Kyrie Irving’s pivotal 3-pointers, totaling 35 points, spearheaded the Dallas Mavericks’ 115-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves during Sunday night’s NBA action.
Irving demonstrated remarkable accuracy, going 14-27 from the field and 6 of 8 from beyond the arc. Luka Doncic complemented Irving’s performance with 34 points, hitting 12 of 26 shots, including 5 three-pointers.
Irving’s game-changing moments came late in the match. He leveled the score at 106 with a 3-pointer, followed by a crucial steal from Rudy Gobert and another three-pointer that put the Mavericks ahead. Derrick Jones Jr.’s dunk in the final seconds cemented the victory.
Reflecting on the game, Irving emphasized the team’s focus on rebounding and executing small but significant plays against formidable opponents like Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“We knew we were undersized against Gobert and (Karl-Anthony Towns) tonight, so we wanted to do our best job possible rebounding and doing the little things,” Irving said. “Little things got us this win today.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards led the scoring with 36 points. Despite their previous successes against the Mavericks this season, Minnesota, leading the Western Conference and holding the league’s second-best record, faced a resilient Dallas team.
The Mavericks, ranked seventh in the Western Conference, showcased their clutch performance, improving their record in close games to 12-5. Minnesota, known for their prowess in such scenarios, dropped to 11-3 in clutch games.
The game saw momentum shifts. Dallas initially led by nine points early in the fourth quarter, but Minnesota responded with a 19-4 run. Dwight Powell’s three-point play cut the Wolves lead to three, setting the stage for Irving’s late-game heroics.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch acknowledged the game’s intensity and the team’s efforts despite falling short. Irving’s back-to-back threes and a combined 14-point run by him and Doncic were crucial for the Mavericks’ late lead.
“It was a really good game. We got down, we came back, we took a lead. Normally we’ve been winning those games, but today we didn’t,” Finch said. “I thought we had some good looks, just maybe rushed at times.”
Dallas’ defensive efforts were notable, with eight blocks and seven steals, contributed by Irving’s two blocks and three steals. The Mavericks shot 52.3% in the first half, leading at halftime, and matched Minnesota’s rebounding in the second half.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored well, praised Dallas’ defensive strategy and acknowledged their challenges. Despite these efforts, the Timberwolves couldn’t clinch a win. The Mavericks faced challenges with injuries to Dante Exum, Maxi Kleber, and Dereck Lively II.
“I thought they were good looks, just didn’t make them,” Towns said. “They obviously, defensively, presented a lot of challenges, and they scored a lot of points. They’re really good players; we try to make it as difficult as possible. We‘ve got great defenders on this side – they made some tough shots – we had to make some tough shots to fight back into this game as a team. We just didn’t find a different way to win tonight.”
Looking ahead, the Timberwolves will play the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, while the Mavericks host the Memphis Grizzlies.
