Mavericks have taken most difficult path to NBA Finals in 14 years

Will history repeat itself?

Regardless of the outcome, the ongoing playoffs have reinforced that the West is significantly superior to the East. Just consider that, in comparison to the Mavericks' path, the Celtics defeated three sub-.600 teams en route to the finals — the No. 8 Heat (46-36), No. 4 Cavaliers (48-34) and No. 6 Pacers (47-35). 

Even last year, when the eighth-seeded Heat overcame the odds to make it to the NBA Finals, they defeated only two 50-win teams in the Bucks and Celtics before losing to the Nuggets.  

Will the Mavericks benefit in the finals by taking the tougher path? At least one expert — NBA.com writer Michael C. Wright — believes the path not taken will hurt Boston. 

"Boston hasn’t been truly tested this postseason," Wright wrote. "No Jimmy Butler in the first round. Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton missed games in the subsequent rounds. Not only is this Dallas team mostly whole, but it's also peaking behind a pair of the league’s best closers."

To Wright's point about Dallas "peaking" at the right time, the Mavericks went 14-4 in their final 18 regular-season games and carried the momentum into their postseason run. Jason Kidd's team has gone 12-5 in the playoffs and has not needed a Game 7 to put away any of its first three opponents.