NBA Southwest

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was selected as the MVP of the Western Conference Finals in a vote of over 16,000 fans in the Bleacher Report app.

Curry, who was also honored with the first annual Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP Award, averaged 23.8 points, 7.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 threes as the Warriors eliminated the Dallas Mavericks in five games. He shot 43.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Here's a look at the complete voting results from the B/R app:

• Stephen Curry: 67.3 percent
• Klay Thompson: 21.7 percent
• Jordan Poole: 7.2 percent
• Draymond Green: 3.8 percent

Curry was the Dubs' leading scorer in each of the second-round series' first four games, and he dished out nine assists in Thursday night's clincher as Thompson knocked down eight threes en route to 32 points in a 120-110 win.

Luka Doncic led the Mavs by averaging 32 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.6 threes and 1.6 steals in the series, but he didn't have enough support to keep pace with the star-studded Warriors.

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr described Curry as "our engine offensively," and the eight-time All-Star said the team's latest trip to the NBA Finals carries a "different vibe" because of his family life compared to the early years of the team's dynastic run.

"It puts it all into perspective, the fact of where we are in our career, we're still playing at this high of a level," Curry told reporters. "Not thinking too far ahead, we want to get the job done in the Finals, but we still have a lot more in the tank."

The Warriors reached five consecutive Finals starting in 2015 and captured three championships over that span (2015, 2017 and 2018).

Golden State's last two seasons were derailed by injuries—Curry was limited to five games in 2019-20 and Thompson missed both campaigns—which brought a brief halt to the dynasty as the team fell short of the playoffs each year.

Fueled by better health, the Warriors returned with a vengeance this season, posting a 53-29 record during the regular season and compiling a 12-4 mark so far in the playoffs.

Now Curry and Co. are four wins away from returning to the top of the basketball word.

Coming off a breakout season as he prepares to hit free agency, Jalen Brunson figures to attract a lot of attention if he wants to test the waters.

Speaking to NBA reporter Marc Stein, Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban noted the Mavericks can pay him more than another team, and he thinks Brunson "wants to stay."

"We can pay him more than anybody...I think he wants to stay and that's most important."@mcuban talks to @TheSteinLine about the Mavericks chances of re-signing @jalenbrunson1 this offseason. pic.twitter.com/FnOV9LTagO

— FanDuel Sports Network Southwest (@FanDuelSN_SW) May 27, 2022

The Mavs could have signed Brunson to a four-year extension worth up to $55.5 million before the start of this season, but ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported in April the team never made that offer "nor did they engage in negotiations with Brunson’s representatives."

According to MacMahon, the Mavericks did make Brunson an offer immediately after the trade deadline for the same terms as Dorian Finney-Smith received when he signed his deal on Feb. 12 (four years, $55.6 million). 

Rick Brunson, Jalen's father, told MacMahon that Dallas missed its window to re-sign his son. 

"I told the Mavericks, 'Once the season is started, there's no contract talk,' and I went back against my word," Rick said. "In January, I thought he did enough where he deserved [the extension]. I said, 'Hey, take the money, man.' He wants security. He wants to live here. And they declined. He didn't turn s--t down. Y'all declined first. When y'all came back to him, we said, 'Hey, we just want to finish out the season and go from there.'"

An extension for Brunson will certainly cost the Mavericks a lot more than it would have as recently as January. 

MacMahon noted a poll of scouts and executives estimated the floor for Brunson's new contract will be $20 million per season, with some projecting a deal could go as high as $25 million annually. 

Dallas does have the ability to offer Brunson a five-year deal; other teams will only be able to offer him a four-year contract. 

The 2022-23 season marks the first year of Luka Doncic's supermax extension and his salary jumps up to $36.6 million. He only made $10.1 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract. 

The Mavericks are already projected to be in the luxury tax with $151.55 million in salary commitments next season. 

Brunson averaged a career-high 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game in 79 appearances during the 2021-22 regular season. The Villanova alum has shot over 50 percent from the field in each of the past two seasons and is a 37.3 percent shooter from three-point range over his career. 

Dallas lost to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals in five games, but the team won a playoff series this season for the first time since winning the 2011 NBA title.     

