The Dallas Mavericks stunned the NBA by making a run all the way to the Western Conference Finals despite being below .500 at the end of December last season. Their second-half comeback last season helped them climb all the way to the 4th seed in the West and then beat the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns to make it to their first Western Conference Finals since 2011.
Their playoff run ended at the WCF because the Golden State Warriors completely outclassed them on the court. The series ended 4-1 as the Mavericks were left to rue a lot of missed shots on their end that could’ve helped them stay competitive. The franchise saw the run as a massive positive as Luka Doncic proved he can be a weapon even through a deep playoff run.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban spoke to Bleacher Report about the series and how the Warriors out-executed them by relying on their championship experience and years of continuity. Cuban also shouted out Andrew Wiggins for his breakout performance in the series against the Mavs.
Mark Cuban on the Mavs, Warriors series:
“It was just guys who knew their roles. Like an Andrew Wiggins. I think he was the one who beat us, and I told him that after the series… We didn’t know what to expect or how Wiggs would step up, and he did.”
(via @TaylorRooks) pic.twitter.com/gpDB7Va59K
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 17, 2022
“When we lost in the Conference Finals, I don’t think it was for a lack of talent. I think the Warriors deserve a lot of credit because they had played together for so long, their execution was phenomenal… That wasn’t so much talent as it was corporate knowledge. The experience of having played together for all those years and been in crunch situations knowing what to do,” Cuban explained. “We hadn’t been there yet. We hadn’t been out of the first round in 10 years. A lot of it was execution and when talking to our guys during the series, that was the theme that kept coming up.”
“The Warriors knew where to be on both sides of the ball no matter how we adjusted. The teams we had played before hadn’t been as good at adjustments. It’s not so much ‘we need that second star,’ or whatever. It’s more ‘let’s get some time and experience in crunch situations and it will pay off.”
“I think [Wiggins] was the one who beat us. … We knew what to expect from Klay, and from Steph, and from Draymond. We didn’t know what to expect or how [Wiggins] would step up, and he did. That’s what it comes down to in that type of series. Everybody understanding their roles, being able to execute on what the coach puts out for you, and having guys you’d call role players step up when the time is right.” (h/t Bleacher Report)
Cuban believing the Mavs don’t need a second star may not be the right way to approach their roster construction. Every competitive team around the league can rely on at least 2 to 3 options outside their star and Dallas struggle with that, especially now that Jalen Brunson has left the squad for the New York Knicks.
The Mavs have made encouraging additions in JaVale McGee, Jaden Hardy, and Christian Wood this offseason but it may not be enough to beat teams like the Warriors next season either. We will have to wait and see. As long as the Mavericks have Luka Doncic, they will be one of the most feared teams in the Western Conference.
