DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki wrapped his hands around the silver ball trophy that goes to the Western Conference champions and smiled. After five years, he and the Dallas Mavericks are kings of their conference again, earning another trip to the NBA finals.

Yet Nowitzki didn’t flash the wide, toothy grin of someone relieved to have accomplished his goal. Because, he hasn’t.

Unless the Mavs win the next round, too, and become NBA champions for the first time, their whole glorious postseason – and that silver trophy – won’t mean as much. It’s a lament heard by many superstars, but Nowitzki’s indifference amid much of the frenzied celebration around him showed just how serious he is about it.

“I was already thinking about the finals,” he said. “This is nice for a day, but we set our goals in October to win it all. We haven’t done it yet.”