Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

Miami Heat players (from left to right) Udonis Haslem, Jason Williams, Dwyane Wade, Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, coach Pat Riley (holding trophy), James Posey, Antoine Walker and Shaquille O'Neal pose with the NBA championship trophy after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 on Tuesday.

updated 10:58 a.m. ET June 21, 2006

DALLAS - Pat Riley first promised it 11 years ago: a Miami Heat victory parade down Biscayne Boulevard. Shaquille O’Neal guaranteed it two summers ago, vowing to add a fourth ring to his big hand in his new city.

And with one tenacious game after another in these NBA finals, Dwyane Wade delivered both.

The Miami Heat are champions for the first time, thanks to two basketball greats who made good on their promises — and the next great one, whose promise seems unlimited.

The man they call “Flash” had 36 points and 10 rebounds in the teeth of a hostile Dallas crowd Tuesday night, capping his magnificent playoffs and the Heat’s sizzling four-game comeback by leading Miami past the Mavericks 95-92.

“It’s one of the best feelings, next to my wife and my son, that I’ve ever had in my life,” Wade said. “I’m going to live it up!”

The Heat roared back from a two-game deficit to win the NBA finals in six. Wade, the obvious finals MVP, cemented his superstardom with a dominant four-game performance capped by four pressure-packed, final-minute free throws in the same building where Miami went down two games to none.

He even missed a pair in the waning seconds, giving Dallas a final shot to tie. But Jason Terry missed an open look for 3, and Wade grabbed the rebound and flung it joyously into the stands as time expired.

“The great Pat Riley told me we were going to win today,” said O’Neal, who had nine points and 12 rebounds. “I didn’t have the best game. But D-Wade’s been doing it all year. He’s the best player ever.”

Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Mavs, but Dallas couldn’t manage the last basket it needed to topple Wade’s determination. With their crowd booing every call and seething with every missed opportunity, the Mavs missed their own chance for their first title.

The Heat finished the franchise’s 18th season with one of the league’s greatest rallies in a finals, and the last period of Game 6 was appropriately gritty.

Miami nursed a narrow lead, taking an 89-85 advantage with 2:36 left on two jumpers by James Posey. Jerry Stackhouse cut it to a point with a 3-pointer in his first game back from suspension, but after Udonis Haslem and Josh Howard traded jumpers, Wade hit two free throws with 26 seconds left.

David J. Phillip / AP The Mavericks' Jason Terry (31), Erick Dampier (25) and Dirk Nowitzki (41) show their concern in the second half as the game gets away from them.

Erick Dampier then fumbled a pass on Dallas’ next possession, and Wade fought to get the loose ball. He hit two more free throws with 17.7 seconds to play, but after Howard hit a pair, Wade missed two with 10.3 seconds left.

But Terry missed an open 3-pointer. It was the last of 11 straight misses, and the final disappointment in the Mavs’ otherwise remarkable season.

“We made a lot of progress this year,” said Dallas’ Avery Johnson, the NBA’s coach of the year. “We aimed high this year, and I told them that a lot of teams have to go through this. This will really hurt this summer. I hope they work out hard, make me a better coach. I’m ready to try it again.”

Miami hung onto the clincher in front of more than 20,000 Dallas fans still furious at every NBA official and commissioner David Stern for the Mavs’ three losses in Miami last week. Owner Mark Cuban stoked the furor with his antics after Game 5, which resulted in a $250,000 fine earlier Tuesday.

But while the Mavs worried about every perceived slight, the Heat focused on fulfilling the promises of Riley and O’Neal.

More news

Drew Hallowell / Getty Images

Scrappy 76ers force Game 7

A balanced offensive and defensive attack combined with some dreadful shooting by the Boston Celtics helped the Philadelphia 76ers avoid elimination and force a deciding Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 82-75 victory Wednesday night.

Jesse D. Garrabrant / Getty Images Contributor

CSN: 76ers show 'no fear' in win  |  Highlights

CSN: The young and inexperienced 76ers showed no fear with their backs against the wall in Game 6 and earned a final shot against the Celtics on Saturday for a berth into the Eastern Conference finals.

Headlines

• Label

LeBron, Heat torch wounded Pacers, lead 3-2

PBT: Watch flagrant fouls by Haslem, Pittman

Slideshow: Best images of NBA playoffs

PBT Extra: Magic revamp, Celts' surprise, more

CSN: Making sense of Celtics  |  76ers turning over

Collins hopes blast from '82 Game 7 inspires 76ers

SportsTalk: Garnett foolish to insult Philly fans

Ventre: Kobe, Lakers finished contending together