Golden State Warriors Eliminate Dallas Mavs In Game 5, 120-110; En Route To Historic Trip To The NBA Finals
The Golden State Warriors are truly "gold blooded."
Closing out the Western Conference Finals' best-of-seven series against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors bested Dallas, 120-110, to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019.
Pressure mounted on Doncic and the Mavs as Golden State proved superior in Game 5, and all series.
Doncic led a strong third quarter: chipping away at Golden State's lead with 15 points in the period.
Doncic scored 28 points on 10-of-25 shooting. He was spotted kicking chairs during a third-quarter timeout as Dallas' underdog run began to dissolve.
Coming into the Western Conference Finals series, expectations of the Mavs' success was bent on role players like Jalen Brunson, Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber stepping up to aid the (namely scoring) effort. All three combined for 23 points in the elimination game.
The sole Mavs reserve to step up was Spencer Dinwiddie, who contributed 26 points.
All five Warriors starters scored in double-digits.
The group was led by a resurging Klay Thompson, who hit 8-of-16 three-pointers and recorded 32 points.
The redemption game from one-half of the Splash Bros. was overdue, but it also came at the perfect time as the Warriors now look forward to their grand return to the Finals.
With their sixth Finals appearance in eight seasons, the Warriors became the first team to achieve such a feat since Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls (1991-98).
Between 2015-19, the Warriors tallied five straight Finals appearances and won three Larry O'Briens.
For the inaugural award, Curry (15 points, nine assists) was named Western Conference Finals MVP.
Golden State awaits the victor of the Eastern Conference Finals series between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
Boston currently leads, 3-2.
Follow along on Twitter: @AlejandroAveela