With a stellar performance from veteran Klay Thompson, the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 (4-1 on aggregate) on Thursday and sealed their return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019. The Warriors will play their sixth NBA Finals in the last eight seasons, a mark not seen since Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls (1991-98).

Against Boston or Miami, the first game of the Finals will be played at the Chase Center in San Francisco (California), where 18,000 Golden State fans celebrated their victory against Luka Doncic's Mavericks (28 points) in style on Thursday. .

After two nightmare seasons, in which they came to finish in last place in 2020, the Warriors now aspire to resume a dynasty that many considered finished with the loss in the 2019 Finals against the Toronto Raptors and the departure of Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets.

Stephen Curry, the team leader, stayed on Thursday with 15 points and 9 assists but ended up being recognized with the first Magic Johnson award for MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the Western Conference final.

Even so, the figure of the game was Klay Thompson, the player who symbolizes the return to the elite of the Warriors. After missing the last two seasons due to devastating injuries, Thompson had his glory night with 32 points and 8 3-pointers that hammered the Mavericks. "I'm so happy to be back, so grateful to this team," said the shooting guard on the track. "I don't want to get excited, there are still four more (victories) to go, but I can't believe it."