Picture Credit: Twitter
As the buzzer went off after a non-consequential jumper made by Sterling Brown, the Golden State Warriors clinched the Western Conference and confirmed their tickets to their first NBA final after the 2018-19 season. The Dubs were led by their old faithful Klay Thompson who continued scoring big points in knockout games as he dropped 32 points with two rebounds and three assists while shooting 12-25 from the field and 8-16 from the deep.
Similarly, Stephen Curry with Draymond Green scored 15+ points as both the veterans combined to put up 32 points, 18 assists and nine rebounds with a combined +/- of +22. Along with their seasoned campaigners, young players Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Moses Moody showed up big time as they made crucial baskets as the Mavericks never stood a chance to make a push.
Moody particularly had a great game as he replaced the injured Otto Porter Jr and gave the Dubs a boost in the second quarter where he scored all of his seven points. His 3-pointer helped Golden State get a 56-38 lead which pushed the Mavericks on a back foot. For Dallas, their star player, Luka Doncic had a terrible start as he only scored six points in the first half as he registered the lowest opening half total of his playoff career, on 2-for-12 shooting splits.
In the third quarter, he found his rhythm back as he ended the game with a state line of 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He also improved his efficiency as he had shooting splits of 10-28 from the floor. After the game, Doncic was also talking to GSW veterans like Draymond Green and Stephen Curry who won the inaugural Magic Johnson Western conference finals MVP award.