Luka Doncic's scorching start sends Mavs to NBA Finals - ESPN

MINNEAPOLIS — Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks left no doubts while taking the final step toward the superstar's first NBA Finals appearance.

The Mavericks clinched the Western Conference title with a display of sheer dominance, eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 124-103 rout in Game 5 on Thursday at the Target Center.

The Mavs advance to the NBA Finals to face the Boston Celtics, who completed their sweep of the Indiana Pacers in the East finals on Monday.

It's the third Finals trip in Dallas' history and the first since 2011, when the Mavs won the franchise's only NBA championship with current coach Jason Kidd playing point guard.

Doncic, who earned Western Conference finals MVP, had his highest-scoring outing of this postseason with 36 points.

He seized control from the Mavs' opening possession of the night, scoring 12 points in the first 153 seconds and singlehandedly outscoring the Timberwolves by a 21-20 margin in the first quarter. He punctuated most of his buckets — including an off-dribble 3-pointer from the halfcourt logo — by sneering toward courtside fans who drew Doncic's wrath.

The Mavs continued to pour it on in the second quarter, when Dallas co-star Kyrie Irving took his turn torching the Timberwolves' No. 1-ranked defense. Irving, a one-time champion who played in three Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers, scored 15 of his 36 points in the quarter.

Doncic and Irving each finished with at least 30 points for the fourth time during the Mavs' playoff run. The only other duo to accomplish that more often during a single postseason was the Los Angeles Lakers' Hall of Fame tandem of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Doncic and Irving also joined Baylor and West