ease as Barry Allen (the original Flash) vibrated through walls. Air Jordan never penetrated as relentlessly - and as successfully - as Wade has is this series. When you factor in drives with a deadly midrange jumper in the last three games, and we have our Mid-Series MVP.

Wade has been too much for Adrian Griffin, Devin Harris (although Harris had his moments staying in front and drawing charges in Game 4), and pretty much anyone else Avery Johnson trots out. Short of firing up the Wayback Machine and signing the 1994 Dennis Rodman or 1985 Dennis Johnson, I'm not sure Dallas can contain Wade with one man.

At this point it may be time for Dallas to consider the unthinkable.

Give Shaq Daddy single coverage much more and run everyone at Wade. For all of the talk about the O'Neal Bounceback, he's not scored 20 points since Game 1. He's overdue a 25 point-15 ballboard explosion. So what? I don't know if a box-and-one defense can work in the NBA, but now is a really, really, really good time to find out.

The Big

Shaquille O'Neal rebounded from a horrific Game 2. But let's slow our roll please. The Return Of The Diesel is somewhat exaggerated at this point, as O'Neal has been more hybrid than Diesel the last three games - you know, efficient but not really high performance.. Erick Dampier has played so well that Shaq huffed to a reporter, "It's not fair to compare us, I get double-teamed." While true, it speaks volumes that the man that Shaq has publically disparaged on multiple occasions has played O'Neal on fairly even terms.

Where Shaq has truly stepped up has been on defense. It's been...hmm...oh, around 2001 since I've seen O'Neal attack the pick and roll this consistently. Dallas guards have had to work harder to get into the lane with O'Neal challenging the screens. The ripple effect has extended to his teammates on defense. The downside to this the amount of energy that Shaq has to expend extending his defense. And expend it he will, since the Heat have no man to man lockdown defenders.

How long can even a newly slimmed-down O'Neal maintain his defensive intensity? As I wrote in an earlier piece, if Shaq is truly conscious of his legacy, he will respond on the Finals stage. How much offense does he have left? Will Dallas change their defense to slow down Wade, and in doing so, will that increase the shot opportunities for Shaq? Can he then convert? And will his newfound improvement to mediocrity at the foul line continue?

The Ugly

As we say in a street game, Dirk Nowitzki has got to Man Up.

Right now.

"Man Up", for the hip-impaired among you, is the 21st-century Gut Check. Dirk has literally been knocked to the floor. Now, Dirk, take a page from your teammate Jerry Stackhouse and get up and take it to the rack again. Harder.

 After an ugly 2-14 performance in Game 4, Dirk is shooting 36% in the Finals. Dirk has to understand and accept that nothing short of a decapitation will get Shaq a Flagrant Two. For all of the strategies that will be employed to get Dirk better shots, the most important move will take place between the ears of Number 41. In Game 4 Udonis Haslem was a non-factor due to foul trouble and Dirk still couldn't get off. While Miami's defense was improved, Dirk had many good looks at the basket and couldn't knock down the shots.

One line of thinking holds that Miami has the edge in the series because they have the edge in superstars, two to one. At this point, Miami leads 1-0. That bodes ill for Dallas. Two or three strong Nowitzki-esque performances and Dallas brings home the O'Brian.

Dirk, it's time to Man Up.