Oklahoma City Thunder sweep defending champion Mavericks - USA TODAY

By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY

The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat share a special bond in more ways than one.

When the Heat won their first NBA championship in 2006, they did it by beating the Mavericks on their home floor in six games.

When the Mavericks beat the Heat in six games last year, it was their first championship and they won it in Miami.

Saturday night, Dallas blew a 81-68 lead going into the fourth quarter and lost 103-97 at home. The Mavs were the first team to be swept in these playoffs.

In doing so, they became the first defending champion since the Heat in 2007 to be swept in the first round the season after winning the title. The Chicago Bulls eliminated the Heat in four.

The Thunder had lost to the Mavericks in the Western Conference finals last season in five games. In three of their four losses, all were by seven points or fewer including one defeat in overtime.

This time, Dallas lost Games 1 and 2 in Oklahoma City by a total of four points, including a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Kevin Durant, and never recovered.

James Harden took over in the fourth quarter for the Thunder. The sixth man led them with 29 points on 11-for-16 shooting, five assists, five rebounds and three steals. Fifteen of his points game in the fourth as coach Scott Brooks allowed the combo guard to create off the dribble.

"We have a 13-point deficit going into the fourth quarter, and Scotty put the ball in my hands," Harden told TNT after the game.

The Thunder overcame the red-hot shooting Mavericks led by Dirk Nowitzki's game-high 34 points. They made 10 of 19 three-pointers. But the Thunder won without center Kendrick Perkins, who went out with a strained right hip in the first quarter.

"Down 13, James Harden was tremendous in the fourth quarter. He got everybody shots and took care of it himself," Durant said. "Tough to have our big fella go out like that, but everybody stepped up."

And the Mavericks walk off their home court at American Airlines Center looking to next year, though the roster will look drastically different with Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Delonte West and Vince Carter, among others, becoming free agents.