The Dallas Mavericks came into Minneapolis and stole Game One of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-105. The game was tight throughout, with Dallas going on an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter. Kyrie Irving hit two free throws to seal the deal with only seconds remaining.
Dallas Steals Home Court Advantage from Timberwolves
The hoopla was high going into the game. The final series to make the NBA finals, Luka Doncic was announced as first team All-NBA for the fifth time, and Anthony Edwards issued his blunt but apt invitation to Charles Barkley. Irving even donned the eye-catching “Chief Hélà” shoes for the contest.
The Timberwolves were coming off a tough Game Seven bout with the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets, and the Mavs had an extra day of rest after closing out the Oklahoma City Thunder in 6. It showed. Minnesota franchise player Anthony Edwards was visibly gassed in the game, and though he scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds and 8 assists, he never found his shooting rhythm.
Coming into the night, Dallas was 0-5 in Game One contests under Coach Jason Kidd. The losing streak was broken on the combined performance of Doncic and Irving, accounting for 63 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds. The inside presence for dunks off lobs was there again for the Mavericks, especially from Daniel Gafford who combined with inside peer Dereck Lively for 19 points and 20 rebounds.
Things looked up for Minnesota, with the momentum after the win over Denver, the halftime lead of 62-59 and even a three-point lead with four minutes remaining. That’s when Dallas’s legs, and Kyrie’s experience as the only player on the Mavericks with an NBA Championship, kicked in, when Dallas went on an 8-0 run and never looked back.
Luka Doncic also raised his game late with a 15-point fourth quarter, which was too much for Minnesota to absorb. The supporting cast also came up big, as in addition to Gafford and Lively’s contribution, PJ Washington chipped in another clutch 3-pointer from the corner which put Dallas ahead to stay. Minnesota’s supporting cast held their own. Jaden McDaniels was hot from 3-point land and scored 24 points and big men Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid registered a collective 43 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 assists. It was the superstar Edwards that had a rough shooting night.
At the conclusion of the Timberwolves-Nuggets seventh game, with a triumphant Edwards being asked in a post-game interview about the upcoming series with the Mavericks, he indicated “my matchup’s going to be Kyrie, so that’s going to be fun.” Whether innocent or prodding, Irving said he “used it as motivation.” In any case, Irving will widely be seen as getting the better of Edwards in Game One.
The contest was not without its close calls. Late in the fourth quarter, Karl-Anthony Towns put back a missed shot that would have pulled Minnesota closer, but it was ruled offensive basket interference. The play was reviewed, and the call was upheld, but it was replayed several times up through the post-game shows, with commenters coming down on both sides of the question.
XPAND on X: “Kyrie Irving’s shoes tonight are _____ https://t.co/oPvFFmqVAz” / X
With Dallas ahead by 4 with only seconds to play, Mike Conley of Minnesota attempted a 3-point shot and managed to draw a foul. He missed the shot, so the plan was to hit the first two free throws and then intentionally miss the 3rd in order for Minnesota to have the chance at an offensive rebound and one last shot before regulation expired. Conley hit the first free throw, according to plan, but missed the second.
The next best option down the floor was for Kyrie Irving to miss free throws, which did not happen and is never a good bet. After the game, Doncic indicated that they had been losing too many Game Ones and had to change that this series. He quickly added that it’s not enough, noting that they had three more wins to get. Presumably Minnesota will play with extra pride and urgency going into the next contest with the Mavericks.
Dallas too has something to work on, as they shot a poor 6-25 from behind the arch. As for his own shooting woes, Edwards stated plainly, “I’ll make them next time.” Game 2 is on Friday night in Minneapolis at 7:30 Central.
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