Mavs Now One Win Away From a Finals Appearance

Closers close, and that’s exactly what Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving did last night in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

The duo combined for 66 points, with Luka scoring 33 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists, including 5 made threes. Kyrie added another 33 points, along with 3 rebounds and 4 assists. They dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring the Timberwolves by themselves. Kyrie had 14 of his 33 points in the fourth, while Luka added 7, leading the Mavs to a 3-0 series lead.

While the Mavs duo thrived in the fourth quarter, the opposite was true for Minnesota. Karl-Anthony Towns continued his tough series, struggling with his three-point shot, going 0/8, and only managing 14 points on 18 shots. Although Anthony Edwards had one of the most electrifying dunks of the playoffs, his inconsistent shooting troubled him again in the fourth quarter. Despite carrying the offensive load for Minnesota in the third quarter, Edwards only managed 4 points in the fourth, and the lack of scoring from other Timberwolves players persisted.

With Towns struggling as a dependable second option, Minnesota needed to find different ways for Edwards and others to excel on offense. They needed to stretch the Mavericks' defense more to create space inside when Edwards was tired in the fourth quarters. However, Jason Kidd has outcoached Chris Finch and his staff, preventing the Timberwolves from making effective adjustments. Minnesota has been unable to keep up with Kyrie and Luka, especially in the crucial fourth quarters.

The Mavericks are now just one win away from Luka's first trip to the NBA Finals and completing a sweep of the Timberwolves. Given that no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history, we'll see if Minnesota can extend the series on Tuesday night.

By: Matteo Ametrano