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What to Expect From Golden State and the Mavericks in the N.B.A.’s West

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What to Expect From Golden State and the Mavericks in the N.B.A.’s West


After a shootaround in Memphis in the course of the Western Convention semifinals, Klay Thompson stored speaking about having one thing to show. He, Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced had been via so many various kinds of playoff battles along with Golden State, and received three championships via all of it, however nonetheless he felt one thing was lacking.

“I believe we nonetheless need to show that we wish to go down as a few of the greats,” Thompson mentioned. “And the greats have received in a number of many years, and we’ve but to win within the 2020s. So it’s proper there for us.”

It’s no positive factor this yr, however the subsequent step of their quest begins Wednesday once they face the Dallas Mavericks in Sport 1 of the Western Convention finals.

Dallas and Golden State upset higher-seeded groups in tense convention semifinals collection. No. 4-seeded Dallas beat the top-seeded Phoenix Suns by dominating the clinching Sport 7. The Mavericks led by 46 factors within the second half. No. 3-seeded Golden State received a tightly contested matchup towards the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in a bodily six-game collection.

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Right here is what to anticipate within the Western Convention finals.

Curry, Thompson and Inexperienced have spent their total careers with the Warriors and are eyeing a legacy-defining postseason run. Curry made essentially the most 3-pointers within the N.B.A. this season, with 285, regardless that he missed 18 video games. Within the fall, he grew to become the league’s profession chief in 3-pointers made, passing Ray Allen.

Golden State additionally options the third-year guard Jordan Poole, who blossomed this season and began in 51 video games. He even began a number of video games forward of Curry within the playoffs whereas Curry labored his means again from an harm. Golden State additionally has ahead Andrew Wiggins, who has performed higher than he typically will get credit score for. He has been an efficient rebounder and necessary defensive piece for Golden State.

The Mavericks are led by Luka Doncic, who’s averaging 31.5 factors per sport within the playoffs and scored 45 factors in Sport 1 of Dallas’s collection towards Phoenix. He closed the collection with 27 factors within the first half of Sport 7 — as many as the entire Suns staff had scored. Level guard Jalen Brunson has additionally had a standout postseason. He’s averaging 22.9 factors per sport within the playoffs, up from his regular-season common of 16.3.

Fairly a notable one.

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Golden State’s 2006-7 staff is named the We Imagine staff in Warriors lore. Led by Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, it wanted a late-season push to make it into the playoffs. There, Golden State met a top-seeded Dallas staff that had made all of it the way in which to the N.B.A. finals the earlier season, dropping to the Miami Warmth.

Dallas had reloaded and gone 67-15 in the course of the 2006-7 season, the very best document within the league. Dirk Nowitzki received the league’s Most Worthwhile Participant Award. The Mavericks didn’t lose a single sport in February. It made what occurred subsequent all of the extra surprising.

Within the playoffs, No. 8-seeded Golden State beat Dallas in six video games. The magic was short-lived because the Warriors misplaced their second-round collection to the Utah Jazz in 5 video games, however that We Imagine staff season stays significant for followers of Golden State. It was additionally the final time Golden State confronted Dallas within the playoffs.

After 5 straight N.B.A. finals appearances, the luck ran out — not less than momentarily — beginning in 2019.

Thompson and Kevin Durant had main accidents in the course of the 2019 finals towards Toronto. Thompson tore his left anterior cruciate ligament, and Durant tore his proper Achilles’ tendon, then left for the Nets in free company. Curry broke his left hand within the fourth sport of the 2019-20 season, and performed only one extra sport that season. With out Curry and Thompson, Golden State missed the playoffs.

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Then, as Thompson healed from his A.C.L. harm, he tore his proper Achilles’ tendon and likewise missed the 2020-21 season. Golden State was barely higher final season, ending eighth within the West, however missed the playoffs after dropping within the play-in event.

Whereas the Warriors waited, they added proficient younger gamers like Poole, James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga to enrich their stars. Wiseman has been out with accidents, however Poole and Wiseman have been necessary function gamers. Gary Payton II, who’s older than Kuminga, Poole and Wiseman however lastly acquired a steady N.B.A. job this season at age 29, was a pesky defender till he broke his elbow towards the Grizzlies within the convention semifinals. Golden State’s two-year absence from the playoffs gave its stars a heightened appreciation for being again this yr.

