Warriors KO Mavericks, advance to Finals
Celtics look to join them with win Friday
SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson shimmied his way to 32 points and the Golden State Warriors advanced to their sixth NBA Finals in the past eight seasons by beating the Dallas Mavericks 120110 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Thursday night.
Thompson scored 19 points in the first half, including a 3-pointer that he punctuated with teammate Stephen Curry’s signature shake as the Warriors took a 17-point halftime lead and coasted home.
Andrew Wiggins added 18 points and 10 rebounds, Draymond Green scored 17 points, and Curry had 15 points for Golden State.
Luka Doncic overcame a slow start to score 28 points for the Mavericks. Spencer Dinwiddie added 26.
After missing the playoffs in 2020 and ’21 in back-to back injuryplagued seasons, the Warriors are returning to a familiar stage. They are the first team to make six finals appearances in an eight-year span since the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in 1991-93 and 1996-98.
Golden State will host the winner of the Eastern Conference finals between Boston and Miami on June 2 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The chance to wrap up their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2010.
Tatum was a rookie during Boston’s run to Eastern Conference finals in 2018, when it grabbed a 3-2 series lead over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He also remembers what it felt like as the Celtics watched James unravel their championship dreams with a 46-point performance in the Cavaliers’ Game 6 victory, followed by a 35-point effort in Cleveland’s decisive Game 7 triumph at TD Garden.
Boston again has a 3-2 conference finals lead, this time over the topseeded Miami Heat with Game 6 set for Friday.
Tatum said this time it feels different.
“I’m a lot better. (Jaylen Brown) is. We’re just older. And we’ve been through those tough times,” Tatum said. “But the mindset and the talk that we had after the game was we were down 3-2 last time (in semifinals vs. Bucks) and had to go on the road to win Game 6 and we did. So we can’t think that it’s over with.”
Tatum wants to see Boston maintain the mentality of the underdog Friday.
“We need to go back home like we’re down 3-2. With that sense of urgency that it’s a must-win game,” he said. “Not relaxing because we’re up. … The job’s just not finished yet.”