MINNEAPOLIS – As Luka Dončić rapidly scored 12 points in the first 3½ minutes of Thursday’s Game 5 at Target Center, Daniel Gafford’s head was processing a thought that was equal parts pity and amazement.
Pity for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Amazement at a special talent like Luka.
“I knew it was going to be a long night for whoever was in front of him,” the Mavericks’ center said. “I set a screen, got him downhill – I thought I set a good enough screen – then he’s shooting from half court and making it. So I was like, I don’t even need to set a screen.
“He had it going early. We just had to piggyback off (his) start.”
And the Mavericks did, indeed, follow their leader.
It was Luka’s world in the Mavericks’ 124-103 wipeout of the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday, which clinched their spot in the NBA Finals. He was determined to atone for what he thought was a subpar showing in the Game 4 loss that prevented a sweep of the Wolves.
In his world, a triple-double can still be a failure.
So Luka came back with 36 points and 10 rebounds. The Mavericks’ superstar point guard, who got some serious help from Kyrie Irving (36 points, zero turnovers), staked the Mavericks to a 35-19 first-quarter lead and the rest of Thursday’s game was little more than window dressing.
They were ahead 69-40 at halftime.
As Minnesota coach Chris Finch said: “They were led by world-class players who played at a world-class level.”
The Mavericks’ 4-1 series win in the West finals was nothing short of dominant. They won three times in Minnesota, which raised their road record in the playoffs to 7-2 (they are 5-3 at American Airlines Center).
“Insane,” Dončić said. “I think we got a great team but most importantly we got great guys. Players, coaches. All great guys and that’s the most important thing.
“We stay together and I think we beat three very, very, very good teams. And not having home advantage, which is pretty good for us.”
It’ll be that way again in the NBA Finals when they start on the road in Boston against the Celtics.
But for now, let’s relive the Mavericks’ success in the conference finals (and playoffs thus far) with a few of our favorite takeaways.
Mavericks applied the clamps: From the very start in Game 5, the Timberwolves had trouble getting good looks at the basket. The Mavericks’ defense was on point, as it was for most of the series. Minnesota shot just 34.1 percent in the first half. They were 2-of-12 from three-point range at that point. The Mavericks’ rotations were focused and the Wolves got nothing from Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels, both of whom had moments when they hurt the Mavericks in the earlier games. Credit should go to Derrick Jones Jr., who had just three points in 15 first-half minutes and P.J. Washington. They have been the collective head of the defensive snake that wrapped its coils around the Wolves and squeezed hard. But also remember that Dončić and Irving have applied themselves defensively. As Finch said, the Wolves “just got busted out of any offensive structure.”
Wolves ran out of steam: Minnesota looked like a team that was running on empty. They had gotten a win in Game 4 to avoid the sweep, but had nothing left in the tank on Thursday. Look no further than their bench, which in the first half could not pick up the struggling starters. The Timberwolves reserves were 1-of-11 from the field in the first half and were so desperate for some energy that seldom-used spark plug Jordan MacLaughlin was inserted for a couple of minutes. Nothing worked. The Wolves have talent to remain viable in the Western Conference with Anthony Edwards as their anchor. But they were clearly second best in this series.
Irving’s back in the Finals: Irving was a regular visitor to the NBA Finals early in his career. He went there three consecutive years, the last in 2017. But it’s been a while. And he was not taking it for granted. “It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “We obviously are going to enjoy this, but also understand it’s just a pit stop in the journey.”
Strong numbers: The Mavericks had five players who were plus-20 or better in the first half of the blowout, including Josh Green, who only played nine minutes . . . The Mavericks won the rebounding game 45-41 and their centers were a big reason why. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II had a combined 10 rebounds and 10 points in the first half. They didn’t miss a shot, other than from the free-throw line They would finish with a combined 20 points and 17 rebounds . . . In case you missed it, Game 5 was tied at 18 just past the midpoint of the first quarter. A 22-1 run bridging into the second quarter was all it took to suck the life out of Target Center.
X: @ESefko