With Dallas falling to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday, do the Mavericks need to find another star to pair with franchise player Luka Doncic? Or can the team legitimately contend with a single All-Star after a final-four showing this season?

The danger in seeking another superstar is souring the existing depth and chemistry—similar to the difficult years the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets struggled through this past season. 

The Mavericks are already looking at a big jump in payroll, with Doncic's extension kicking in at roughly $36.6 million next season. Flexibility going forward will decrease, especially with the Jalen Brunson question.

The Atlanta Hawks, who will always be tied to the Mavericks by the 2018 draft-day swap of Doncic for Trae Young, faced a similar situation last year after an impressive conference finals run. The team chose to pay big money to John Collins and kept the heart of its roster together but fell off considerably this past season.

If the Mavericks feel too self-satisfied by their recent success, they might backslide like the Hawks.

That's not to say the Mavericks shouldn't pay Brunson. But pruning their depth for a single star may be a disaster, especially with a ball-dominant guy such as Doncic. Chasing a name such as Bradley Beal could be counterproductive if it pares away Dallas' depth.

The Mavericks should learn from their recent attempt at the two-star model. Dumping Kristaps Porzingis in trade to the Washington Wizards for role players in Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans made Dallas a better team. That should be the goal instead of straight-up star-chasing.

The Mavericks took a big step forward this season. What they do next is extremely delicate.

       

Paying Jalen Brunson

In July, Brunson will be an unrestricted free agent after averaging over 22 points per game for the Mavericks in the playoffs. What more would a second star bring in terms of scoring? How would Dallas replace him if he left?

Brunson isn't the problem and should be a part of the solution. The tricky part is getting him re-signed when he could be looking for Fred VanVleet money ($85 million over four years, signed ahead of the 2020-21 season). The good news for the Mavs is that very few teams will have the cap space to pay out a salary starting in the $20 million range this offseason. 

Those that could (the Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs) are relatively well-stocked at point guard. The Indiana Pacers are too but could pursue Brunson if they're willing to thin out their backcourt via trade (notably Malcolm Brogdon and TJ McConnell).

The Detroit Pistons may be the biggest threat to Dallas for Brunson, with the means and the need. The rest of the league won't have more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception that projects to start at $10.3 million.

The Hawks paid Collins $125 million over five years last summer. If he was "a mistake," he's still an asset Atlanta can look to trade in retooling its roster this offseason. Similarly, an investment in Brunson will keep Doncic's most reliable offensive teammate in Dallas and give the franchise a trade chip down the road if needed.

The Mavericks struggled to score without Doncic and Brunson on the floor together in key playoff stretches. Both are targets for opposing offenses. Finding a way to plug that defensive deficiency may be difficult, but it's one worth attacking. The Mavericks should re-sign Brunson and find the right combination of shooters and defenders to round the tandem.

That's easier to say than do, especially with the Mavericks' books with Brunson back at a big salary.

       

Full Roster, Deep in the Tax

After penciling in Brunson, the Mavericks may already have a full roster of 15 for 2022-23. That's assuming rarely used guard Trey Burke opts into his final year at $3.3 million. The team should also keep its two non-guaranteed players in Maxi Kleber (a key rotation big) and Frank Ntilikina (an inexpensive, young defender).

Internal improvement will come with a healthy Tim Hardaway Jr., who missed the playoffs with a foot injury. Hardaway is a capable scorer, shooter and defender, although his production dipped through 42 games this season.

In June's draft, the Mavericks also have the No. 26 pick, but a late first-round rookie may be unlikely to crack a playoff rotation. Dallas can agree to trade the selection before the draft but cannot execute it until after the pick is made (because of the Stepien Rule).

With the projected roster of 15, Dallas' payroll should balloon to $175 million with a $68 million luxury-tax bill. That's a huge jump from the current non-taxed playoff squad at around $123 million.

The budget should not lead to Brunson's exit, but Dallas will not have a ton of flexibility with a payroll that high. Its lone spending tool of note will be the taxpayer mid-level exception at roughly $6.3 million.

The team also has a $10.9 million trade exception (TPE) for Josh Richardson that expires on June 27, ahead of July free agency. Dallas can't use the TPE to sign a player but can absorb one earning up to $10,965,962 via trade. That additional salary could mean a staggering $51 million increase in luxury tax—it's not a given the franchise will be willing to use the TPE without finding ways to cut significant salary.

