Mavericks Steal Game One of Western Conference Finals, Lead Series 1-0 Against Timberwolves
Photo Credit: Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune
Though Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić both struggled at times during the 2024 playoffs, the Mavericks duo of starts pulled through in game one of the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the Mavericks(50-32) beat the Timberwolves(56-26) by a score of 108-105. The win came after both Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić scored over 30 points, with Kyrie Irving scoring 30 points and Luka Dončić scoring 33.
Photo Credit: Abbie Parr, Associated Press Photo
If each of the Mavericks stars are on their game, the team is truly unstoppable. There simply is no way to guard both Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving if the two are playing their best basketball. Luka Dončić, with his ability to both shoot from beyond the arc and make his way into the paint with fancy footwork, combined with Kyrie Irving’s handles and ability to finish around the rim forms a team that can potentially be a mismatch for any opponent.
A taste of that concept was on display for the Mavericks in the first game against the Timberwolves, where the combination of Dončić and Irving simply overwhelmed Chris Finch’s squad. Dončić, though he was a net plus-minus rating of -9 for the entirety of the game, was able to dish the ball eight times, forced three steals, and rebounded the ball six times. In tandem with Luka’s versatile night, Kyrie Irving contributed 30 points, shooting 52.2% from the field after making 12 of his 23 field goal attempts, all while not making a single one of his three point attempts. Seeing as his three-point shooting was well below his 2024 Playoff average of 44.0%, that three-pointer, when returned to Kyrie’s bag, will provide yet another dimension to account for in the Mavericks’ game. All statistics were found on Pro Basketball Reference.
Photo Credit: Abbie Parr, Associated Press Photo
Flipping to the other side of the ball, the Minnesota Timberwolves put themselves in a position where the second game of the series, also played in their home stadium, is integral to their success in the series. Though the Wolves once held a nine point lead at the 7:47 mark in the second quarter, according to ESPN, that lead slowly drifted away as the Mavericks were able to take over the game after that mark in the second quarter. When the Mavericks went up by eight points at the 7:38 mark in the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves were able to take a four point lead for a short period at the 3:37 mark in the game before ultimately losing the bout to the Mavericks. After that four-point lead was attained, Luka Dončić, P.J. Washington, and Kyrie Irving each scored six, two, and two points respectively to put the game away, according to Pro Basketball Reference.
Photo Credit: Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune
Looking at the box score, it seems as though the Minnesota Timberwolves can truly put up with the Mavericks, and that the first game of the series might not have been an accurate demonstration of the team’s true potential. While the Wolves ended up losing the game, four of the five Timberwolves starters were able to score in double figures, with three of the starters(Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, and Anthony Edwards) all scoring above 15 points, according to ESPN. Though Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns both scored below their previous Playoff averages in points per game, that could flip at any point in the series, which could swing the series in the favor of the Timberwolves, taking into account the Timberwolves more balanced attack.
The Wolves still have a chance at tying the series before heading to Dallas, as game two of the series will also be played at the Target Center.
