Hours before tip-off in Dallas on Monday, Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns detailed the defensive strategy for his team to slow down the hottest duo in the league. Towns laid out a simple and vague defensive plan for the game but it was not nearly enough to quell doubt and panic among the fans.
“Our game plan is just not to let them score. I think that game plan we had of them scoring wasn’t gonna work out well and it hasn’t,” said Towns via Joey Mistretta. “We’re gonna do a better job this time around of making things more difficult.”
Karl-Anthony Towns on #Timberwolves gameplan against #Mavericks Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving
“Our gameplan is just not let them score… I think that gameplan we had of them scoring was not gonna workout well and it hasn’t. We’re gonna just do a better job.” pic.twitter.com/3fUNwqOyCK
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) May 28, 2024
The Timberwolves came into the playoffs as the best defensive team in the league and they lived up to that title in the first two rounds. After winning their first six playoff games, sweeping the Suns in the process, the Timberwolves put the whole world on notice and were looking like a strong championship contender.
Now, in the 2024 Western Conference Finals, the Wolves are the ones who are facing elimination. Down 3-0 to the Dallas Mavericks, history says that they are almost sure to lose this series, and the biggest reason is Luka and Kyrie. The duo has combined to average 61 points against the Timberwolves, including 33 for each during the pivotal Game 3.
Meanwhile, Towns is averaging just 15.0 points per game in the series, on an abysmal 27% shooting from the field. He’s been a virtual no-show for the past three games, especially on the defensive end where he’s been getting dominated by Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington under the rim. Anthony Edwards has also struggled against the Mavericks, averaging 22.0 points on 38.6% shooting.
After making franchise history with their second Finals appearance ever, the Timberwolves look completely outmatched in this series and it will take a miracle for them to turn this around. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are proving to be unstoppable at the moment and they are operating with an effectiveness that can only be compared to the best of the best.
The Dallas Mavericks Are Roaring To The Finals
With averages of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game on 48.7% shooting, the Slovenian superstar was in the top three in MVP voting this year for his role in helping the Mavericks finish in the top five in the West. He played all but 10 games in the regular season and has carried it over to the playoffs, where he’s already hit one critical game-winning shot.
With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving firing on all cylinders right now, they are being tapped as the best backcourt in the NBA, and arguably the greatest backcourt in NBA history. But with 5 wins left to go before completing the job, both stars know they cannot afford to let up now.
In the East, the Boston Celtics are already waiting for their next opponent, and a swift victory tonight will confirm the matchup once and for all. If they can secure the sweep, it give the Mavericks a much-needed break before the final battle and they will need every advantage they can get.
With Doncic and Irving tearing apart the best defense in the league, it’s hard to imagine how the Celtics — or any team — can handle them in a seven-game series. Regardless of what happens tonight, it’s too late for Timberwolves to advance to the Finals but it remains to be seen if they can find something to extend their season beyond the buzzer of tonight’s game.
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