10 Greatest NBA Finals performers in Dallas Mavericks history

The Dallas Mavericks' 2023-24 season has come to an end without the Larry O'Brien Trophy in hand. Even so, some see the campaign as a success, considering the team had to claw its way out of the Play-In Tournament picture.

Complementing the masterful showing from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and sublime coaching by Jason Kidd was the tremendous impact of the last-minute additions the front office pulled off at the trade deadline.

Facing the deeper Boston Celtics in the Finals, the Mavs committed several mistakes that doomed their chances of clinching what would have been a second title in franchise history. Still, the future is bright for the squad, as many of its core players are 25 years old or under.

10 Greatest NBA Finals performers in Dallas Mavericks history

Only time will tell how long it takes for Dallas to return to the championship round. It wouldn't be surprising if it's back in the Finals next year, considering that the team will have a full training camp together and that the recently concluded postseason should give the front office and coaching staff an idea about how the Mavs can further improve.

So far, more than three dozen players have suited up in the Finals in a Mavs uniform.

Some of them played beyond expectations, although some underperformed. Here, we look at the Dallas players who have done well in the squad's previous appearances (2006, 2011, and 2024) in the title stage.

10. Dereck Lively II

Dereck Lively II was the only rookie to play meaningful minutes in the 2024 Finals, and he showed why the Mavs front office read the 2023 NBA Draft perfectly when they selected Lively II with the No. 12 pick. He played beyond his years and even displayed the potential to be one of the squad's leaders when he sent Doncic a blunt message during the series about avoiding complaining to the referees.

The 20-year-old big man was a massive reason Dallas outrebounded Boston in the series, averaging 8.2 boards per game. He hauled in more rebounds than any of the Celtics players.

Even though he scored just 5.6 points per contest, Lively II was incredibly efficient from the field, converting 70.6 percent of his shots. Evidently, he is a significant reason there is plenty of optimism in Mavs land. He has proven to be the perfect fit for Doncic and Kyrie Irving, especially because of his rim-running abilities and potential to be a floor-spacer.

The Celtics did a solid job of addressing Dallas' lob threats. But with a whole season in which he secured an All-Rookie Second-Team selection and a lengthy playoff run under his belt, expect the Duke University product to be even better in the next campaign and beyond.