Mavericks reach 2024 NBA Finals

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 19: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 19, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Dallas Mavericks are in the 2024 NBA Finals. On Thursday, the Mavericks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-103 in game five in Minneapolis, and as a result won the best out of seven series four games to one.

Point guard Luka Doncic of Ljubljana, Slovenia and shooting guard Kyrie Irving of Melbourne, Australia each had 36 points for the Mavericks to lead the team in scoring. It was actually the second time in the series that Doncic and Irving were the co-leaders for the Mavericks in points. In game three of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday, a 116-107 Mavericks win over the Timberwolves, Doncic and Irving had 33 points each. Ironically, the two top Timberwolves scorers also had the identical number of points as shooting guard Anthony Edwards of Atlanta, Georgia and power forward Karl-Anthony Towns of Edison, New Jersey each had 28 points.

Doncic was also a difference maker from a defensive perspective. He posted a double-double with 10 rebounds. All 10 of Doncic’s boards were defensive rebounds.

Two more Mavericks reached double digits in scoring. Power forward P.J. Washington of Louisville, Kentucky had 12 points and center Daniel Gafford of El Dorado, Arkansas had 11 points.

It was a dominant first half for the Mavericks as they outscored the Timberwolves 69-40. Dallas outscored Minnesota 35-19 in the first quarter and 34-21 in the second quarter. Minnesota did outscore Dallas 63-55 in the second half, but it was clearly too little, too late.

Dallas will now play the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals. The Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in an Eastern Conference Finals series that completed on Monday from Indianapolis.