Mavericks in the final thanks to late push | The Arkansas Democratic Gazette

Kyrie Irving wasn’t threatening, or boasting, or saying anything that could be considered crazy. It was the last week of the regular season. He and the Dallas Mavericks had just clinched a division title and Irving was asked to talk about what that means.

He didn’t look back. She looked forward.

“We just know the job isn’t done,” Irving said that night in Miami. “And we’re just getting started.”

Turns out he was right. The Mavericks, who spent most of February and March looking destined for the play-in tournament, a team that was barely better than a mediocre 26-23 after 49 games, turned things around just in time and a trip to the NBA . The final is your reward.

Dallas will visit Boston in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. It’s a matchup between the teams with the two best records in the NBA since February 1; Boston has gone 39-9 in that span, Dallas 36-15. Boston also had the best record in the league before February 1 (37-11), while Dallas was just 14th in that stretch (26-22).

“It doesn’t happen many times that you go from the lottery to the finals,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “But we really believe we had the pieces.”

A year ago, they didn’t. When this season started, they didn’t have all the pieces they needed either. But since trading for Daniel Gafford (El Dorado, Arkansas Razorbacks) and PJ Washington in February, the Mavericks have been one of the best teams in the league, and their 16-2 record late in the regular season only strengthened Irving’s position. belief that something good was happening.

“That’s the kind of confidence I felt most of these playoffs, it just doesn’t matter what’s going on, at the beginning of the game, in the middle of the game, before the game, our words of affirmation and positivity go a long way. “Irving said.

In the current NBA playoff format, which dates back to 1984, Dallas is just the fifth team ranked No. 5 in its conference or lower to reach the finals. Miami did it last year as a No. 8 seed, Miami did it again in 2020 as a No. 5 seed, New York did it in 1999 as a No. 8 seed and Houston did it in 1995 as a No. 6 seed. Of those teams , only the Rockets won a title.

But this Dallas team has been playing as well as any.

The Mavericks are 11-1 in these playoffs when scoring more than 100 points. They have won five straight road games this postseason, matching their longest streak of the regular season. They have a player in Irving who has won the Finals before, a coach in Kidd who won a title as a player (with Dallas, no less) and arguably the best player this postseason in Luka Doncic, who is headed to the title series by first time.

Irving was right. The Mavs were just getting started. And now they have the chance to achieve the perfect ending.

“I think we have a great team,” Doncic said. “But the most important thing is that we have great guys, some great guys on the team. From players to coaches, everyone on the team, we have great guys and that’s the most important thing. We stick together and just play basketball.”

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic smiles during a press conference after the team’s victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference finals on Thursday, May 30, 2024 , in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd pauses on the sideline during the second half of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in the NBA basketball playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Thursday, May 30 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, center, celebrates with his teammates after Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in the NBA basketball playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in Minneapolis. The Mavericks won 124-103, taking the series 4-1 and advancing to the NBA Finals. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) celebrates a Minnesota Timberwolves shot clock violation as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (1) pauses on the court during the first half of the game 5 of the Western Conference finals in the NBA basketball playoffs, Thursday, May 30. 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) blocks a shot by Dallas Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) during the first half of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals playoffs NBA basketball game, Thursday, May 30, 2024. Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)