Can Mavericks repeat as NBA Champions?

The Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA Title in franchise history by defeating the Miami Heat in six games. Prior to the win, many questioned whether or not this team had the pieces to win a championship.

By winning, the Mavericks showed they have the pieces to repeat a title run next year.

Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki led his team to victory and performed throughout the playoffs.

Nowitzki seems to have learned from past playoff failures and overcame how teams would defend him in the past, like how the Golden State Warriors did in 2006 with Stephen Jackson and variations of double-teams.

Jason Kidd, though an ineffective scorer, proved to be an effective at his point guard position distributing the ball and controlling the tempo of the game.

Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler showed they could be inside forces to be reckoned with that complemented Nowitzki perfectly.

Jason Terry, provided clutch shots and performed out of his mind in Game 6 with 27 points off the bench. He was the best sixth man in the playoffs.

The Mavericks even had role players like J.J. Barea and DeShawn Stevenson who drained clutch shots and key times.

In order to repeat, the Mavericks will need to some of these key pieces to return. Kidd may decide to retire on top, but still has at least a year of good basketball in him left.

Chandler and Barea are scheduled for free agency, but will likely be signed.

In addition, the Mavericks can look forward to the return of Caron Butler (also a free-agent who needs to be signed) who sparked the Mavericks since being traded to them last season. In fact, he was such a locker room presence that this year's playoff run to the championship was dedicated to him by his teammates.

In order to repeat next year, the Mavericks will have to face tough competition in the Western Conference.

Yet the Mavericks have already proven they have a great defense that can contain the like of Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant.

In fact, the team the team most similar to the Mavericks that the Mavericks should watch out for is the Memphis Grizzlies.

That being said, the Mavericks sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers was impressive and their three straight wins over Miami to win the NBA finals was even more impressive.

The pieces are certainly there, can the Dallas Mavericks repeat as NBA Champions?