Dallas Mavs Win Southwest Division, Lock In NBA Playoff Series vs. LA Clippers: 'We're Just Getting Started'

The Dallas Mavericks won the Southwest Division for the fifth time in franchise history with a win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, and they also locked in a first-round playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers for the third time in five years.

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We knew it was a great possibility going into Wednesday night's action, but now it's official: The Dallas Mavericks have won the Southwest Division and will open the NBA playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers for the third time in five years.

Going into the second night of a road back-to-back agaisnt the Miami Heat, the Mavs did what they've done often over the last month by putting on absolute defensive clinic in a 111-92 blowout win. Not only did Dallas secure their fifth division title in franchise history, but it also notched its second 50-win season in three years.

Luka Doncic led the way with 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, and Kyrie Irving was right behind him with 25 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals. Following the win, Irving expressed how he felt about the Mavs making it back to the playoffs after missing the postseason entirely last season.

“It means a great deal, because that was the first time I had dealt with failure at that type of level," Irving said. "Part of the human experience is not negotiating with yourself about what you want to achieve, it’s just going after it and I think that’s what we did this season."

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Although the Mavs are happy to be back in the playoffs, everyone on the team knows that they haven't accomplished anything close to their overall goal, which is to win a championship. On Tuesday in Charlotte, Daniel Gafford channeled the late, great Kobe Bryant by saying, "the job's not done," and Irving echoed that sentiment in Miami on Wednesday.

“We know the job isn’t finished and we’re just getting started," Irving said. "We’ve done it in the regular season, that’s good and dandy, but now this is where the grown-ups start to use their IQ, start to use their emotional intelligence, their physical intangibles, and may the best man win.”

The Mavs lost to the Clippers in six and seven games respectively in their 2020 and 2021 first-round playoff series, but a lot has changed since then. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden – as good as all of them are – are no longer spring chickens, and Leonard has missed LAC's last five games with "knee inflammation."

On Dallas' end, it's no longer just Doncic by himself. No. 77 finally has a true co-star in Irving, and he also has a talented, athletic group of role players that has helped give the Mavs the No. 1 defense in the league over the last 18 games – a span where Dallas has gone 16-2.

The Mavs have the star power, the overall roster talent and all the momentum in the world to make a memorable playoff push, and that push will begin against an old rival in the Clippers. The only question remaining is whether the Mavs will be the No. 4 or No. 5 seed. If Dallas wins its last two games while LAC loses its last two games, the Mavs will open up the postseason at American Airlines Center. Any Mavs loss or Clippers win, though, means Doncic, Irving and company will travel to Crypto.com Arena next weekend.

"We're looking forward to that challenge," Irving said of facing the Clippers.