The anticlimactic end to the Finals was especially disheartening after the way Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the rest of the team managed to dominate Boston in Game 4 in rather historic fashion. We suppose we should take this moment to say, "Hey, it was great just to be in the Finals.” That is true, but sorry, we’re fans. Just getting there wasn’t what we wanted. In a few weeks, or perhaps in time for the start of next season, we’ll see things more clearly, but for now, we’re pretty sore about it, thank you very little.
We're especially bitter today because we, like so many other Mavs fans, got sucked into the "Locked-in Luka" hype on X before the game. Hordes of Dallas supporters switched their profile pic to a badass image of Doncic with shades and wired earbuds to show solidarity with the belief that he would lead us to a possible Game 6.
In time we’ll take solace in how Dallas seemed more like a borderline playoff team in late February before going on a tremendous run to close out the season. Soon enough we’ll be encouraged by how young Dereck Lively II showed the world that he’s likely to be a star in the league for many years. Maybe later we’ll chuckle and smile at the memories of Doncic smack-talking fans in Los Angeles, Oklahoma City and Minnesota as he led the team to one of the more unlikely NBA Finals runs in recent memory on the strength of some rather historic individual offensive numbers.
Hate the way it ended, but this was still one of the most memorable seasons in Dallas Mavericks history and I’m so glad we all got to experience it 💙 pic.twitter.com/2kmIMksX9P
— MavsMuse (@MavsMuse) June 18, 2024
There will be time for all that, but here we are now. Another local team ending its season in a highly unceremonious fashion. The Dallas Cowboys were embarrassed in their first-round playoff game in January. The Dallas Stars looked feeble as they wilted under the pressure of the Edmonton Oilers’ penalty kill on their way out of the NHL’s Western Conference Finals. Call us spoiled, but even the triumph of the Texas Rangers’ 2023 World Series win doesn’t seem as fresh and new anymore.
Indeed, last night’s loss isn’t going to end the world or likely have any real impact on the genuinely important things in life, but dammit, it’s still real to us. Right now, we’re fine with a bit of social media doom-scrolling and taking a bit of social media solace in a misery-loves-company sort of way.
The Mavericks watching Payton Pritchard pull up from Medford with 3.1 seconds left on the clock pic.twitter.com/yNatquYgrx
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) June 18, 2024
Dallas Mavericks fans watching Kyrie & Luka in the first half at Boston pic.twitter.com/k3Th8ShNS6
— Shirt-Ish (@Shirt_Ish) June 18, 2024
Luka Doncic finals NBA game 5 highlights
— Mundinho Anthony Black (@MundinhoABlack) June 18, 2024
pic.twitter.com/92CA3dRV0G
#MFFL pic.twitter.com/mLyELngBUE
— [Official] P1Domo (@P1Domo) June 18, 2024
this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks this sucks
— dave lane (@oldwaver) June 18, 2024
Luka and Kyrie in Game 5 https://t.co/zdCpZMqqVi pic.twitter.com/jlZGDFxA1g
— outbreezy (@outbreezyWC) June 18, 2024
The Mavs were never the same after Michael Finley took Luka’s beer away 😭 pic.twitter.com/QPGG0kKsU2
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) June 18, 2024
