Mavericks Steal Game 1 of Western Conference Finals, 108-105

In Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks surprised the Minnesota Timberwolves by winning 108-105 on the road. The Mavs recovered in the fourth quarter, driven by a combined 63 points from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, after trailing for the majority of the game.

Doncic proved to be a star, scoring 15 of his 33 points in the pivotal fourth quarter. He masterminded several comebacks, such as a 13-0 run in which he scored 11 points or helped on another 10. Doncic stepped up once more in the final minutes, guiding the Mavs on a 10-3 run to secure the victory with the Timberwolves ahead by four points.

In addition, Irving was crucial, scoring 24 of his 30 points in the first half, including a 5-0 run that closed the half and kept the Mavericks in the game. Doncic’s late-game heroics were made possible by his early offensive explosion.

Despite Jaden McDaniels’ (24 points) and Kyle Anderson’s (16 points) impressive efforts, the Timberwolves were unable to build on their early advantage. Even though he was supposed to be a major player, Anthony Edwards had trouble making shots; he only scored 19 points on 6 of 19 attempts.

The Mavericks now have a home-court advantage and a 1-0 series lead thanks to this surprise outcome. If the Timberwolves want to recover, they’ll need to figure out how to limit Doncic and Irving while generating more output from their best players.