The Dallas Mavericks Receive The Oscar Robertson Trophy As The NBA Western Conference Champions!

Before we get to the hardware just a word to you folks in Minnesota what a great what a great fan base what a great team you supported this year congratulations we have a Western Conference Championship trophy here we have the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy here let's get to it and to accept the championship trophy the guy who spent nine seasons with the Dallas Mavericks two-time all-star currently assistant GM and VP of basketball development so you're one of the guys who put this thing together and help this team to the Western Conference title Michael Finley ladies and gentlemen and this is Patrick Dumont this was made official back in December the change of ownership has anybody told you this is really not the normal way that this goes about you take control of a team and then four months later you're going to the NBA finals not with this team we did this for the city of Dallas and for our fans I saw you with about a minute and a half to go in the game from your seat I saw Mark Cuban give you a big hug what did he have to say to you he said this is an amazing team he loves everyone and let's go congratulations you're going to the NBA finals before we do the MVP let me get a couple of words here Nico Harrison's the head of basketball ops for the Mavericks look when you look at the moves that you have orchestrated over the past year whether that's bringing in Kyrie Irving whether that's drafting Derek Lively it's the trade to get Daniel Gafford here PJ Washington here you've had the magic touch how gratifying is that from a professional and personal standpoint for you Nico now you know what it feels really good but uh most importantly I feel good for Jason Kidd I feel good for the team and we've really built something here we got a great culture congratulations I know that feels great in your hands right there and Jason Kidd if you would so last time this team was in the finals you were playing and you and you won it 13 years ago so the traits that made that team special what do you see in this bunch of Mavericks well I think just the resilience uh understanding that this group believes uh they believe in each other I thought the connection uh since the trade uh has been incredible and we're playing at a high level but the connection offensively and defensively but off the floor too and this is a special group congratulations and uh good luck against the Boston Celtics in the NBA finals Jason nice going so so we've had the Oscar Robertson trophy going to the champions and now this is the MVP is named for Magic Johnson and the MVP of the Western Conference Finals is I'm I'm not going to tell you but he's from Slovenia Luka Doncic how's that feel yeah that's a couple of things to celebrate to have that to have the Magic Johnson trophy but also you're going to the NBA finals Luka that's the same uh but this this trophy is the whole team man it's not me it's the whole team I see you but no this is this means a lot we're going to the NBA finals uh just can't believe it man the way you came out tonight outscoring Minnesota by yourself in the first quarter just give me your mindset as you took the floor tonight my mind was set the tone uh I know they're going to start doubling after so we just play with the doubles double team after and we just play basketball congratulations to you good luck in the finals let me get Kyrie Irving up here if I could where's Ky so so it's a first trip for Luka you've been to the finals before this will be trip number four and you've won a championship what's the what's the best advice you can give to to team members who have not experienced what you're about to experience uh just enjoy the moment and uh realize how hard you work to get there nothing's guaranteed in this league especially making it to the finals every year uh you know we couldn't have done it without a collective responsibility us working together every single day practicing hard doing the little things so we should reward ourselves by playing hard exactly I mean and when when you came to play with Luka and you know there was a debate hey how is it going to work or is it going to work what has made it so successful between the two of you we're a great team it's not just about me and Luka we've said that since the beginning of the season uh without these guys supporting without our ladies supporting us uh we wouldn't be here so shout out to everybody that does the little things for us to be prepared every single night and it's our job to go out here and put our best foot forward you may have noticed that uh the finals will start in a place where you used to play in Boston you're looking forward to that yeah absolutely I mean Boston's in the way and in between our goals so that's it man Kyrie congratulations and congratulations to everybody wearing the Mavericks colors tonight the 2024 Western Conference champions heading to the NBA finals against Boston congratulations fellas