NBA Western Conference Finals Recap: ‘Luka Doncic, Mavs overpowers Suns and advanced to the Conference Finals’

What an amazing, hard-fought series from both the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns!

The upset of the century happened in Game 7.

The Mavs ‘obliterated’ the Suns and will be advancing to the ‘Western Conference Finals’.

Both teams gave it all they had and entertained us with ‘Luka Magic’. 3-time All-Star Luka Doncic in particular was the driving force for his team’s blowout 123–90 victory over the ‘best team in the NBA’ in Phoenix Suns.

At the end of the game, Luka scored 35 points on an efficient 63% from the field to go along with 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. In addition, Spencer Dinwiddie added 30 points and Jalen Brunson scored 24 points to help Luka finish off the Suns for good.

For the defeated Suns, Chris Paul scored 10 points and made 4 assists, Devin Booker added 14 points and Deandre Ayton scored a disappointing 5 points with 4 boards. What’s worse, both Paul and Booker were held a combined 7/22 from the field.

Mavs-Suns Game 7 Full Highlights

With this epic ‘upset’ win, Luka will advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in his short career. As the greatest elimination game scorer in NBA history, Luka made the Suns pay with his style of play, stepback jumpers, creating plays for his teammates, and using his footwork to get past defenders. Not only that, rising stars Spencer Dinwiddie and Brunson stepped up huge for the team individually and collectively.

In the end, the Mavs’ firepower and immense defense from start to finish took the life out of the Suns and powered their way to the ‘Western Conference Finals’.

Now, before I discuss the ‘Western Conference Finals’ preview between the Mavs and Golden State Warriors, let’s break down the game where Mavs obliterated the Suns.

An Upset for the Ages

For the first 2 games in this Mavs-Suns series, Phoenix was up 2–0 and took a commanding lead that would soon catapult them to advancing in the next round. Unfortunately, ‘Christopher’ Paul showed up and played like a 37-year-old for 4 straight games. Soon after, the Mavs tied the series and gave themselves a chance to defend their home floor with the heroic efforts of ‘Luka Magic’.

As Chris Paul was showing signs of decline, the Mavs won 2 straight games and defended their home floor from then on. After that, the Suns won again, and the Mavs defeated them in 2 consecutive games. ‘Elimination game’ Luka came out hugely and convincingly led his team to victory. The whole Suns team never got an easy shot off and got embarrassed from start to finish.

Phoenix Suns’ Shooting Woes

The Suns’ field goal percentage was shut down to 37% in total. The shooting woes were forced unnecessarily and the Suns allowed the Mavs to take advantage of missed shots, turnovers, fastbreak points and making 19 3-pointers as a team. Furthermore, the Mavs took a commanding 27–17 in the 1st quarter and never looked back.

Luka Doncic started the game red hot from the start and the rest of his team got going shortly thereafter. Simply put, the Mavs owned the Suns and it wasn’t even close. Not even Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton had an answer to the Mavs’ endless onslaught of elite shooting. The offensive firepower of the Mavs was too much for the Suns. Phoenix had no answer to the Mavs' counter shots at them the entire game.

What’s Next

The Mavs will face a championship team that seeks to return to glory after a 2-year absence due to Klay Thompson’s two career-ending injuries (torn ACL and torn Achilles), the Golden State Warriors. During the regular season, Dallas defeated Warriors 3–1 and was able to allow 3-time NBA Champion Stephen Curry to shoot below 29% from 3-point range. In 2 of those meetings, Klay Thompson did not play, which resulted in a season series advantage.

This time around, ‘Game 6’ Klay is ready to show the Mavs what he is capable of and will not back down from their challenge. In addition, the Warriors’ rising star Jordan Poole has become the Warriors’ legit 3rd option and can be the 2nd option on some nights. All-Star Andrew Wiggins can be scary when scoring in key moments of a game. Finally, 3-time NBA Champion and ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ Draymond Green can defend the best players in clutch time.

Moreover, the battle of the ‘small ball lineup’ will be a huge test to determine who will win this series.

Will it be the Warriors’ small-ball-lineup of Curry-Poole-Green-Wiggins-Thompson or the Mavs’ small-ball-lineup of Luka-Dinwiddie-Brunson-Bullock-Green?

Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks are no scrub and will be ready to play the Warriors with all they got. Luka is on a roll and will not stop relenting until someone from the Warriors’ squad answers the bell.

The question remains, will this Mavs team unleash the same energy that obliterated the Suns and carry it over to the Warriors? Can the Warriors put a stop to Luka’s offensive onslaught and return to the NBA Finals? All of those questions will be answered before June 2nd.

Western Conference Finals Predictions

Here is my prediction:

The Mavs-Warriors series will go 7 games and since the Warriors have home-court advantage, they will win in 7. Championship pedigree and experience will play a factor in this series. Luka’s ceiling will hit in game 7, not higher. There will be a lot of 3-point shooting involved, tons of elite defense all over the floor, and clutch game situations.

Now, if for some reason Luka can overcome a 3–1 or 3–2 series deficit and shoots 35 or more points to beat the Warriors, the Mavs will be my pick to advance to the NBA Finals. Other than that, the Warriors will beat the Mavs and return to the Finals.

That is my prediction going forward.

Let me know in the comments and share your thoughts about the Mavs’ huge upset over the Suns and how the series with Warriors can alter their fate going forward.

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