Dallas Mavericks Fall Short in NBA Finals, But Future Looks Bright
BOSTON -- As the Dallas Mavericks essentially waved the white flag, substituting all of their starters while trailing by 21 points with 2:37 remaining in Monday's Game 5, Kyrie Irving walked toward the other end of the floor to congratulate his former teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, as well as other members of the Boston Celtics.
Irving then returned to the bench and exchanged an embrace and a few words with his teammate Luka Doncic, a superstar wrapping up his first NBA Finals appearance.
The Mavericks lost to the Celtics 106-88, as Boston clinched their record-breaking 18th NBA championship.
A Reflective Irving
Irving described the loss as a "bitter" ending to a "really positive journey" for the Mavericks. The team reconstructed the supporting cast around their star tandem over the past year, transforming a lottery finish into a Western Conference championship. Despite the setback, the Mavericks are optimistic about their future.
"I think I enjoyed this journey more than any other season, just because of the redemption arc and being able to learn as much as I did about myself and my teammates and the organization and the people that I'm around," said Irving.
Doncic's Postseason Brilliance
Despite the loss, Doncic wasn't in a particularly reflective mood on Monday night. Instead, he expressed feeling "great" about the franchise's future, bolstered by his remarkable postseason performance.
Doncic became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points, rebounds, assists, and steals during a postseason, even while managing serious injuries. He suffered a right knee sprain in the first round and a thoracic contusion in the Finals opener. These injuries required pregame pain-killing injections for the remainder of the series.
Reflecting on his own struggles, Doncic said, "It doesn't matter if I was hurt, how much was I hurt. I was out there. I tried to play, but I didn't do enough."
Given his physical condition, Doncic's status to play for the Slovenian national team this summer is in question. Slovenia will open an Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece on July 2.
Kidd's Perspective
Mavericks' head coach Jason Kidd described Luka's Finals appearance as a "learning experience" and praised his performance despite the loss.
"For him at the age of 25 to get to the Finals, to be playing basketball at the level that he's playing, now it's just about being consistent," Kidd reflected.
Kidd summarized what lies ahead for the team: "When you have one of the best players in the world, you should always be fighting for a championship."
Optimism for the Future
Despite ending the season on a sour note, the Mavericks have established the groundwork for future success. "We said, 'we'll fight together next season, and we just going to believe,'" Doncic shared after the game.
"We answered a lot of questions this year on what we were capable of doing and now it's just about being consistent," he continued. "I think probably in the last week, I said that I wanted to be remembered as one of the best teams of this era and our last few champions have been a new one each and every year."
He added, "So, I see an opportunity for us to really build our future in a positive manner where this is almost like a regular thing for us, and we're competing for championships."
Although Doncic was non-committal about his immediate future, saying, "I don't want to talk about what's next, man. I have some decisions to make. I'm just trying to get a little bit healthier," the optimism within the organization is palpable.
Conclusion: A Compelling Future
With a revamped roster and a determined star in Luka Doncic, the Mavericks are poised to remain in the championship conversation for years to come. The loss in Game 5 is merely a chapter in what promises to be an ongoing and compelling story for this franchise.
The anticipation within the organization is that the Mavericks can be a contender for years to come, a sentiment echoed by the team's leadership and players alike.