Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a resounding victory in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, securing their first-ever spot in the NBA Finals. Doncic's 20 points in the first quarter set the tone for the game, and his total of 36 points marked his highest output this playoffs, a testament to his skill and determination.
The Mavericks, led by Kyrie Irving's 36 points, shot 61% from the field and deflated the once-energizing crowd just before halftime when most spectators were getting up for their first snack break. The Mavs extended their lead to 36 points throughout the third quarter by systematically stifling the Timberwolves' offensive.
According to basketball betting picks, the fifth-seeded Mavericks will get a week off before facing the Celtics in the NBA Finals on June 6. This will be the first time the team has been to the Finals since Kidd was a member when they won the title in 2011. The Celtics will have a whole week off after their Eastern Conference finals rout of Indiana.
In their first-round sweep of Phoenix and subsequent seven-game dethroning of defending champion Denver, the third-seeded Wolves met the defense-smashing duo of Doncic and Irving. Anthony Edwards scored 28 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 12 rebounds.
Doncic Led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals
Irving extended his career record in postseason series finales to 15-1. When Doncic went 4 for 4 to open the game, he sent a rebellious message to the courtside spectators by swiping the ball from 28 and 31 feet out and trash-talking them with each bucket.
Later in the first quarter, he made a jumper from 32 feet out as the Mavs went on a 17-1 run, which they extended to 28-5 in nine minutes. Following a 21-point fourth quarter in Golden State's 2022 Western Conference finals defeat, this was Doncic's second 20-point quarter in postseason play. The series MVP award went to him.
Irving, who has a championship ring from 2016 with Cleveland, and Doncic, who shot 14 for 22 and grabbed ten rebounds, were the better stars of the series as this Wolves team experienced its first bittersweet but possibly ultimately beneficial postseason run.
Despite repeatedly gesturing towards the referee whenever a call went against him, 25-year-old Doncic played the whole game with an unwavering sense of self-assurance and boundless happiness. In the third quarter, while shooting free throws, the spectators chanted, "Flopper!" Doncic smirked and mockingly mouthed the words.
After missing the previous game due to a strained neck, the Mavs welcomed 7-foot-1 youngster Dereck Lively II back into the lineup. He and Gafford formed a formidable rim-protection tandem that thwarted Rudy Gobert and virtually every player who attempted to attack the basket. Gafford scored eleven points and pulled down nine boards, while Lively chipped in with nine points and eight boards. Thus, the importance of injury reports when betting on the NBA.
Edwards and the Timberwolves
The constant double-teaming made it difficult for Edwards to find his groove, even though he scored 25 points—his 15th in 27 postseason games overall. Despite his explosive abilities and clutch mindset, the Wolves were reminded that, despite their development this season, they still lack a championship offensive. In the first half's deciding possessions, they had many opportunities that made the coaches cringe as they struggled to assemble a cohesive unit.
In the dying seconds of the second quarter, Edwards gained possession of the ball in the lane and kicked it to Kyle Anderson, who in turn swung it back to Towns on the wing, but the latter was unable to produce an appealing look. Anderson attempted to get closer, but the shot clock expired as he handed the ball back to him. After the Mavericks' latest stifling defensive sequence, 12-point scorer P.J. Washington celebrated by flapping his arms.
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