With a Game 5 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals on Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks have advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011. In doing so, they become the second 5-seed to ever advance to the Finals since the Playoffs expanded to its 16-team format in 1984, joining the 2020 Miami Heat, who lost in 6 games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble.
FINALS FACT: The Mavericks are looking to become the first No. 5 playoff seed to win an NBA championship since the current 16-team playoff format began 40 years ago.
Since the 1983-84 season, only one team seeded fourth or lower has lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy – the 1994-95… pic.twitter.com/62bG6b0mB2
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 31, 2024
Only one team has won the championship despite not having homecourt advantage in each round: the 1994-95 Houston Rockets, who swept the top-seeded Orlando Magic in the 1995 Finals as a 6-seed. The Mavericks are hoping they can follow a similar formula.
On Dallas' way to the Finals, they have beaten three 50-win teams: the Los Angeles Clippers (51-31), the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25), and the Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26). Only four other teams ever have beaten three 50-win teams before the NBA Finals: the 1995 Rockets, the 2001 Lakers, the 2008 Lakers, and the 2010 Lakers. All of those teams won the championship except the '08 Lakers, who lost in 6 games to the Boston Celtics. If Luka Doncic can play on the level of Hakeem Olajuwon or Kobe Bryant, which he is more than capable of, he may have a chance to put his team's name in the record books.
Despite this being the Mavericks' third-ever appearance in The Finals, they've never been higher than a 3-seed when they made those appearances. They were the 4-seed in 2006 when they lost to Miami, then the 3-seed in 2011 when they got their revenge on Miami. They've also never played a 1-seed in The Finals, as Miami was the 2-seed both times they played Dallas.
Game 1 against the Celtics will start Thursday, June 6th, in Boston.
READ MORE: P.J. Washington Trolls Charlotte Hornets as Dallas Mavericks Advance to NBA Finals
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Dallas Mavericks Looking To Make History With Their NBA Finals Appearance - Sports Illustrated
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