They’ve a brand new coach in Jason Kidd, who performed for the Mavericks twice, together with after they drafted him second total in 1994. He had been a head coach in Brooklyn and Milwaukee, spending one yr with the Nets and 4 with the Bucks. Kidd spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Lakers earlier than Dallas employed him final summer time to switch the longtime coach Rick Carlisle.

The Mavericks additionally shook up their roster this season, buying and selling Kristaps Porzingis to the Wizards for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. It was a transparent indication that they have been giving the reins of their staff to Doncic. Dinwiddie additionally grew to become an necessary a part of Dallas’s Sport 7 win over the Suns, scoring 30 factors.

The staff is an amalgamation of veterans with playoff expertise unmatched among the many remaining groups and kids who’re within the postseason for the primary time. That mixture is tough to compete towards: Curry, Inexperienced and Thompson are capable of give Golden State’s youthful gamers a crash course in learn how to win within the playoffs. The younger gamers supply a cushion when the veterans must recharge.

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To not point out, Curry and Thompson are nonetheless taking part in at All-Star ranges now that they’re wholesome.

It’s tempting to simply write “Luka Doncic” and name it a day, however that doesn’t give sufficient credit score to a well-rounded Mavericks staff that stifled the Suns defensively within the convention semifinals. Though Dallas’s defensive score for the season was just like Golden State’s, the Mavericks closed the yr with robust defensive performances.

Stopping Doncic shall be a problem for Golden State, as Dallas’s offense goes nearly utterly via him. Doncic ranked third within the N.B.A. in factors per sport this season and fifth in assists per sport. He’s a generational expertise who welcomes the strain that comes with huge moments.



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Dallas, TX

Dallas Mavericks Exploring Ways To Sign Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson

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Dallas Mavericks Exploring Ways To Sign Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson


The Dallas Mavericks are looking to make a splash to their starting lineup after making a run to the NBA Finals. They may have lost in five games to the Boston Celtics but they’re still one of the NBA’s best teams and need to make some changes around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to get over the hump.

One option the Mavericks are looking into is Klay Thompson, who has spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors up to this point. Per Marc Stein “League sources tell The Stein Line that the Dallas Mavericks, with some newfound financial flexibility after securing the Tim Hardaway Jr.-to-Detroit trade that I wrote about Tuesday, are another team intent on exploring the feasibility of signing Thompson once he makes it to free agency.”

READ MORE: Mavericks Trade Tim Hardaway Jr. to Pistons in Exchange for Quentin Grimes

Thompson does not have an offer on the table to return to Golden State as of Friday morning and will explore his options in the open market. He’s not the same player he was in the prime of Golden State’s dynasty at the end of the 2010s after an ACL and Achilles tear, but he still averaged 17.9 PPG while shooting 38.7% from 3 this season. For a Mavericks team looking for a third scoring option and an elite shooter, Thompson could fit alongside Doncic and Irving seamlessly. He’s still a positive defensively, even if he’s not as quick laterally as he used to be.

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The Warriors may be more willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade as well, as they’re still looking to get back into contention as long as they have Stephen Curry playing at an elite level. Dallas sits just under $15 million below the first tax apron, but they’re likely to use the majority of that to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr. Thompson is likely looking for a 2 or 3-year contract as he enters the latter stages of his career.

Dallas could dangle Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and trade exceptions to equal around $32.6 million in salary if the option opens up for a quality trade. The remaining trade exception from the Richaun Holmes trade at last year’s draft expires July 8th and it’d be best for a contending team to not let any asset expire.

Other reports have shown that the Mavericks are interested in Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope but that Denver would be unlikely to help facilitate a sign-and-trade with another contending Western Conference team. Thompson, at 34 years old, is a better player than Caldwell-Pope but his value may be similar given his age.

Teams can start openly negotiating with free agents on June 30th, which is just two days away. There is a good chance the Mavericks reach an extension with Derrick Jones Jr. before then so they know exactly how much they can operate with in this year’s free agency.

READ MORE: NBA Free Agency Rumors: Dallas Mavericks Interested In Two-Time Champion Guard

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Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter





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Afiya Center to host 11th annual HIV testing event in Dallas

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Afiya Center to host 11th annual HIV testing event in Dallas


The Afiya Center, Texas’s only Black-led and Black women-centered reproductive justice organization, is hosting its 11th annual Get Tested, Grab A Bite! HIV testing event in Dallas this weekend.

