It's not secret that Dallas Mavericks fans hate the Miami Heat with a burning passion. The two franchises may have met just twice in the NBA Finals, but both series were filled with drama between teams. Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade, the two cornerstones of these teams, were at forefront of this rivalry.

During the NBA's ceremony for the Top 75 players of all-time, both Nowitzki and Wade were on the broadcast booth alongside the crew. Reggie Miller, ever the instigator, insinuated that he might need to separate the two, referencing the Heat-Mavs rivalry of old. Both Nowitzki and Wade laughed it off (albeit a bit awkwardly), saying any beef between them has long passed.

Article Continues Below

Dirk Nowitzki and Mavs fans have every right to still be frustrated at Dwyane Wade and the Heat. The franchise was able to exact revenge for the controversial 2006 Finals series, but in 2011, the Heat took it to a whole new level. With Nowitzki nursing an illness, both LeBron James and Wade mocked the German star.

In the end, though, the Mavs had the last laugh in 2011, finishing off the newly formed Big 3 in Miami to win the series. Still, most fans still hold their grudges against Wade and the Heat. At the very least, it's nice to see these two titans of the 2000s and 2010s hash it out after a heated rivalry. Now, the Mavs look to recapture the same magic of 2011 with Luka Doncic.

Both Nowitzki and Wade were selected to the NBA's Top 75 list. A ceremony honoring the new additions to the Top 50 list was held during All-Star Weekend, which include the Mavs star's contemporaries like Tim Duncan, LeBron, and Kevin Garnett.