The Minnesota Timberwolves have played at a high level for the majority of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. They won their first six games, sweeping the Phoenix Suns in Round 1 before going up 2-0 against the Denver Nuggets.
The defending champions weren’t going to go easy, as they won the next three games. The Timberwolves responded with a dominant victory at home in Game 6 and an upset on the road in Game 7.
That led to them getting homecourt advantage in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Alas, that advantage is already gone, as Minnesota squandered their opportunities in Game 1, losing 108-105.
Head coach Chris Finch summed things up simply using two words; “No composure.” While Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving thrived late in the game, the Timberwolves fell woefully short to go down 0-1 in the series.
The Timberwolves had only 10 turnovers in the game, but five of them came in the fourth quarter. A four-point lead held by Minnesota with 3:37 remaining was erased as the Mavericks outscored them 10-3.
“We haven’t really closed quarters very well, closed halves very well over the last handful of games,” Finch continued. “It cost us a game in the Denver series. It certainly had an impact on this game tonight, too. We’ve got to be better in clutch moments.”
The Timberwolves had done a great job, turning what was an eight-point deficit into a four-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. All the momentum was on their side, but miscues down the stretch ultimately cost them.
It was an improbable loss as Minnesota held Dallas to only six 3-pointers in the game, which was their least in a playoff game this year. They also forced more turnovers, but the timeliness of those advantages did not come at opportune times.
When the Mavericks needed to make a play, they did. Doncic, not known for his defense, made two big plays in the fourth quarter to help his team win, including a deflected lob pass from Mike Conley Jr. intended for Rudy Gobert. He was 3-of-10 on 3-pointers but made them down the stretch when his team needed it most.
It will be interesting to see how the Timberwolves adjust. The Mavericks were more than happy allowing them to launch 3-pointers, but that isn’t their strength as they have a huge advantage on the interior with Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
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