      

Trade Market

The Mavericks could try to sign and trade Brunson, but that won't be easy because of the complicated collective bargaining agreement.

Assuming Brunson's next contract starts at $20 million, a massive raise from his current $1.8 million salary, his outgoing value in trade for Dallas would be $10 million. The incoming team would need to have the means to take on Brunson at $20 million. Unbalanced trades can work but aren't easy.

Jerami Grant is believed by many around the league to be available. With Detroit's cap room, the Mavericks might be able to construct a deal with Brunson at $20 million. Dallas would then need to send out at least another $7 million in salary to take in Grant's $21 million.

But if the Pistons can sign Brunson outright, why would they give away Grant? Draft compensation could make a difference. Dallas owes a protected first-round pick in 2023 to the New York Knicks for Porzingis but could reasonably offer two distant firsts (perhaps 2027 and 2029).

While Dallas can offer the No. 26 pick via trade, pre-negotiating a deal with Brunson with a sign-and-trade in June is illegal. Last summer, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls were penalized for arranging sign-and-trades before the July moratorium.

If Dallas keeps Brunson, it could also try to pry Rudy Gobert away from the Utah Jazz, bringing in a defensive anchor. Gobert doesn't space the floor offensively, but he's one of the most generous screen-setters in the league. He's also an expensive choice, due almost $170 million over the next four seasons.

Others to consider might include Collins (Atlanta), Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers), Christian Wood (Houston), Duncan Robinson (Miami) or Richaun Holmes (Sacramento).

The Mavericks have several players on short or reasonable contracts such as Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock, Dwight Powell, Boban Marjanovic, Josh Green, Sterling Brown, Marquese Chriss, Burke and Ntilikina. Dinwiddie has a team-friendly deal that pays him $20.2 million next season with a partially guaranteed $21 million in 2023-24. Bertans' contract may be harder to move. 

Hardaway, coming off an injury, may have diminished trade value. Dorian Finney-Smith should be a keeper for the Mavericks (and can't be traded until Aug. 12 after a recent extension).

Dallas' flexibility will be limited moving forward with a sizable payroll. The team has undoubtedly moved into "win-now" territory. That may mean sacrificing draft picks (No. 26, future selections) and paying the luxury tax, but the more important question is how the Mavericks look to use their resources.

If next year's roster has a core seven of Doncic, Brunson, Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, Hardaway, Bullock and Kleber, the team may only need a starting center to replace Powell—preferably one who can protect the rim and space the floor. On paper, that sounds like Turner from the Pacers.

If the Mavericks can't fill those needs in one, then the answer is quality depth with the understanding that any subtractions need to be replaced by equal or better fits.

Finding a generational talent like Doncic is the hardest step in the NBA. Building from here may take significant restraint. Instead of chasing names, the Mavericks need to do the work and find the right pieces next to their young superstar.

      

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @EricPincus.

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic accepted responsibility for the team's Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, which marked the end of the Mavs' playoff run.

Doncic tallied 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but he made just 10 of his 28 shots from the field, posted a game-high four turnovers and struggled defensively.

"I don't like losing, especially like this," the three-time All-Star told reporters. "I played terrible."

It was a successful year for the Mavericks, who reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2011. They made the postseason six times over the past 10 years but were eliminated in the opening round each time.

That said, there's always frustration when a team gets that close to playing for a championship only to fall short. For Doncic, his offseason focus will be the defensive end.

"I think defense has got to be way better for me," he said. "Honestly, I think I made a huge step this year defensively, but there's so much room for improvement. I've got to be way better there. I think that's one spot that can take us to the next level."

It's fair self-criticism. Doncic graded out positively in FiveThirtyEight's defensive Raptor for the first time in his four-year career (+0.6), but that still ranked a modest 92nd among qualified NBA players.

There's room for improvement, especially after he often became the main target when opponents attacked the Dallas defense in the playoffs.

Doncic still put together a terrific campaign that saw him finish fifth in NBA MVP voting while leading the Mavericks to a 52-30 record.

