The Western Conference Finals was everything a basketball fan could ask for. Well, unless you’re a Minnesota Timberwolves basketball fan.
For the second game in a row, the Timberwolves led the game with 2:10 remaining in the fourth, and for the second game in a row, they lost. This time it was Luka Doncic with the unfair three-pointer that gave Dallas the victory and a 2-0 lead in the series. Gobert defended it well – taking away Doncic’s favorite move to the left – but that doesn’t matter against one of the best clutch players in the game.
Let’s look at some takeaways from Game 2
Dallas’ defense makes it difficult for Ant, KAT
We’ve come into this series rightly praising Minnesota’s defense after it had a brilliant run that slowed down defending champion Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. In that, we may have underestimated Dallas’ defense, which was the best in the NBA through the final 22 games of the season.
Through two games, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns are shooting 21 of 69 (30.4%) – Dallas has thrown Minnesota’s best offensive players off their game.
In Game 2, Edwards shot 5-for-17 and in the fourth quarter had as many turnovers (two) as field goal attempts. At the end of the games he looked gassed. Towns was benched for much of the fourth quarter because he was cold and Naz Reid was hot.
In previous series (and all season) Minnesota has had success with Anthony Edwards as the main offensive creator, Dallas has taken that away (the Timberwolves have had more success targeting Dallas stars with off-ball screens and plays to get boys opened).
“All they show me are crowds of people, man, sitting in the holes,” Edwards said. “But I turn down a lot of takes, like my mids and stuff. I turn down a lot of that. But we get open looks, so I’m not tripping.”
The simple fact of this series is that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have outscored Edwards and Towns, which is why Dallas is up 2-0. This could tie into our next point.
Mavericks’ experience on major game shows
Two games in a row, the Timberwolves had the lead in the final few minutes of the half and were unable to close it out.
In the clutch in this series – the final five minutes of the game (within five points) – Dallas has a net rating of +15.8 (which means Minnesota is a corresponding -15.8). The Timberwolves have an offensive rating of 100 in those minutes.
Make it the final three minutes if the game is within three points and Dallas’ net rating is +63.6 and the Timberwolves have an offensive rating of 45.5.
For Edwards and this collection of Timberwolves, this is all new – this team, this core, has never been in these moments before.
Luka Doncic played with Dallas in the Western Conference Finals a few years ago. Kyrie Irving wasn’t there, but he has a ring — he hit perhaps the most shot in NBA Finals history — and a lot of experience on this stage.
That experience, that calmness and ability to execute are visible.
It’s a bit surprising considering the Timberwolves were so in thrall last series – beating the defending champions in the fourth quarter of Game 7 on the road. It doesn’t get more grip than that.
Minnesota’s experience in the Western Conference Finals was different. If that doesn’t change when we head back to Dallas for Game 3 on Sunday, this series will be much shorter than predicted.
