The Dallas Mavericks put on a show in Game 5 to secure a dominant 124-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic once again stepped up and led the way from the front, combining for 72 points. The duo’s incredible performance has helped the Mavs get to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011 when the franchise won the championship.
PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford also stepped up for the Mavs, combining for 23 points on the night. Their defensive resiliency made it very difficult for the T-Wolves to score buckets. The Mavs had a solid 29-point lead at halftime itself. Luka Doncic seemed to be at his very best as he scored 20 of his 36 points in the first quarter and silenced the crowd with his shotmaking. Kyrie Irving, who started the game a little slow, picked up as the game progressed. The T-Wolves’ defense had no response to the array of attacks the Mavs were throwing at them.
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Antony Towns added 28 points each for the T-Wolves. However, the team lacked contributions from the others on the floor and this resulted in a disastrous defeat for the team. Coming into Game 5, the franchise already had a poor record at home. However, they were expected to put in a better fight because they had been playing some great basketball this season. The team will now look to build on this great playoff run and build up a better roster to fight for a championship next campaign.
Dallas Mavericks have a tough matchup in the NBA Finals
The win in the Conference Finals means that the Dallas Mavericks have set up an NBA Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics. Their road to the Finals has certainly not been an easy one, but it is only going to get tougher for them as the Celtics are arguably the toughest matchup in the league. The seventeen-time champions have made their way to the biggest stage after sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals.
They have lost just two games in the playoffs and seem to have all the momentum heading into the NBA Finals. However, the Mavs will be counting on their collective effort to get the better of the Celtics. They are certainly led by the backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, but the Mavs have other players who can step up and help them win games.
The Celtics have multiple players who have been in the NBA Finals before, while Irving and Markieff Morris are the only two players on the Mavs who have been at that stage before. But what makes things easier for the Mavs is that they have the explosive backcourt of Irving and Doncic. The duo have been brilliant playing together, but the Celtics will be their biggest test as a duo. The seventeen-time champions have the likes of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, who will make things difficult for the Mavs. It will be interesting see which of the two backcourt duos comes out on top as that is the battle that could determine the result of the NBA Finals.
