Statements:
BOSTON -- As the Dallas Mavericks essentially waved the white flag, substituting all their starters while trailing by 21 points with 2:37 remaining in Monday's Game 5, 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.
Irving then returned to the bench and embraced his teammate Luka Doncic, a superstar wrapping up his first NBA Finals appearance. The Mavericks lost to the Celtics 106-88, allowing the Celtics to clinch their record-breaking 18th NBA championship.
Irving described it as a "bitter" ending to a "really positive journey" for the Mavericks. The team had reconstructed the supporting cast around their star tandem over the last year, transforming a lottery finish into a Western Conference championship.
Despite the loss, Doncic was not particularly reflective Monday night. Instead, he expressed feeling "great" about the franchise's future, bolstered by his remarkable postseason performance.
Doncic's Historic Postseason
Doncic became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points, rebounds, assists, and steals during a postseason, even while managing serious injuries. He suffered a right knee sprain in the first round and a thoracic contusion in the Finals opener. Despite these setbacks, Doncic's status to play for the Slovenian national team this summer remains in question, as Slovenia opens an Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece on July 2.
Kidd's Perspective:
Mavericks' head coach Jason Kidd described Luka's Finals appearance as a "learning experience" and praised his performance despite 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.
Doncic shared a similar sentiment after the game, saying, "We said, 'we'll fight together next season, and we just going to believe.' We answered a lot of questions this year on what we were capable of doing, and now it's just about being consistent."
A Bright Future Ahead
Doncic expressed optimism about the Mavericks' future, adding, "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 each and 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 the journey. "I think I enjoyed this journey more than any other season, just because of the redemption arc and being able to learn as much as I did about myself and my teammates and the organization and the people that I'm around."
Reflecting on his own struggles with injuries during the series, Doncic said, "It doesn't matter if I was hurt, how much was I 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."
Establishing a Standard
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 be always fighting for a championship," Kidd summarized.
Although the Mavericks ended their season on a sour note, they have laid 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.