DALLAS — Despite a chance to reach their first NBA Finals since 2011, the Dallas Mavericks fell victim to a potentially close Game 4 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves by a final score of 105-100.
Edwards put Doncic on the defensive end to set the tone early on. Doncic scored eight of the Mavericks’ first 10 points, including a step-back 3-pointer that tied the game at 10-10. Momentum quickly shifted in Minnesota’s favor.
With past roster issues exploding, Dwight Powell was relied on as the backup center with Derek Lively II out with a neck sprain. Dallas struggled to play with everyone relying on the pocket and lacking an inside presence. Gafford returned to replace Powell after Dallas trailed 17-10. Edwards made a pull-up 3-pointer to give Minnesota its first double-digit lead of the night.
There was a moment of tension when Kyle Anderson took the ball from the side corner and lowered his shoulder toward Doncic to foul him, then Maxi Kleber returned to the game, returning from a dislocated shoulder that had sidelined him since the first round.
Edwards put Minnesota up by 12 points, but Dallas answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 24-18. The Timberwolves led 27-20 after the first period as Dallas shot 6-of-21 (28.6%) overall and 4-of-10 (40.0%) on 3-pointers and committed four turnovers that led to 10 points for the opposing team.
With Irving leading the bench unit to start the second quarter, Dallas outscored Minnesota 9-3 to lead 30-29. During that time, Dante Exum scored five straight points with an impressive scoop finish and a no-hesitation corner 3-pointer. Exum had already set his postseason scoring record in that short span. Doncic cut Minnesota’s lead to 36-32 with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer after an offensive rebound.
Jones tied the game at 42-42 with back-to-back corner 3-pointers off a pass from Doncic with about four minutes left in the second quarter. The Slovenian superstar drew Edwards’ third personal foul and went to the free throw line to get in the bonus and put Dallas back in the lead at 44-42. Minnesota briefly regained a 49-47 lead despite Edwards, Gobert and Towns all being in foul trouble late in the first half. Dallas closed out the remainder of the second period.
The second half began with Doncic taking the lead with some downhill attacks, then receiving and finishing multiple passes in front of the rim for Gafford, who then hit a short-range floater of his own, followed by another alley-oop to Gafford to put Dallas ahead.
Kleber flipped a screen and passed to Irving, who ducked Gobert’s drop coverage and drilled a pull-up 3-pointer to give Dallas a four-point lead. The tide quickly turned when a sequence in transition by Edwards to attack the rim put Minnesota back in the lead, before Towns made a closely contested 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and make it 66-62.
Towns’ elbow struck Washington in the face while trying to draw a foul on a step-back 3-pointer, earning him his fifth personal foul. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was called for a technical foul and Irving took a shot. Washington then received a spray-out pass from Doncic for a corner 3-pointer, which he converted to tie the game at 66-66 midway through the third period.
A 4-0 run capped by Edwards’ breakaway dunk was answered by Hardy’s corner 3-pointer, but Dallas allowed McDaniels to hit a perimeter jumper. Hardy then took an in-and-out dribble past Anderson for a poster dunk, then took a behind-the-back dribble past Edwards for a layup. Dallas’ defense was unstoppable throughout, and Minnesota held a 78-73 advantage heading into the final period.
The Mavericks scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 78-78, starting with another three-pointer from Hardy. Jones attacked off the catch and got a drop-off pass to Gafford for an emphatic dunk. Gobert scored five straight points to put Minnesota back up by five. After Gobert and Jones traded checks as they drove down the floor, Doncic followed up with a lob pass over Gobert’s head in transition. Gafford blocked Edwards at the rim, setting up Irving to drive and finish to make it 83-82 with 9:25 left.
After several defensive stops, Doncic drew Gobert’s fifth personal foul on a drive and shared two free throws to tie the score. However, a three-second violation gave Towns a free throw attempt and Minnesota took the lead again. Edwards made a pull-up after Gobert flipped a screen, but Washington tied the game at 86-86 with a catch-and-shoot three-pointer. He answered Gobert’s free throw with an aggressive drive and finished through contact, but Gobert dunked on it himself.
Dallas used Doncic as a screener during the Zoom action and Irving rounded the corner left for a short-range jump shot to give Dallas a one-point lead, but the defense again couldn’t stop it on multiple possessions, leading to a Towns 3-pointer that sparked a 6-0 run to put the Mavericks up 95-90 with 5:04 left in regulation.
Doncic fouled Gobert on a post-up, but Gobert missed both free throws. Dallas failed to score on many possessions, but Towns made another 3-pointer. Washington blocked Towns’ next attempt, Jones missed a 3-pointer from the corner, and Edwards made a floater to give Minnesota an eight-point lead in the final seconds of the game.
Doncic drew a foul on a 3-pointer and Towns was ejected, and Towns made both free throws to make it 100-95 with 1:37 left. Irving converted his second chance with a floater and Edwards made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to five with 38.8 seconds left.
Dallas couldn’t score on their next attempt, Irving turned the ball over and any realistic chances of winning seemed to end, but Doncic gave the Mavericks a chance with an incredible 29-foot jump shot after drawing a foul, but he missed it and Dallas caught Gobert after the rebound.
The Mavericks will face the Timberwolves on Thursday in Game 5 of the series at Target Center.
