-Charles-LeClaire-USA-TODAY-Sports-4
The Western conference Finals will be between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks, after Dallas upset the one seeded Phoenix Suns in seven games and crushed them on the road in Phoenix to close out the series win. Dallas is led by star point guard Luka Doncic who in the regular season averaged 28.4 points per game, 9.1 rebounds per game, and 8.7 assists per game. Luka’s sidekick Jalen Brunson is another player that has been great for Dallas in the regular season, and in the postseason as well. Brunson averaged 16.3 points per game on 50.2% shooting from the field, and 4.8 assists per game. If the Mavericks are going to win this series against Golden State, it’s going to be because of Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic.
For the Warriors it has been a team effort with multiple players stepping up including all-time great three-point shooter Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole. Curry averaged 25.5 points per game on 43.7% shooting from the field, and 38% from three. Curry has been great in the postseason too having multiple games with 30 points or more. Draymond Green can score timely buckets, but his defense is what stands out with his ability to rebound, block shots, and force bad shots as well. Since Klay Thompson came back from injury he has played well, averaging 20.4 points per game on 42.9% shooting from the field, and 38.5% from three-point land. A young player for the Warriors that has really impressed me is shooting guard Jordan Poole out of Michigan. During the regular season Poole averaged 18.5 points per game, on 44.8% shooting from the field, and 36.4% shooting from three. Poole really stepped up when Klay Thompson was out and has done great things for the Warriors this postseason with his ability to make shots, and create for his teammates. I think this will be a great series, but in the end, I believe that the Warriors will be too much for the Mavericks to handle beating them in six games.
