No. 5 Dallas Mavericks advance to first NBA Finals since 2011 title run

The GIST: You can’t make a diamond without serious pressure — no wonder the NBA and NHL Conference Finals stars are making the whole place postseason shimmer.

🏀 The NBA Finals are set as No. 5 Dallas Mavericks advance: The Mavs took down the No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves 124–103 last night to lock in their first NBA Finals appearance since their 2011 title run. To no one’s surprise, Dallas' Luka Dončić was crowned king of trash talk Western Conference Finals MVP following yet another double-double performance.

• It may have taken five games, but the Mavs still have plenty of time to rest up before taking on the Eastern Conference Champion No. 1 Boston Celtics for the title, starting on June 6th. Can’t wait.

🥅 The Florida Panthers are one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final: Despite sensational goaltending by NY Ranger Igor Shesterkin (34 saves), center Anton Lundell and the Panthers pulled away with a 3–2 Game 5 dub last night, quieting NY’s Madison Square Garden.

• With the series heading back south, Florida has a firm Eastern Conference Final advantage ahead of a crucial Game 6, tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET.

• Elsewhere, the Edmonton Oilers evened the Western Conference Final 2-2 by scoring five unanswered goals in Wednesday’s 5–2 Game 4 win over the injury-contending Dallas Stars. The spicy series heads back to Dallas for Game 5 tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.