Dallas Mavericks Edge Closer To NBA Finals With Commanding 3-0 Victory Over Timberwolves

Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving each scored 33 points, propelling the Dallas Mavericks to a 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday. This win places the Mavericks just one game away from reaching the NBA Finals. With their star guards leading the charge, Dallas dominated the final five minutes, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Dallas can secure its first trip to the Finals since 2011 by winning Game 4 at home on Tuesday. Historically, no NBA team has ever come back to win a best-of-seven playoff series after losing the first three games. This is the daunting task now facing Minnesota, which held a narrow 104-102 lead with five minutes left before Dallas took control with a decisive 14-1 run.

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 26 points, but only four of those came in the crucial fourth quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns, another key player for the Timberwolves, was held scoreless in the final period after scoring 14 points in the first three quarters.

Irving scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, including six during the pivotal run. He initiated this surge with a driving layup that tied the game at 104-104 with 4:35 remaining. P.J. Washington then put Dallas ahead by hitting a three-pointer on their next possession. The Mavericks held Minnesota without a field goal until Edwards scored on a layup with just 15.3 seconds left.

3-0.pic.twitter.com/ERdf8tGClk

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 27, 2024

First Half Performance

The Mavericks built a lead as large as 12 points in the first half and went into halftime with a 60-52 advantage, thanks to Dončić's 15 points and Irving's 14. Despite being up by ten near the midway point of the third quarter, Minnesota managed to shift momentum with a 13-1 run.

Three-Point Shooting

Three-point shooting was also crucial for Dallas, as they finished 14 of 28 from beyond the arc. In contrast, Minnesota struggled from long range, making only nine of their 30 attempts. Towns missed all eight of his three-point shots.

As Game 4 approaches, all eyes will be on whether Dallas can close out the series and secure their spot in the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade.