DALLAS — Despite having the chance to earn their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011, the Dallas Mavericks came up short against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a possible closeout Game 4, losing with a final score of 105-100. Despite the loss, the Mavs hold a 3-1 series lead and will next have a chance to close the series on Thursday.
“Yeah, understanding that if we won this game, we do close it out, but it’s hard to close in this league," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "So, understanding that we didn’t play our best, and give Minnesota credit, they did, so we are headed to Minnesota tomorrow to play Game 5.”
Coming off performances with 33 points each, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving faced more significant challenges executing to their usual standard. Doncic still recorded 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists on the night, but Irving was contained to 16 points on 6-18 (33.3%) shooting overall and was 1-6 (16.7%) from deep with as many turnovers as assists with that number being four.
“I mean, we’re in the NBA, man. No team is just going to lay down and give me and Luka open shots. I think when I look at just the quality of our shots, I think a few of them could be better," Irving said. "A few of them were rushed. A few of them were in and out. Especially when the game is in the balance, I’m thinking about all the plays where it could’ve gone either way.
"But yeah, it just takes a high level of focus and also just understanding we have to run the plays that work and continue to pick on guys that we want to see guarding us and just continue to feed each other confidence and continue to feed our teammates," Irving explained. "Good things happen when we consistently turn to the next play, and I think that’s what we’ve done."
Doncic took the blame for the loss, saying: “It’s fine, I think that game; I on me," he said. "I just didn’t give enough energy. So, we got to do better. They won one game. We just got to focus on the next one.”
Irving acknowledged he needed to have a better start to the game by stating, "He's not alone in this," he said. "I expect him to say something like that, especially knowing how much he cares and how much he wants to win, and how much he wants to lead our group. So I expect nothing less. I think you heard me, too, just say that it's on me. That's what you're supposed to hear from your leaders of your team."
Even in the loss, Dallas had strong performances in the supporting cast. Daniel Gafford totaled 12 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, while Jaden Hardy scored 13 points off the bench for another standout performance. Derrick Jones Jr. added an efficient nine points, five rebounds, and four assists. P.J. Washington had 10 points and five rebounds but struggled to convert from the perimeter on the night by shooting 2-9 (22.2%), with those shots accounting for the bulk of his attempts. It was a theme for Dallas, which heavily on perimeter shooting, with 40 attempts but only 14 makes, with struggles to execute inside the 3-point line.
Anthony Edwards set the tone with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, with plenty of timely second-half buckets. Minnesota's whole starting lineup scored in double figures, including Karl-Anthony Towns totaling 25 points and five rebounds. Rudy Gobert finished with a double-double by posting 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jaden McDaniels added 10 points.
Edwards sought Doncic as his defensive assignment to set the tone early. Doncic scored eight of the Mavericks' initial 10 points, with his latest being a step-back 3-pointer tying it up at 10-10. The decision was bold but paid off since Jaden McDaniels focused on disrupting Irving instead of primarily guarding Doncic. The momentum quickly shifted back in Minnesota's favor, and Dallas was commonly playing from behind.
"How I started off in particular [in] the game, with a few turnovers, and you know, if I’m setting the example like that, other guys are going to follow suit, unfortunately, at times," Irving said. "It just leads to that lackadaisical play. That’s on me, [I’m] taking the accountability. I have to start off the game a lot better and just get a shot up at the rim instead of turning the ball over."
Irving acknowledged the different in having McDaniels guard him versus alternative matchups, saying: "He has a huge impact," he said. "I mean, he is a 6-9 wing defender that I'm seeing now for the first time from the start of the game. So it's going to be an adjustment, but I love it. I relish in these type opportunities."
In what proved to be a blast from roster issues in the past, Dwight Powell was relied on as the backup center, with Dereck Lively II sidelined due to a neck sprain. Dallas lacked an interior presence while struggling to make plays when they all relied on playing out of the pocket. After Dallas trailed 17-10, Gafford returned to action in Powell's place. Edwards hit a pull-up 3-pointer to give Minnesota the first double-figure lead of the night.
There was a moment when Kyle Anderson helped off the strong side corner, lowered his shoulder into Doncic, and fouled, causing tensions to rise momentarily. Maxi Kleber later checked into the game, returned from a shoulder joint separation that sidelined him since the first round.
“I thought he did great. Maxi was really good," Kidd said. "He hasn’t played in a while, but I thought he was a plus for us and that will only help us as we go forward, as we get healthy.”
Edwards put Minnesota up by 12, but Dallas responded with back-to-back made 3-pointers to make it 24-18. The Timberwolves went on to lead 27-20 at the end of the opening period, with Dallas shooting 6-21 (28.6%) overall and 4-10 (40.0%) from beyond the arc, with four turnovers leading to 10 points for the opposition.
“I thought for Minnesota, they got to the free throw line early during that first quarter. I
think ‘Ant’ [Anthony Edwards] had eight free throws," Kidd said. "But I thought again, we took a stand in that second quarter. We started to play beter on both ends. ... Give Minnesota credit, they came out and fought and found a way to win.”
With Irving commanding the bench unit to open the second quarter, Dallas outscored Minnesota by a 9-3 margin to make it 30-29. The stretch included five unanswered points from Dante Exum with an impressive scoop finish and corner 3-pointer without hesitation to shoot. He already tied his highest-scoring performance of the postseason in that short span. Doncic's catch-and-shoot 3-pointer after an offensive rebound reduced Minnesota's advantage to 36-32.
A general theme throughout the first half was the Mavericks' inability to contain Mike Conley in pick-and-roll. He scored 13 of his 14 points before halftime while dishing out seven assists on the night. He was operating often out of Horns sets and using ball screens to make plays with Gobert.
"[We had] a few breakdowns in that first half too [with] Mike Conley getting to the rim for open layups [and] just breakdowns happening," Irving said. "The game is within balance and we’re trying to break the lead open a little bit more. We have to do it how we’ve been doing it the second half of the season, and that’s on the defensive end."
Jones hit consecutive corner 3-pointers off Doncic passes to tie it up at 42-42 with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Slovenian superstar put Dallas back on top 44-42 by drawing Edwards' third personal foul and getting to the free throw line for the bonus. Despite Edwards, Gobert, and Towns being in foul trouble to close the first half, Minnesota retook a 49-47 lead at one point. Dallas closed out the remainder of the second period
The second half began with Gafford receiving multiple passes in front of the rim for finishes after Doncic attacked downhill to create an advantage. He then got to short-range for a floater of his own and followed that up by finding Gafford again for an alley-oop, pulling Dallas ahead. Towns stole the show ultimately, scoring 20 of his 25 points after the break.
Kleber flipped a screen for Irving to get a pull-up 3-pointer against Gobert's drop coverage, giving Dallas a four-point advantage. The tide turned almost immediately. A sequence that involved Edwards attacking the rim in transition put Minnesota back in the lead; then Towns hit a tightly contested 3-pointer to achieve a 7-0 run, making it 66-62.
After trying to draw a foul on a step-back 3-pointer, Towns' elbow struck Washington in the face, resulting in him picking up a fifth personal foul. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was called for a technical foul and Irving made the shot. Washington later received a corner 3-point attempt from Doncic on a spray out pass and hit the shot, tying it up 66-66 midway through the third period.
A 4-0 run capped off by Edwards' breakaway dunk was answered by the Mavericks using a corner 3-pointer from Hardy, but Dallas gave up a perimeter jumper to McDaniels. Hardy later used an in-and-out dribble to shift Anderson before throwing down a poster dunk. He later used a behind-the-back dribble to get by Edwards for a layup. With Dallas failing to get defensive stops during this stretch, Minnesota held onto a 78-73 advantage entering the final period.
The Mavericks scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to tie it at 78-78, beginning with Hardy delivering another made 3-pointer. Jones attacked off the catch to complete a dropoff pass to Gafford for an emphatic dunk. Gobert fired back with five unanswered points to put Minnesota back ahead by a five-point margin. After Gobert and Jones checked each other running down the floor, Doncic found him for a lob in transition over Gobert. Gafford blocked Edwards at the rim, setting up a drive and finish for Irving, making it 83-82 with 9:25 to play.
After several defensive stops, Doncic drew Gobert's fifth personal foul on a drive and split the pair of free throws to tie it up. However, a three-second violation gave Towns a free throw attempt that put Minnesota back in front. Edwards hit a pull-up after Gobert flipped a screen, but Washington tied it up at 86-86 with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer. He answered Gobert's made free throw with an aggressive drive and finished through contact, but Gobert slammed a dunk of his own.
Dallas used Doncic as a screener in a Zoom action for Irving to turn the corner going left for a short-range jumper, giving Dallas a one-point edge. Still, again, a failure to get a defensive stop on multiple possessions led to Towns' made 3-pointers creating a 6-0 run, causing the Mavericks to trail 95-90 with 5:04 remaining in regulation.
“Game together for him. He was super confident," Edwards said of Towns. "He wasn’t worried about any shots previous to the shots he hit tonight. He played exceptionally well, and he came through big time. He was the reason we won tonight.”
Doncic fouled Gobert on a post-up, but he missed both free throws. Dallas failed to score on numerous possessions, but Towns hit another 3-pointer. Washington blocked Towns on his next attempt, then Jones missed a corner 3-pointer. Minnesota understood a loss would end its season, resulting in an aggressive mindset.
“Being aggressive. [I’m] being aggressive. Ain’t no time to have any doubts in your mind,
especially at this time in Game 4. We’re down 3-0. Ain’t no time to have any doubts," Towns said. "I’m going to go out there and be aggressive [and] shoot my shot like I’ve been doing all series and be confident every shot I shoot. Defensively, being in my spot is all I could think about was being in my spots earlier. Make sure that I do as disciplined defense as possible. On the offensive end, don’t lose any confidence and don’t lose any aggression.”
Edwards made a floater, giving Minnesota an eight-point lead in clutch time. Doncic drew a foul on a 3-point attempt, resulting in Towns fouling out. He made each of his free throws to make it 100-95 with 1:37 to play. Irving used a second-chance opportunity to finish a floater, but Edwards took control with a pull-up from beyond the arc to make it a five-point game with 38.8 seconds on the game clock.
Dallas came up empty on the next possession, with Irving turning it over, seemingly ending a realistic chance of victory. He explained after the game that while there were positive spurts that kept the Mavericks in the mix down the stretch, there was too much indecision and a need for a stronger 48-minute effort as a collective to win.
"Down the stretch, we just have to stay close and go to our plays and make sure we’re ready to knock down shots and be decisive," Irving said. "There were a few times I got in the lane and was indecisive. I turned the ball over late, so a lot of this is on me being able to start the game well and also finish the game well. We had spurts, I had spurts, but I have to put a full 48 minutes together for my teammates and be better for them.”
Doncic made an improbable 29-foot jumper while drawing a foul, providing hope for the Mavericks' chances. He missed it, then Dallas wrapped up Gobert after he grabbed the rebound.
“[You] always got to believe. I believed until the end. It was close at the end, but we couldn't," Doncic said. "So, they won the game, but we just got to focus on the next one.”
The Mavericks will face the Timberwolves in Game 5 of the series at Target Center on Thursday. A victory would clinch a spot in the NBA Finals to face the Boston Celtics, with the series beginning on June 6.
