The Golden State Warriors closed out the Dallas Mavericks, 120-110, Thursday in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals and will now face the winner of the Celtics-Heat series (3-2 Boston) in the NBA Finals.
Game 1 is set for June 2 in San Francisco, with the Warriors holding home-court advantage. It will be the Warriors’ sixth time in the Finals over the last eight seasons (their potential fourth title in that span, 2015, 2017, 2018).
Klay Thompsonhit eight three-pointers with a game-high 32 points, Draymond Green had 17 points and nine assists, and Steph Curry — who took home the inaugural Magic Johnson trophy as the Western Conference Finals MVP — tallied 15 and doled out nine assists.
“It’s hard to put into words really,” said Thompson, who missed the last two seasons with ACL and Achilles injuries but returned in January. “This time last year, I was just starting to jog again and get up and down the court. Now to be feeling like myself, feeling explosive, feeling sure in my movements, I’m just grateful.”
The Warriors built a 17-point halftime lead, but an eventual 15-2 Dallas run made it 94-84 headed into the final frame.
However, the Warriors were too potent and the Mavs never got it to single digits the rest of the way.
“For our team, our guys, especially the core group, to be part of that six times in eight years, I don’t even know what to say,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It just takes an enormous amount of skill and determination and work.”
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic finished with a team-high 28 points, but he got them on 10-for-28 shooting
“I don’t like losing, especially not like this,” Doncic said. “I played terrible. But if we’re talking about our season, I’m really proud of this team … Nobody had us here. But I promise we fought until the end.”
