Three Observations After the Mavericks Defeat the Timberwolves, 109-108
The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a stunning victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 109-108, after coming back from an 18-point deficit with a game-winning move by Luka Dončić in the final three seconds. Naz Reid contributed 23 points off the bench for the Timberwolves, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their loss. As the teams headed to Dallas, the Mavericks took a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.
First Quarter: Early Foul Trouble and Dallas Struggles
Minnesota quickly put Dallas in the bonus within the first five minutes by committing early fouls. Anthony Edwards looked incredibly agile, aggressively attacking the paint. Despite foul trouble, Dončić kept Dallas in the game with a pair of early three-pointers. Karl-Anthony Towns picked up two fouls, bringing in Naz Reid, who hit two threes. Contributions from Derrick Lively and Jaden Hardy off the bench helped keep the game within striking distance. Despite some poor misses and offensive rebounds, the Mavericks trailed the Timberwolves 32-26.
Second Quarter: Timberwolves Extend Lead
Dallas quickly fell behind by 12 as their defense and rebounding faltered. Towns scored through solid defense with quick post-ups on Washington. Reid’s fourth three of the game extended Minnesota’s lead to 15, forcing a Dallas timeout. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd continued to search for productive minutes from his backup guards as Dante Exum and Tim Hardaway Jr. failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Dallas managed a small rally to close out the second quarter with an 8-2 run, narrowing the gap slightly. At halftime, the Mavericks trailed 60-48.
Third Quarter: Mavericks Begin to Close the Gap
Mental errors plagued Dallas at the start of the second half, allowing Minnesota to stretch the lead back to 16. A pass from Dončić to Lively helped reduce the deficit to 11 before a ridiculous step-back move by Dončić over McDaniels cut it to single digits. Dončić followed with a short jumper to bring it down to six. After Minnesota pushed it back to 10, a three-pointer by Josh Green narrowed the lead to five. Hardy’s three-pointer and a sweet dish off the bench brought the lead down to two points. A late three by Reid extended Minnesota’s lead back to seven, and Dallas trailed 86-79 going into the final quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Dramatic Comeback and Victory
Kyrie Irving scored his first three shots of the series to start the scoring for Dallas in the fourth. After a post score from Washington, another three from Kyrie gave the Mavericks their first lead since the first quarter. The teams traded baskets, and Reid scored his sixth and seventh threes of the game to put Minnesota ahead with 6:36 remaining. The trading of heavy shots continued, with Gafford scoring on back-to-back possessions and blocking his fifth shot of the game in between. After a turnover by Jones Jr., Minnesota took a three-point lead, but Dallas stayed within one possession for several possessions. With three minutes left, Dallas took the lead again, but Minnesota quickly scored and secured rebounds after two missed Mavericks shots. Irving missed two free throws, and Edwards hit both, only to turn over the ball and hit a corner three on the next possession. With Dallas trailing 108-106, the Mavericks had two chances to take the lead or tie. Dončić missed the first opportunity, but Edwards turned the ball over. With 12 seconds left, Dončić received the inbounds pass, got a switch on Gobert, and drilled his only three-pointer of the fourth quarter. Naz Reid missed a potential game-winner, and Dallas secured a 2-0 series lead with a 109-108 victory.
Best Backcourt in the NBA
I’ve written and deleted almost 300 words about Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. I just don’t know what to say about these two magicians. When the fourth quarter started, I was confident Kyrie Irving would step up. He answered with four made threes and stellar defense on Anthony Edwards. Luka Dončić missed his other two shot attempts in the fourth quarter, but when he got the inbounds with 12 seconds left, I knew he would do something amazing. And he did.
These two are incredible on their own. Together, Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving make Dallas feel unstoppable.
Young Bench Players Stepping Up
Throughout these playoffs, Jason Kidd has relied on his bench to give Irving and Dončić some rest. At different points, various players have stepped up just enough to help Dallas recover from potential losses. On the road, in a crucial second-half game, both Jaden Hardy and Josh Green made significant contributions to seal the win.
Green’s game has been somewhat frustrating, making mistakes that could have cost Dallas the game. However, he hit a crucial three-pointer at the end, attacked the boards, and made the right passes to give the Mavericks a +15 plus-minus rating.
Jaden Hardy is on an adventurous journey. In the first quarter, he made three spectacular shots and, seeing the green light, attempted four more before the quarter ended. In the second half, he had another opportunity to make an impact, making perfect reads on passes and hitting another big three-pointer as Dallas fought to get back into the game. Hardy is a fascinating player, exuding confidence and making the most of his chances. Dallas will need that from him if they are to advance to the NBA Finals.
The Crux of It All
In a series featuring the Defensive Player of the Year, an All-Star, and an All-Defensive Team player in the front court, it’s the Dallas Mavericks’ front court that is making the difference in this series.
Despite struggling against the Wolves, which is essentially a statistical draw, Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford are establishing a significant edge through the two games of this Western Conference Final. It’s hard to highlight just one game, but it’s reached the point where Gafford has regained his “I’m going to make every shot” confidence from the regular season, and Lively is looking like the steal of the 2023 NBA Draft.