"If we talk about our season, I'm really proud of this team—everybody, every player, every staff member," he said. "Nobody had us here. But I promise we fought until the end. Congratulations to Warriors. They were obviously the better team. But I'm really proud of this team."

Dallas is set to return most of the key contributors from this season. Trying to re-sign Jalen Brunson, who averaged 21.6 points in the playoffs, will be the top internal task on the to-do list. Getting Tim Hardaway Jr. back from injury will also help.

Beyond that, the Mavs front office will likely spend most of the summer trying to land another star, either via free agency or a blockbuster trade, to help take some pressure off Doncic at both ends of the floor during next season's championship pursuit.

The New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday that star Zion Williamson "has been cleared in his return to play progression without any restrictions."

The team said a checkup on his right foot "showed continued improvement."

Williamson underwent foot surgery before the 2021-22 season tipped off and missed the entire year.

Thanks in part to the shot in the arm they got from acquiring CJ McCollum ahead of the trade deadline, the Pelicans advanced to the playoffs and pushed the Phoenix Suns to six games in the first round.

Still, nobody questions Williamson's value to New Orleans and what he represents for the franchise. Through 85 career games, he's averaging 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

The foot injury, however, added to the concerns about whether the 21-year-old can hold up enough to be the centerpiece the Pelicans need. A meniscus tear sidelined him as a rookie and forced the team to diligently monitor his workload in 2020-21.

Williamson is also eligible for an extension this summer ahead of the final year on his rookie contract, leaving the front office with a conundrum.

The 2020-21 All-Star said in April he "couldn't sign it fast enough" if presented with an offer from the Pelicans, but his foot and meniscus injuries are likely to linger throughout negotiations. For New Orleans, giving him a fully guaranteed max contract might be too risky, while Williamson will understandably want as much long-term security as possible.

Seeing the 2019 No. 1 overall pick back on the court will generate a ton of excitement.

https://twitter.com/MasonGinsberg/status/1529917204879265829

Thursday's announcement also represents a step forward in his recovery.

But the Pelicans are likely to remain cautiously optimistic about his odds of avoiding a setback or picking up another injury.

Luka Doncic still believes history is on the table for the Dallas Mavericks.

"I mean, I still believe we can win, you know," Doncic said following Tuesday's 119-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. "Swept or not swept, in the end, if you lose, you lose. Don't matter how many we win. We have to go game by game. We're going to believe until the end."

No team in NBA history has overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, but Dallas took the first step on its home floor.

As he has throughout the postseason, Doncic led the way in the latest victory with 30 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocks. Yet it was far from a one-man show, as six Mavericks finished in double figures, including Dorian Finney-Smith (23 points and six rebounds) and Jalen Brunson (15 points, five assists and five rebounds).

Dallas was largely in control during the game, although Golden State made one final run to cut the deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter.

Yet even a return to the game for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins wasn't enough for the visitors to complete the comeback, and Doncic's dunk with just more than three minutes remaining pushed the advantage to double digits for good.

Even with the win, overcoming what is now a 3-1 deficit against a championship-tested Warriors core with two of the next three games scheduled to take place in San Francisco is quite the daunting task.

However, the Mavericks already accomplished one daunting task of overcoming a 2-0 deficit and 3-2 deficit against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns. They won the final contest of that series by 33 points, which MacMahon noted was the biggest margin of victory for a road team in a Game 7 since 1948.

"I just want to win the game and that's it," Doncic said. "We got more to do, you know. This is nothing. We got three more."

The first of those three is Thursday at the Chase Center.            

Luka Doncic may have gotten put on a poster by Andrew Wiggins, but even the Dallas Mavericks guard couldn't help but be floored by the display of athleticism.

"I got hit a little bit, but that was impressive. I'm not gonna lie," Doncic told reporters after the Mavericks' 109-100 Game 3 loss to Golden State on Sunday. "I saw the video again and I was like, 'Oof.' That was pretty incredible. I wish I had those bunnies."

Slam Dunks look even better in slow-motion 🎥 #PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/iDdcR8W1Tv

— NBA UK (@NBAUK) May 23, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flc5LzrvE8I?

