Doncic Triple Allows Dallas to Nip T-Wolves 109-108; Mavs on Commanding 2-0 Lead Going Home
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 25 May 2024
Doncic unleashes the 3-point winning shot.
Rx for Minnesota: A steady point guard.
It must have been the nerves or the pressure of winning one at home.
But two turnovers in the last 42 seconds was just too much for Minnesota and enough for Dallas to scrape out a 109-108 win, their second in Minneapolis.
First Jaden McDaniel who had a particularly bad night with just 2 points, lost the ball with 42 ticks left after Kyrie Irving pegged the score at 108-106 with Timberwolves still ahead.
But what did Minnesota in was when Anthony Edwards made a bad pass with time down to 12.8 seconds after Luca Doncic missed a short shot to tie the game.
That was enough time to turn the game around.
After a Dallas timeout, the Mavs surely turned the game around on a Doncic triple, 109-108.
Dallas had more turnovers in the game 10 to 9 but those costly errors did Minnesota in.
Ironically, the Wolves supposedly have a veteran and capable point guard, Mike Conley. But he was rotated in and out by the coaching staff in the crucial moments of the game in favor of sustaining Minnesota's height advantage.
When he was returned back in, it was too late. Naz Reid who had a productive night, missed a desperation triple at the final buzzer sealing the Wolves doom.
The defeat would surely cause sleepless nights in Minneapolis, Specifically on the part of Coach Chris Finch and his staff who at this point have to review and rethink their strategy.
For the Wolves preponderance on height does not work in this series, not against Dallas. The Mavs once again outrebounded the Wolves 44-40 and scored more points inside the paint 54-42.
As in the first game, the Mavs trailed for most of the first three quarters. But entering the last quarter, Dallas dropped an 8-0 explosion to grab the lead, 90-89.
From that point, the two teams had several ties and lead chances.
Then with about two minutes left, the Wolves seemed to take control posting a 108-103 lead. Irving hit a triple on Doncic assist to make it 108-106.
Then came McDaniel's error which did not appear grievous as Doncic missed a tying short shot.
But then Edwards lost the ball turning possession once more to Dallas with 8.2 seconds remaining.
Teams don't give Dallas that many chances and hope to win.
Verily after a last timeout, Doncic maneuvered around the three point line and hit the winning basket.
The dynamic duo has struck again.
Doncic and Irving spearheaded Dallas with 32 and 20 points respectively. Daniel Galford had 16 points, Drrick Lively II added 14 points and PJ Washington chipped in 10 points as the Mavs' bigs once again held their own against their counterparts.
Naz Reid topped for Minnesota with 23 points as Edwards managed just 21 points. Conley was good for 18 while the Twin Tower of Karl Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert could only score 16 and 15 respectively. McDaniel was limited to just 2 points after leading the Wolves' scoring the last time.
The series shifts to Dallas where the Timberwolves had to win one of the two games to avoid the broom.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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