Warriors Reach NBA Finals for 6th Time in 8 Years. The Golden State Warriors return to the NBA Finals three years later. For the sixth time in the last eight seasons, Steve Kerr’s team will fight for the NBA ring in the title series after finishing off the Dallas Mavericks (4-1) in Game 5 (120-110).
Warriors Reach NBA Finals for 6th Time in 8 Years
Everything would seem normal, as Golden State reaches the Finals for the sixth time in eight years, with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as the pillars of success. With Steve Kerr on the bench. It is not at all. The Warriors return to the final, at the level that corresponds to them, after two very difficult years that make everything that much more special. “Nobody thought we’d get back to this level,” says Green holding up the Western trophy, this year dedicated to Oscar Robertson. We won 15 games two years ago. Instead, we are here now. And that’s special.”
What’s special in the Golden State Warriors group?
Special like this group, which closes accounts with Dallas 120-110 in race-5. Special as Curry, the first winner of the Magic Johnson Trophy, the mvp award of the series. Special like Thompson, who had to overcome two terrible injuries to be able to make a difference in games like these, with 32 points. Dallas was also special, driven by its phenomenon Luka Doncic (dull in the race-5, despite 28 points), at a level not reached since 2011. Important”, says coach Kidd.
In the fifth and decisive match, the Warriors signed a great first half that marked the difference against the Mavs. The local team, which was not behind on the scoreboard for a single moment of the clash, found the best version of Klay Thompson to lead the attack. The shooting guard, euphoric at the end of the match as he recalled everything he suffered in the most recent past, went up to 32 points with 8/16 triples. “We’re lucky to have the Klay Thompson we know back because we know how good he is,” Draymond Green said after the match. In addition to Thompson, Looney once again showed a high level in the paint capturing 18 rebounds and up to 6 different players, the entire starting lineup and Poole reached double digits in scoring.
Stephen Curry received the first “Magic Johnson Trophy” in the history of the competition, thus being designated MVP of the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors guard has averaged 23.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the series prior to the NBA Finals.
Champions and trophies
Golden State will play for the title starting Thursday with a home-court advantage. A deserved goal for a team that has grown in these playoffs to become the best in the West. “We know that’s not our ultimate goal, but we have to celebrate coming back to the Finals considering everything we’ve been through,” Curry said. He won the series mvp award with 23.8 points and 7.4 points per game, smartly playing game 5, in which the shot didn’t go in, then started with 9 assists to manage the crew.
Because the last victory, like the whole series, was a matter of teamwork by the Warriors: Klay ignited it with 32 points, but in 6 they closed in double digits and everyone found a way to make their contribution, from the extraordinary defense of Andrew Wiggins on Doncic to the rebounds of Kevon Looney (18), from the sparks of Jordan Poole on the bench to the precious minutes of Bjelica, through 36 assists for 45 baskets that reminded the Warriors of their way of play basketball and win. This version of Golden State is not as scary as the one from 2019, apparently, it is not unbeatable. But he has everything to get to the end.
The defeated
Dallas gave up fighting, ending a season far beyond expectations. “No one thought it would come to this,” says Jason Kidd with a hint of pride, “we are a young team and we want to win. Having played the final in the West is important for us, but now we have to think about how to improve.” That is what Luka Doncic already thinks, especially only in the third period of a series in which he has nevertheless shown that he can be the best. “I don’t like losing, especially when I’m playing badly like in this match, but I’m proud of what we did,” said the Slovenian.
If he wants to get better, Dallas needs to reach out to another star, find someone to constantly help him, to “lighten the huge weight off his shoulders” like Coach Kidd. In race 5, Spencer Dinwiddie tried it, 26 points to show that he could be so useful, but failed Jalen Brunson, who closed his consecration playoff with 10 points and 3/10 shooting. There are also those of the consecration of Dallas: “Golden State was clearly the best team: you have to learn to beat them,” Doncic confides before leaving. That is what is needed for the next step.
More updates about Golden State Warriors
Thompson with 16 points in the first 16 ‘starts the escape of Golden State, which reaches the break against 69-52 and in the third quarter stretches more, until 87-62 that Curry signs to 5’40’ Mermaid. By then, Doncic puts aside his frustration and fatigue, and with 15 points in the period he leads the Mavs’ furious comeback, down 92-84 with 34” of the third siren. Rebounds from Green, Wiggins, and Looney lifted the Warriors, but Doncic with the 110-100 hat-trick with 4 minutes on the clock tried to keep the game interesting until the end. Curry is needed to close it out and get Golden State back in title play.
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