The Dallas Mavericks are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 following a Game 5 beatdown of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Superstar duo Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 72 points in the 124-103 victory, dominating the series from the start. Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Timberwolves simply had no chance.

With the NBA Finals set for June 6th, we learned some very important things in the Western Conference Finals. The Mavericks have certainly shocked the NBA world after finishing sixth in the West and the Timberwolves had an admirable run to the Western Conference Finals, but here are the 10 things we have learned.

1. Luka And Kyrie Are The Best Backcourt In The League

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are the best backcourt in the NBA by far and might be among the greatest of all time. They completely decimated the Timberwolves’ defense and even the elite play of Anthony Edwards couldn’t balance the output. Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game on 47.3% from the field and 43.4% from three. The Slovenian was not only an elite scorer but a dominant playmaker who picked Minnesota’s defense.

Kyrie Irving proved he is one of the most skilled players of all time by posting 27.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on 49.0% from the field and 37.5% from three as the second option. Irving was certainly a difference-maker because Minnesota had to focus on Doncic leaving the skilled ball-handler to do his thing slicing to the rim and making jumpers.

Luka and Kyrie proved to be a disastrous duo last season as the Mavericks missed the playoffs and finished 12th in the West. However, they have bounced back this year as they share the ball with each other and create an abundance of scoring opportunities for the team. Doubts about having two ball-handlers and even Irving’s dedication to basketball have been shoved aside, and the Mavericks are benefitting because of that.

2. Mavericks Are Ready To Win A Title

The Dallas Mavericks are equipped to win the NBA title this year. They were the underdogs against the Minnesota Timberwolves and answered the call by demolishing them in five games. They will be the underdogs in the NBA Finals against the championship-favorite Boston Celtics but do not discount how good the Mavericks have been. They are averaging 106.9 points per game in the playoffs (7th among all teams) and no team has had the answer of Doncic and Irving.

Jason Kidd has also included the supporting cast well. PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Derrick Jones Jr, and Dereck Lively II have been excellent on the court and the Mavericks have zero chemistry issues on or off the court. Kyrie Irving’s dedication to the game has meant the Mavericks are built to win, and they will be a major threat to upset the Celtics in the NBA Finals. With two superstar players, a hardworking supporting cast, and a ravenous fanbase, the Mavericks want to win the NBA championship.

3. Anthony Edwards Was Outplayed… But He Gets A Pass

Anthony Edwards is a superstar player who will be the face of the NBA one day. He was dominant in the postseason, averaging 31.0 points per game against his idol Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in the first round. The Timberwolves swept the series and handled the Denver Nuggets in seven games with Edwards posting 27.7 points per game. The shooting guard showed some examples (only some) of how great Michael Jordan was early on in his career, and we might have been carried away.

In the Western Conference Finals, Edwards was solid but was outplayed by Dominic and Irving. It is just that simple. The superstar averaged 24.6 points per game but only shot 43.0% from the field and averaged 3.4 turnovers per game. Edwards’ first two games in the series, 19 points (6-16) and 21 points (5-17) respectively, put his team in danger and the shooting guard himself admitted that wasn’t good enough.

Even if Edwards was outplayed, he gets a pass. Luka and Kyrie are more experienced, have been stars in the NBA longer, and have been dealing with double-teams since their rookie campaigns. Edwards struggled with the double-team at times, and as he continues to mature, he could become an all-time great. Remember, the former No. 1 overall pick is only 22 years old, which means he has an entire career ahead of him.

4. Karl-Anthony Towns Can Be The Second Option

There were concerns about how Karl-Anthony Towns would feel being pushed out of his number one role with the Timberwolves. The former No. 1 overall pick might have the skills to be a first option offensively, but Anthony Edwards is more suitable for that role due to his attitude and utter confidence in his game. Towns is better off as a sidekick and seeing how good the team was in the playoffs, the big man seemed content.

The Timberwolves will achieve great things as long as Towns can be Edwards’ sidekick going forward. The big man had a difficult Western Conference Finals series, posting 19.6 points per game on 24.2% from three. His toughness was in question at times and he could not impact the series as much as Irving did. Towns also struggled with foul trouble but regardless, the big man seems to be capable as a second option which means it is up to Anthony Edwards to reach that next level of superstar to make the Timberwolves better.

