Out of Gas: Mavs' Comeback Falls Short; Warriors Eliminate Dallas in Game 5

The Mavs got things rolling in the third quarter, but their poor first-half performance in Game 5 proved too much to overcome.

Everyone knew what a tall task the Dallas Mavericks faced when they dropped into a 3-0 hole against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals. No team in NBA history had ever come back from such a deficit in 146 tries. Well, we can make that 147 now.

Facing elimination in Game 5 at Chase Center on Thursday night, the Mavs weren't able to overcome a poor first half and ultimately lost to the Warriors, 120-110. Golden State will advance to the NBA Finals to take on either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. For the Mavs, their journey, at least for this season, comes to an end as an important offseason awaits.

"We accomplished a lot with the two words we've talked about: Accountability and chemistry," said Jason Kidd, who was fantastic in his first year being the head coach of the Mavericks.

"Now, it's about what's our appetite come next season? Next season, are we going to be hungry? And then, are we going to train this summer to understand what it means to play until May and June?"

After starting off sluggish, Luka Doncic ended up leading the Mavs in Game 5 with 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists. He shot just 10-28 from the field, including 3-13 from 3-point range.

For most of the night, especially in the first half, Doncic wasn't getting the benefit of the whistle, and that unfortunately affected his play on the defensive end of the floor. Given the load Doncic has carried throughout this postseason, his frustration in Game 5 was untimely, yet understandable.

Spencer Dinwiddie was the catalyst of the Mavs' second-half comeback attempt with his aggressive play and foul-drawing ability. He finished with 26 points off the bench on 7-12 shooting, including 5-7 from deep. Dinwiddie also dished out four assists.

Dorian Finney-Smith and Jalen Brunson were the only other Mavericks to score in double figures on the night, finishing with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Finney-Smith shot a respectable 6-10 from the field, while Brunson struggled, going 3-10 and being a team-worst -24 in the box score plus/minus.

Klay Thompson is known for his big Game 6 performances over his stellar career, but it was Game 5 where he shined this time, as he led the Warriors with 32 points on 12-25 shooting, including 8-16 from deep. It was Thompson's best game of these playoffs.

The Mavs have a lot to build on after having a magnificent season. Although adding a second star to the roster would be preferred, Dallas really just needs a few more pieces to round out the rotation in order to take the next step. A fun and productive summer starts now.

"We were able to accomplish a lot," said Kidd. "This is just the start of the marathon, the journey. ... I think we've laid the foundation, and now we can start building."