NBA - Mavs finish off Thunder with late run [video]

DALLAS (NBA) - Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks are back in the NBA Finals.

The Mavs wrapped up a 4-1 triumph over Oklahoma City in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 100-96 home triumph on Wednesday night.

Dallas, who split the first two games with the Thunder, closed out Game 5 with a 17-6 run.

"We just had to get some stops down the stretch, finally found a way with some zone, some man-to-man," Nowitzki said.

"It was big."

A Nowitzki three-pointer - his only one of the night from two attempts - just 1:14 from the end gave the Mavs a 95-94 lead and they stayed in front the rest of the way.

The German superstar finished with 26 points as Dallas returned to the Finals for the first time since 2006, when they won the opening two games against the Miami Heat but then lost four straight to suffer a 4-2 series defeat.

A rematch could be on the cards because Miami lead Chicago 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

"Five years ago, we had a great chance," Nowitzki said. "We were right there, where we wanted to be but just couldn't. You have to give Miami credit, they played a heck of a series.

"We're back again and hopefully we'll have a better result now.

"We have a lot of veterans who want to play off each other. We'll see how it goes."

Shawn Marion, who has been a key man for Dallas the past three games, had 26 points as well on Wednesday while also playing lock-down defense on the perimeter.

Marion had a steal and three blocks on the night.

Puerto Rican playmaker Jose Barea came off the bench and contributed 14 points, five assists and four rebounds.

For the Thunder, Russell Westbrook had 31 points while Kevin Durant and James Harden scored 23 apiece.

Check out Wednesday's top five plays

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