"Two weeks have passed since Corey Brewer made an appearance in the NBA playoffs for the Dallas Mavericks.

He hasn't gotten off the bench since May 17, Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City, and he has played in only six of Dallas' 15 postseason games.

In those six games, Brewer has scored a total of nine points. But things could be worse: He could still be with the Timberwolves, wondering what it feels like to be on a playoff team or whether Kurt Rambis will return as the team's coach next season.

Brewer is far removed from both concerns, thanks to a February trade that ultimately led him to the NBA Finals.

"I'm smiling from ear to ear right now," he said. "To me, it was crazy just having a chance to be in the playoffs. Now I'm in the Finals. It's what you always dream about as a kid."

Brewer, who was with the Wolves for 3-1/2 seasons, will continue to play a reserve role in the best-of-seven series, which begins tonight in Miami against a surging Heat team led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. It's a role Brewer was prepared for when he signed with Dallas on March 3, two days after being waived by the New York Knicks.

Dallas' established lineup, led by leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki, leaves Brewer in the position of being ready whenever coach Rick Carlisle needs him to provide a spark on offense or defense. "