Timberwolves Stay Alive and Will Now Head Back to Minnesota for Game Five

After going down three games to none to start the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves had their back against the walls in game four against the Dallas Mavericks. They were able to stay alive in a compelling, competitive game, winning by a score of 105 - 100. This was a critical game in the series, as the Timberwolves have the chance to push the series to three games to two on Thursday night as they look to be the first team to ever come back from a three-game to none deficit. This win came in spite of a possible Luka Dončić four-point play with 13.2 seconds left, but he would go on to miss the free throw. The Mavericks have a skilled, talented roster led by young superstar Anthony Edwards who has carried this team throughout the playoffs, so it’s been surprising how they have been dominated by the fifth-seeded Mavericks until Game Four. 

For the Timberwolves, Edwards dropped a 29-point double-double, Karl-Anthony Towns had 25,  Mike Conley had 14, Rudy Gobert had a 13-point double-double and Jaden McDaniels had 10. For the Mavericks, Doncic had a 28-point triple-double, Kyrie Irving had 16, Jaden Hardy had 13, Daniel Gafford had 12 and P.J. Washington had 10. A key to this game was the lack of offense for the Mavericks.  In the regular season, Dallas scored 117.9 points per game which ranked seventh in the league. They are not a great defensive team, as they gave up 109.9 points per game. On the other hand, the Timberwolves have taken a massive step forward in the scoring department in the postseason, ranking sixth in the playoffs with 107.8 points per game, one slot above Dallas. The scoring for both sides is going to be a big teller in whether or not the Timberwolves can mount such a comeback.

Another key piece tonight was the play of Irving, as he shot six for 18 from the field and one for six from deep. This is the first time in his career Irving has lost a closeout game in his career, so it’s safe to say that Dallas expected more from him in this game. He has been a force to be reckoned with so far in the playoffs, so they shouldn’t be too worried, but the Mavericks would have liked to punch the ticket to their first finals berth in over a decade as soon as possible. All in all, this was one of the most entertaining games of these playoffs, and the Timberwolves have the possibility to do the impossible if they are able to play like they did in Game Four.