The Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to book their place in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in the past 8 years. 

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Here are the major takeaways from their Game 5 victory:

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1. Kevon Looney is an unsung hero

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Kevon Looney has had to work his way into coach Steve Kerr’s plans since being drafted in 2015 but he is now a key player for this Warriors team after being a relative bit-part player during the teams previous two runs to the finals in 2018 & 2019. 

In the Game 6 win over Memphis which secured the series win for GSW, Looney had 22 rebounds and in Game 5 against Dallas he had 18 rebounds to go along with 10 points, in the big moments he is stepping up. 

The former UCLA big man was targeted on the defensive end throughout this series and again in Game 5 as the Mavericks crafty guards looked to take him in isolation, but he stood up to the challenge and won the battle, proving again his immense value to this team.

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2. Klay Thompson is as important as Steph Curry

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Klay Thompson missed the last two seasons for Golden State, the Warriors did not reach the playoffs in either season. He returned midway through this season, and he has looked better and better with every game and now GSW are back in the NBA Finals, Klay is the difference maker.

In Game 5, Klay Thompson scored 32 points, going 8/16 from deep to lead his team to victory. While Steph Curry is no doubt the main star of this Warriors team, he can’t be on every night, and on the nights he doesn’t hit every shot in sight, Thompson is there to take over.

Both stars and the rest are needed for this team to succeed. This Warriors obviously has the talent, but the team is what makes this side great.

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3. Luka Doncic needs an attitude check

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Doncic was the Mavericks only hope of success in this series and he had a great series but in Game 5 he showed the large gaps that are still in his mentality. 

Early in the game, he was not getting calls he felt he should and chose to stand and moan at the refs instead of getting back after missing shots. His body language was appalling, and the effort just was not there. 

Luka is capable of being the best but to be the best you must do all the little things, like sacrifice, run hard and play defence. He let himself down in Game 5 and that needs to change. 

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4. Dallas must add rim protection and rebounding

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Rebounding and paint protection were both major issues for Dallas throughout this series and especially in Game 5. 

GSW had 14 offensive rebounds in Game 5 which allowed them to score in crucial moments throughout the game, all but ensuring victory. Overall, Golden State out rebounded Dallas 51-34.

The Warriors also outscored Dallas 50-32 in the paint, highlighting another gaping whole in the Mavericks defence which the best teams, like Golden State, will take advantage of. 

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5. On any given night the Warriors can still be the best defence & offence in the league

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Many thought this Warriors team was finished when they lost the 2019 NBA Finals and Kevin Durant left, but they stayed true to themselves and now appear to be in position to be the best team in basketball for many more years to come. 

They haven’t always looked as fluid on both ends of the court as they did in their days of dominance, but the fluidity is still there. In the big moments they can still step up on both ends of the floor, make big shots and secure big stops. 

It may not be as consistent as previous seasons but on any given night the Golden State Warriors can still be the best team in basketball on both ends of the court.

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