Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards helped the Timberwolves secure a crucial win in the Western Conference finals. Staff writer Chris Hein reported live from AmericanAirlines Arena.
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10:11 p.m.: The Wolves escape Dallas after a tense fourth quarter.
DALLAS – Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals played out similarly to the first three. The Timberwolves were leading in the fourth quarter with just a few minutes left in the game. This time, the Timberwolves had a different ending, beating the Mavericks 105-100 to avoid elimination and keep their season alive.
Game 5 is set for Thursday at Target Center with Dallas leading 3-1.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards played their best games of the series and the Timberwolves were able to make enough shots in the fourth quarter to stay alive and extend the series a little longer.
Edwards finished with 29 points, including several key baskets in the final seconds of the game, while Towns was efficient, scoring 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting before fouling out with 1:38 left in the game.
With the Timberwolves leading 100-97, Edwards hit a long jump shot from the right wing with 39.7 seconds left to give them a five-point lead and plenty of breathing room going into the final seconds of the game.
Towns and Edwards combined for 20 of the 38 points, outscoring Luke Doncic (28 points) and Kyrie Irving (16 points), who each had 13 of the 39 points.
By the 8:42 mark of the fourth quarter, Towns and Gobert each had five fouls. The Timberwolves used both of them to help the Mavericks tie the game at 83-83. It paid off, as Towns made two 3-pointers to give the Timberwolves a 95-90 lead with 5:40 to go.
Gobert went to the free throw line to give the Timberwolves a seven-point lead, but missed both free throws. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves couldn’t get the rebound, leading to a Daniel Gafford dunk. Edwards dribbled the ball on the Timberwolves’ next possession, but he passed Towns for a three-pointer to give the Timberwolves a six-point lead with 2:54 left in the game.
Towns fouled out while Doncic was attempting a 3-pointer with 1:38 left, and Doncic made all three free throws to cut the Timberwolves’ lead to 100-95, but the Timberwolves never surrendered a late lead that night.
9:27 p.m.: Towns has five fouls, but the Timberwolves lead by five going into the fourth quarter.
In each round of the playoffs, Anthony Edwards praised Karl-Anthony Towns for staying out of foul trouble because that’s what the Timberwolves needed to get this far in the postseason.
But foul trouble plagued Towns, and even Edwards, a bit in Game 4.
Towns committed five fouls in 22 minutes and the Timberwolves led the Mavericks 78-73 at the end of the third quarter. Towns was on a roll offensively before his ejection, scoring 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting.
Edwards committed four fouls, the Timberwolves unsuccessfully challenged Edwards’ fourth foul on Daniel Gafford, and then Rudy Gobert committed his fourth foul with just over two minutes left in the quarter.
With Dallas leading 59-56, Gobert and Jones got tangled on a screen and then bumped chests and exchanged words after the play, after which both were called for technical fouls.
Towns received an offensive foul with 7:09 left in the fourth quarter, but the Timberwolves elected to leave him in the game. Towns scored six points during an 8-0 run by the Timberwolves that gave them a 66-62 lead before taking a timeout with 5:39 left.
But a fifth foul came soon after: Towns elbowed Dallas forward P.J. Washington while faking a jump shot with 4:59 to play, a call that Wolves coach Chris Finch also disputed and drew a technical foul.
The Mavericks converted 13 Timberwolves turnovers into 28 points. The Timberwolves largely contained Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving through the third quarter, as the pair combined to make 9 of 27 shots.
8:39 p.m.: The Timberwolves put pressure on the game, forcing turnovers and fouls, but the score was tied at halftime.
Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert each picked up three fouls in the first half, and the Timberwolves blew a 12-point lead and went into the locker room tied at 49-49.
The Timberwolves defense held Dallas to just 37 percent shooting, but the Mavericks made 8 of 19 from the 3-point line to help them pull out the win over a Timberwolves team that shot 47 percent while making just four 3-pointers.
The Wolves’ eight turnovers cost the Mavs 18 points.
Edwards scored 17 points in the first half, but the Timberwolves nearly blew a 30-20 lead in the opening minutes of the quarter. Mike Conley’s 13 first-half points put the Timberwolves ahead 42-34, but a pair of 3-pointers by Derrick Jones sparked an 8-0 Dallas run to tie the game at 42-42.
The Timberwolves had to play the final 2:40 without Towns, Gobert and Edwards. The score was 45-45 at the time and stayed that way for the rest of the game, and the Timberwolves prevented Dallas from capitalizing on it.
Doncic finished with 17 points on 4-of-13 shooting, including just 3 of 3-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws. The Timberwolves led 22-10 in points in the paint.
8:03 p.m.: Anthony Edwards gives the Timberwolves a first-quarter lead.
Anthony Edwards’ 14 points gave the Timberwolves a 27-20 lead over the Mavericks after the first quarter.
Early in the game, the Timberwolves switched defensive lineups, with Edwards guarding Luka Doncic and Jaden McDaniels guarding Kyrie Irving. Doncic got off to a strong start with eight points, and the Mavericks and Timberwolves were tied at 10-10 midway through the quarter.
But after Dwight Powell checked in for Daniel Gafford during regular time for injured Derek Lively, the Timberwolves attacked the hoop and were successful. Minnesota went on a 10-0 run to take a 20-10 lead with 2:50 left in the quarter. Mike Conley had three steals in the quarter.
Edwards was successful at all levels, including mid-range three-pointers and shots at the hoop, and missed three of his eight free throw attempts in the quarter.
Dallas made 6 of 29 field goals and had no players other than Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving make a field goal until 1:29 left in the first quarter.
The Timberwolves made 10 of 16 shots, but five turnovers, including a fumble by Edwards with just seconds left, helped the Mavs finish the quarter up 3-of-8.
5:25pm: Shootaround chatter about KAT’s shooting.
As Karl-Anthony Towns spoke to the media after the Timberwolves’ shooting practice on Tuesday morning, Anthony Edwards walked past the crowd and yelled, “You all asked, KAT is going to make eight 3-pointers tonight.”
“That’s just a prophecy,” Towns said. “That’s a great prophecy.”
If the Timberwolves want to extend their series against Dallas, Towns will need to shake off his struggles in this series and regain the form he was to help win the series against the Nuggets.
Towns has made 15 of 54 shots so far in the series, including 3 of 22 from the 3-point line, and said he’s not trying to do anything differently to get better heading into Game 4.
“I know I put in the effort, so I’m just going to go out there with confidence and take the shot and put it through the net like I always do,” Towns said.
As for the team’s overall state of mind after facing elimination, Towns said the team hasn’t lost faith they can come back in the series, especially after coming from behind to win against Denver despite facing elimination.
“When the series was 3-2, you heard a lot of buzz. Not from outside, but from around the city and people around us. And for a lot of people, the series was over. But everyone in the locker room believed. As long as everyone in the locker room believes, we can do anything.”
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has confidence in Towns: “I told him, ‘The past doesn’t define the future. Believe in your talent. Stay confident…. The shots are going to go down.'”
4:16pm: Injury report
Dallas is likely without Derek Lively II after suffering a neck sprain in Game 3, but the Mavericks will be adding forward Maxi Kleber, who could return from a shoulder injury in Game 4. Kleber was listed as questionable ahead of Game 4, while Lively was listed as questionable.
If the Timberwolves make it to Game 5, it will be Thursday night at Target Center.
