Everyone just knew that we were in store for a Warriors versus Suns Western Conference Finals matchup. But the Dallas Mavericks had other plans. When the series against Phoenix shifted over to Dallas, the Mavericks won both games at home. It seems as if the Suns were going through the motions of being in a playoff series.
However, Dallas took advantage of an overworked Chris Paul and closed out the Suns in seven games to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Their opponents will be the Golden State Warriors, a franchise accustomed to playing in conference finals. It will be the Warriors’ first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2019. Here are our picks and predictions for the Mavericks versus Warriors conference finals matchup.
Derrick Branch
The current version of the Warriors team gives off those 98 Chicago Bulls vibes. So you can see that there are cracks in the armor, but they are still a difficult team to face in clutch situations. That’s how the 98 Chicago Bulls navigated through the season. It was their final run as a dynasty. They were older but still had many elements in their tool bag to put away an opponent. Defending Luka Donic will be difficult for the Warriors, but expect head coach Steve Kerr to make the necessary adjustments to slow down the Mavericks’ number one scoring option.
Throughout their run of dominance, the Warriors have only been pushed to a Game 7 of the WCF only once. It was against the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016. Golden State rallied from being down 3-1 in the series to defeat the Thunder, which led to their second-straight NBA Finals appearance. The Mavericks will be that team that pushes Golden State to the brink of elimination, but they will dig into their tool bag to close out a formidable opponent once more. Warriors in 7
Liaudwin Seaberry
With star forward Luka Doncic leading the upstart Dallas Mavericks into the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors, many think the run of the Mavericks ends here. However, with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, the Warriors possess a trio of players familiar with success and championships.
However, with how Doncic has risen to the test against the Mavericks’ first two playoff opponents in Utah and Phoenix, there is simply no way Dallas can be viewed as a pushover.
Mavs guard Jalen Brunson and backup guard Spencer Dinwiddie improved their scoring totals throughout the playoffs to supplement Doncic, and three and D specialists Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith augment a Mavs attack bent on proving the doubters wrong once again.
Despite Golden State featuring a ton of depth, most notably Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, and company, the Mavericks possess the formula to knock down Golden State. Their ability to lock down teams so far in the playoffs when it matters most gives them the edge in my book, with Luka Doncic leading the way. Dallas in 7
Brian Bada
We are down to the final four in the NBA playoffs. The Western Conference Finals will be between the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors. Luka Doncic will have to have a great series for Dallas to win. The Warriors’ leading players have been here before, so they will have the experience edge. This series could come down to which team’s role players play well enough for four games. I give the Mavericks a slight edge. I like the Mavericks in 6.
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