The Afiya Center works to advocate, educate, and provide resources to empower Black women in Texas living with AIDS.

In 2021, the Dallas County saw a 30% increase in HIV cases among men and a 6.5% increase among women. In its newly released State of Black Womxn in Texas Report, the Afiya Center found that in 2021, young Black women accounted for 51% of new diagnoses among women under the age of 25, but sex education and disease prevention programs in the state rarely address community needs.

“Texas is known to be like a resource rich kind of state, right?” Afiya Center founder Marsha Jones said. “But those resources don’t meet the people who need them the most.”

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Jones started the free testing event to bring attention to the lack of resources, as well as normalize HIV testing for women.

“We wanted to make this a day that wouldn’t just be focused on HIV testing, but it would really have a sense of community,” Jones said.

Attendees who want to get tested will be able to get a full STI screening free of charge. Dallas County Health and Human Services will provide[NF1] mobile testing sites to help the organization collect data and build more resources in areas that need them.

“It helps us to build out our program,” Jones said. “It helps us to shape narratives around the importance of getting tested.”

People who choose not to get tested can still enjoy the free event filled with free food and live DJs. Jones has urged vendors not to sell anything to avoid discouraging people from attending an event that is based around finding a safe space.

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“This is literally a day to enjoy life and have a good time and get some updated information about your sexual health,” Jones said.

The Get Tested, Grab a Bite! event is on Saturday, June 29, from 3-7 p.m. in Glendale Park.

Zara Amaechi is KERA’s Marjorie Welch Fitts Louis fellow covering race and social justice. Got a tip? Email Zara at zamaechi@kera.org. You can follow her on X @amaechizara.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

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BY THE NUMBERS | FC Cincinnati at FC Dallas | FC Cincinnati

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BY THE NUMBERS | FC Cincinnati at FC Dallas | FC Cincinnati


After a prolonged absence from match play, FC Cincinnati will return to action Saturday night in a cross-conference visit with FC Dallas at Toyota Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen locally on ESPN 1530.

With The Orange and Blue deep in the heart of Texas, let’s break down this matchup with some key numbers to consider, presented by CTI.

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Luciano Acosta has been the most impactful player in MLS dating back to the start of the 2023 season without a doubt. Since the start of the 2023 season, a year in which he won the MLS MVP, Acosta has had the most games with 2 or more goals+assists with 16 this season. Acosta, who also has 15 assists this season which leads MLS, also leads the league in games with 1+ goals and 1+ assists with 12, five more than the second place Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF.

Pavel Bucha leads all midfielders with 17 balls won this season, which also stands fourth most in the league when factoring in all positions. Two of the three players above him on the full rankings, though, are his teammates, Miles Robinson and Matt Miazga, with 25 and 24, respectively. Right behind the Czech midfielder as well is teammate Obinna Nwobodow with 16 balls won in a tie for fifth place.

The newcomer to Cincinnati has been a force in the midfield as, on top of his importance in the midfield, Bucha is second on the roster behind only Luciano Acosta with 5 assists this season.

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No active FC Cincinnati players have scored a goal against FC Dallas, but not for good reason. The last time FCC played Dallas was in 2019 on a trip to Toyota Stadium, where The Orange and Blue fell 3-1, with Emmanuel Ladesma scoring the lone goal.

With Yamil Asad’s headed goal last Saturday night, FC Cincinnati has now had 10 first-time goal scorers for the club this season, the second most since the club joined MLS in 2019 and the 13 debut goal scorers that season. Asad joins Malik Pinto, Alvas Powell, Isaiah Foster, Dado Valenzuela, Miles Robinson, Luca Orellano, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy and Pavel Bucha.

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FC Cincinnati has been one of the best road teams this season in MLS, providing dominant performances on offense and defense when playing away from TQL Stadium. With 15.32 xG, third most in the league and 19 goals, also the most road goals in the league, the offense has clicked when it’s needed to to secure a 7-1-1 record on the road. On defense FCC has conceded just 12 times away from home and allowed 14.98 opponent xG, fifth most in the league on both fronts.

What matters most, though, is FCC has tallied a league-high 22 points away from home, putting The Orange and Blue already on pace for one of the best seasons away from home in MLS history. With the record road pace being set by LA Galaxy in 1998 (pre-draw era) at 35 road points, eight more road points would give FCC a tie for the top ten with 30.





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