Bitter End to a Season of Promise for Mavericks
BOSTON -- The Dallas Mavericks essentially waved the white flag on their NBA Finals campaign, substituting all their starters while trailing by 21 points with 2:37 remaining in Monday's Game 5. In a moment of sportsmanship, 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. The Mavericks' season concluded with a 106-88 loss, allowing the Celtics to clinch their record-breaking 18th NBA championship.
Reflection and Optimism
Irving described the conclusion of the season as "bitter" yet acknowledged it as the end of a "really positive journey" for the Mavericks. The team had strategically rebuilt its supporting cast around their star duo over the past year, transforming from a lottery team into the Western Conference champions. Despite falling short in the Finals, the anticipation within the organization is high. There's a prevailing belief that the Mavericks can be contenders for years to come.
Despite the loss, Luka Doncic wasn't in a particularly reflective mood on Monday night. Instead, he expressed feeling "great" about the franchise's future. This optimism is well-founded, given Doncic's extraordinary postseason performance. He became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points, rebounds, assists, and steals during a postseason, despite battling serious injuries.
Doncic's Heroic Effort
Doncic played through a right knee sprain suffered in the first round and a thoracic contusion sustained in the Finals opener. These injuries required him to receive pregame pain-killing injections for the remainder of the series. Given his physical condition, Doncic’s availability for the Slovenian national team this summer is uncertain. Slovenia is set to begin its Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece on July 2.
Perspective from Kidd
Mavericks' head coach Jason Kidd described Luka's Finals appearance as a "learning experience" and praised his performance, notwithstanding 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.
Looking Ahead
Doncic shared his thoughts post-game, stating, "We said, 'we'll fight together next season, and we just going to believe.'" He continued, "We answered a lot of questions this year on what we were capable of doing, and now it's just about being consistent."
Doncic added, "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 every year. 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."
From a spiritual standpoint, Irving found a silver lining in this journey. "I think I enjoyed this season more than any other, just because of the redemption arc and being able to learn as much as I did about myself, my teammates, the organization, and the people I'm around."
Reflecting on his own struggles with injuries during the series, Doncic said, "It doesn't matter if I was hurt or how much I was hurt. I was out there. I tried to play, but I didn't do enough." When asked about his future, Doncic was non-committal: "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."
Future Prospects
Regardless of the outcome, the Mavericks' journey to the Finals has set a new standard for the team. "When you have one of the best players in the world, you should always be fighting for a championship," Kidd summarized.
Although the Mavericks ended their season on a sour note, they have established the groundwork for future success. 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.