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Warriors beat Mavericks to return to NBA Finals

Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Golden State Warriors are heading back to the NBA Finals for the sixth time in the last eight seasons.

Klay Thompson scored 32 points, including 19 in the first half, while draining eight threes to help Golden State eliminate the Dallas Mavericks with a 120-110 Game 5 win at Chase Center on Thursday. This marks Thompson's first postseason run since 2019 after being held out the last two campaigns due to a torn ACL and a torn Achilles, respectively.

"I should've had 10 threes. I left, like, three on the board tonight," Thompson said of his performance.

Stephen Curry added 15 points and nine assists for Golden State. Curry was given inaugural Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP honors after averaging 23.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.6 rebounds during the five-game series.

"This one is special because this is a group that no one thought would ever be back here," said Warriors forward Draymond Green postgame. "Klay Thompson went through two catastrophic injuries. Stephen Curry breaks his hand. We won 15 games two years ago."

Green contributed 17 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, while Kevon Looney recorded a 10-point, 18-rebound double-double in the win.

The Mavericks trailed by as many as 25 points and never led in the contest. Luka Doncic finished with 28 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in 40 minutes. His 15 third-quarter points helped the Mavs get within 10 entering the fourth quarter, but the Warriors managed to regain momentum in short order en route to a decisive win.

Dallas went 52-30 to finish fourth in the West and reached its first conference finals since 2011.

Golden State shot 51.1% overall, 38.9% on 3-point attempts, and connected on all 16 of its free-throw tries. Dallas outshot Golden State from distance but sank just 76% (19-of-25) of its free throws in the loss.

The Warriors improve to 21-2 in playoff series under head coach Steve Kerr and 18-0 against Western Conference playoff opponents during his tenure.

Golden State will host Game 1 of the Finals against either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat on June 2.

"No one has proven they can beat us yet when we're whole. That's still the case," Green said of the Warriors at full strength, according to The Washington Post's Ben Golliver. "Never doubt what we're capable of."

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