5. Rudy Gobert Is A Legitimate Defender But Still Very Overrated

Rudy Gobert has been the most criticized player in the NBA for a few seasons now, especially because there are doubts about his toughness, offensive game, and all-around impact despite being a four-time Defensive Player of the Year. To his credit, Gobert spearheaded the number-one defense in the NBA in the regular season, but he has many faults in his game.

The first is offense because Gobert has bad hands and can’t handle passes that aren’t perfect. He is immobile offensively, can’t score on his own, and relies on pure height to get buckets around the rim. Even defensively, the Frenchman is light and can be pushed around by more athletic and aggressive big men. Being a four-time Defensive Player of the Year means Gobert should be dominant in the paint similar to Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace, but he just isn’t. The Frenchman is a legitimate defensive star at times, but he isn’t a great player in terms of impact.

6. Chris Finch Needs To Diversify His Lineups

Chris Finch and Minnesota’s coaching staff stuck with Rudy Gobert throughout the playoffs. It worked against Phoenix because of how dominant Anthony Edwards was, and he could match Nikola Jokic in terms of size and was able to get some timely stops. However, against the Dallas Mavericks who do not have threats in the paint with regards to big men, Gobert was rendered useless at times.

Minnesota should have played Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid more but opted to play Gobert more. Reid averaged 26.4 minutes per game in the series against Dallas but he probably should have played more than Gobert. Minnesota did not need Gobert to defend Daniel Gafforrd and Dereck Lively II which means they could have used Reid’s floor-spacing and athleticism more alongside Karl-Anthony Towns.

Chris Finch, Micah Nori, and the Timberwolves coaching staff did not want to unnerve their Defensive Player of the Year, but not playing Reid far more might have hurt them in the series against Dallas.

7. Naiz Reid Is A Major Impact Player

Naz Reid won Sixth Man of the Year after posting 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on 41.4% from three in the regular season and helped make the Timberwolves a top-three seed in the West. In the playoffs, Reid averaged 9.8 points per game on 38.9% from three but probably should have played over 30 minutes per game.

Reid is a fire starter with his three-point shooting, rebounding, and athleticism, and has shown flashes of brilliance defensively. The Timberwolves have to hold onto Reid because he is a key part of their core and is only 24 years old. Anytime Reid is on the floor, the Timberwolves have a great chance to go on a run and that could be a secret weapon they can pull off more often than we saw in the playoffs this year.

8. PJ Washington And Daniel Gafford Are Great Role Players

The Dallas Mavericks were more than clever to bring PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford on board. In essence, this pre-trade-deadline move changed the Mavericks’ season. Washington averaged 11.7 points per game on 31.4% from three in the regular season but boosted his numbers to 17.7 points on 46.9% from three against the Thunder and 12.2 points per game against the Timberwolves.

Washington was all over the court on both ends, attacking the rim, spotting up for threes, and acting as the third option behind Doncic and Irving. Meanwhile, Daniel Gafford averaged 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on 75.0% from the field and seemed more effective than Rudy Gobert on the court. Washington and Gafford were tough, athletic, and impactful for the Mavericks and have to be part of the team’s long-term core.

9. Jason Kidd Has Improved Exponentially As A Coach

Head coach Jason Kidd had some amateur moments early on in his post-playing career but has developed into an excellent player’s coach. Finding a way to make Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving is never easy but Kidd has made it work. Finding roles for two big men without natural offensive talent isn’t easy either, but Gafford and Lively II were playing their hearts out. The same goes for PJ Washington, Josh Green, and even Dante Exum.

Kidd’s rotations were spot-on in the series against the Timberwolves and his decision to double Edwards consistently and force other players to beat the Mavericks worked perfectly. He also put the ball in Doncic and Irving’s hands in every possession, and the Timberwolves simply had no answer. The bulk of the credit will go to Doncic and Irving, and rightfully so, but Jason Kidd is proving he can be an excellent coach.

10. Jaden McDaniels Can Be The Best Perimeter Defender In The NBA

Watch out because Jaden McDaniels has the tools to be one of the best defensive players in the NBA and the best pure perimeter defender. As he learns the tendencies of the best players in the NBA, McDaniels can be used as a star-stopper. We saw how great Lugentz Dort did against Luka in the second round, and McDaniels could be the next great perimeter defender.

He has the size (6’9”) to swarm ball-handlers and the athleticism to be an impact player when switching. Once McDaniels improves his three-point shooting over his 35.4% career average, we could be looking at one of the best swingmen in the league. He is only 23 years old and his partnership alongside Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns means the future is very bright.