While it will go down as one of the most incredible dunks in NBA playoff history, Wiggins' slam almost didn't count. The Warriors forward was initially whistled for an offensive foul as Doncic went to the ground, leading coach Steve Kerr to use his challenge. Officials overturned the call, putting the Warriors ahead 93-83 with 6:38 remaining. 

"That's a guy who has been criticized for being lackadaisical, and the beat goes on," Draymond Green told reporters. "You've heard it all. Yet on the biggest stage, he's come through. It's great to see—absolutely amazing to see him pick up his level of play."

Wiggins finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in the victory, which gave the Warriors a 3-0 series lead. He's spent most of the series as Doncic's primary defender on the other end of the floor as well. Doncic has certainly been able to pour in his buckets, going for a game-high 40 on Sunday night, but Wiggins has used his effort and athleticism to make things difficult.

Often maligned for his failure to live up to No. 1 pick hype in Minnesota and for inconsistent play at times in Golden State, Wiggins has come into his own in his current Warriors role. The onus is not on Wiggins every night to be a superstar, but to simply come in and fit into the Warriors system. He's done that in spades and now has an iconic playoff moment on his resume.

The NBA fined the Dallas Mavericks $100,000 "for continuing to violate league rules regarding team bench decorum."

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/2QwEdJvNcY

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2022

The league office said that "several players and a member of the coaching staff stood for an extended period in the Mavericks' team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on or encroaching upon the playing court" in Friday's 126-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium noted the NBA has fined the Mavs a total of $175,000 across the 2022 NBA playoffs.

The NBA first levied a $25,000 fine against Dallas for the same infraction in the team's Game 2 defeat to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals.

That drew a response from head coach Jason Kidd: "The league is worried about the wrong thing. You have millionaires cheering on other millionaires. Doesn’t happen in this society. And the enthusiasm of the game, for a teammate to cheer on another teammate, is special."

Another fine for $50,000 was forthcoming following the Mavericks' series-clinching victory over the Suns.

The Mavericks players and coaches certainly had a lot to celebrate early on against Golden State in Game 2. Dallas led by as many as 19 points in the second quarter and held a 72-58 halftime lead.

But then the Warriors stormed back in the second half to jump ahead 2-0 in the series.

Should the Mavs fail to advance to the NBA Finals, at least team governor Mark Cuban won't have to worry about writing more checks to the NBA office.

Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Doncic criticized the team's defense after falling 126-117 to the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Friday.

When asked what went wrong during a third quarter that saw the Warriors outscore the Mavs by 12 points, Doncic pointed to team defense and the need to improve it moving forward (beginning at the 30-second mark):

"We've got to attack the paint more" - @luka7doncic @dallasmavs | 📺 BSSW | #dALLasIN | #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/O5INIZmRen

— FanDuel Sports Network Southwest (@FanDuelSN_SW) May 21, 2022

"Bad defense, that's it," Doncic said. "We've gotta concentrate on our defense these two games. Our defense has gotta improve a lot."

With Friday's Game 2 loss, the Mavericks now trail the series 2-0 and are in desperate need of a Game 3 win in Dallas.

Golden State had its way with Dallas during the second half, outscoring the Mavs 68-45.

Efficiency was the name of the game for head coach Steve Kerr's squad, as they shot 56.1 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent from the free-throw line, all of which were figures that topped the Mavs.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole all shot 50 percent or better from the field, while Kevon Looney proved almost unstoppable in the paint.

The unheralded center finished with 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds in one of the most unexpected performances of the postseason thus far.

While the likes of Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith usually defend well in the paint, they had no answers for Looney.

Dallas had a 72-58 lead at halftime and seemed to be trending toward tying the series at 1-1, but the Mavs fell apart in the third quarter, scoring just 13 points and allowing Golden State to cut the deficit to two.

The Warriors then imposed their will in the fourth quarter, as their 43 points were the most in a quarter by either team Friday night. Looney's interior play never allowed Dallas to fully focus on the perimeter.

Doncic carried the Mavericks to wins at times during the first two rounds of the playoffs, but his game-high 42 points were nowhere near enough to beat the Dubs on Friday.

Dallas will need another big offensive performance from Doncic in Game 3, but if the Mavericks don't defend at a far higher level, the series may not even make it back to San Francisco.