On Wednesday night, the Mavericks were on the road for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals vs. the Timberwolves. It’s been a special season for Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards. He’s become a fan favorite this postseason and the media loves talking about him. Leading up to Game 1, Edwards and his teammates were confident in what their team could do at home.
It was a back-and-forth game and both teams fought hard. In the end, the Dallas Mavericks stole Game 1 with a 108-105 win. The duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic played at a high level to help get their team a road win in Game 1. If Irving and Doncic can play at that level in the WCF, they’ve got a strong shot at making the Finals this season. We’ll see what sense of urgency the Timberwolves play with in Game 2.
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic each put their stamp on Game 1 to help the Mavericks win
LUKA & KYRIE SET THE TONE IN GAME 1 🔥
Luka: 33 PTS | 8 AST | 6 REB
Kyrie: 30 PTS | 5 REB | 4 ASTMAVS DUO LOCKED IN 🔒 pic.twitter.com/rIHWLsuL2e
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 23, 2024
The Mavericks knew they had a tough matchup in Game 1 vs. the Timberwolves. However, they weathered the storm and escaped with a three-point win. Kyrie Irving made his presence felt in the first half, scoring 24 of his 30 points in the first two quarters. This was his first 20-point playoff game since the first round vs. the Clippers. Before Game 1 in the WCF, he had been held to 22 points or less in six straight games. The eight-time all-star put on an offensive masterclass in the first half as Dallas was down three heading into halftime.
Luka Doncic was shaky offensively in the first half but he was able to turn it on in the fourth quarter. Fifteen of his 33 points were in the fourth and the Mave needed every one of them. A sprained knee has been giving Doncic trouble since the first round of the 2024 playoffs. Luka missed 12 of his first 19 shots but was able to play his best in the fourth quarter. It was not the prettiest win for Dallas. Regardless, they stole Game 1 on the road and have a 1-0 series lead.
The NBA created a collection of videos with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving for the Western Conference Finals.
They reached out to me and asked to use my video of Luka throwing the towel at Kyrie and running away. Pretty cool. pic.twitter.com/KpOyUwlJZa
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) May 22, 2024
Dallas knows that Luka Doncic is good for 30+ points each night. That’s a given. However, the Mavs need Kyrie Irving to keep up his offensive production. Their team plays at a different level when Irving and Doncic are both scoring at will. Still, Dallas needs their role players to step up in Game 2. P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford were the only other players to score in double figures. The Mavs need Washington to find his three-point shot again. He was 2-8 from beyond the arc in Game 1. Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves will not mess around in Game 2. The last thing they want is to lose two games at home to start the Western Conference Finals. It should be another exciting game on Friday night.
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