The Western Conference Finals are not over yet as the Minnesota Timberwolves forced a Game 5 with a 105-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5. Fans were delighted to see this high-octane series continue, with the Eastern Finals already wrapped up with a sweep win for the Celtics.
hard fought W. pic.twitter.com/B4S8sqNVKZ
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 29, 2024
Fans credited Karl-Anthony Towns for showing up in the clutch.
Wolves dug DEEP to get that one. KAT comes through in a big way and they’re still alive.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 29, 2024
Kyrie Irving was flamed for his pre-game comments about this being the Super Bowl for Minnesota.
Kyrie can’t say what he said before this game then come out like this
— MindOfReese (@MOFR25) May 29, 2024
More fans piled on Kyrie for his poor effort and trash-talk.
Kyrie deadass treated this game like “it’s just another game” and the Wolves did treat it like “Their Super Bowl.”
Embarrassing
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) May 29, 2024
Fans believe Kyrie’s performance was disappointing enough that he owes the fanbase a comeback game next time.
Kyrie owes the Mavs a massive game 5
— Slightly Biased (@BiasedSlightly) May 29, 2024
Fans loved Anthony Edwards‘ performance and want him to be left on his path instead of being compared to Michael Jordan.
Anthony Edwards is a really fun player to watch when we aren’t comparing him to Jordan…
Let the man be 22.
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) May 29, 2024
More fans encouraged Edwards’ appreciation.
Fuck the Jordan comparisons. Anthony Edwards is Anthony Edwards. And he’s only 22 years old. Stop trying to force that “next Jordan” curse on him. Just acknowledge and appreciate him for who he is.
— L E F T, PhD ⚫️ (@LeftSentThis) May 29, 2024
Luka Doncic’s wild four-point play at the end of the game nearly gave the Mavs a shot, but his bricking the free throw put a dent in those plans.
Luka making a 30 foot and 1 and then missing the free throw is the most LeBron thing he’s ever done.
— Ballsack Sports (@BallsackSports) May 29, 2024
Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Karl-Anthony Towns showed up with a 25-point night despite being in foul trouble for most of the game. Even Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 10 rebounds on great efficiency, showing that the Wolves can be dominant with their big three doing what they’re expected to do.
The Mavericks couldn’t overcome the Wolves’ defense, even with Luka Doncic‘s 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He shot poorly, but so did almost every Mavs’ player not named Jaden Hardy, who put up an efficient 13 points off the bench. Kyrie Irving had a rough night, scoring 16 points on 33.3% shooting after some big words before the game.
The Mavericks Need To Avoid Another Loss
Nobody would have predicted a sweep win for the Mavericks in this series, so this loss was arguably expected. But Dallas shouldn’t have come into this game with flat energy, something which cost them two games against the Clippers and Thunder as well. They haven’t lost two consecutive games in this Playoff run, so they’ll hope this loss spurs them into action in Game 5.
The Mavericks had one of the biggest pieces of their postseason success on the bench, as Dereck Lively II missed this game due to a neck sprain. Maxi Kleber’s return helped the Mavericks in lineup optionality, but Lively’s active defense, passing sensibilities, lob finishing, and rim protection are all key ingredients for Dallas.
Daniel Gafford stood in admirably, but he doesn’t have the versatility to create another possession if he gets trapped as Lively does with his passing, especially in the short roll. His absence was crucial, as the 20-year-old center is averaging 8.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks and has a +106 plus-minus, the highest on Dallas this Playoff run.
The Wolves hung their hats on defense tonight, making sure the Mavs were uncomfortable when trying to score, and crucially stopped both Luka and Kyrie from having efficient games. While an 0-3 comeback has never been executed in NBA history, the Wolves will be doing everything in their power to make it happen.
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