MINNEAPOLIS — The Dallas Mavericks had a chance to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and reach the NBA Finals, but they missed out, losing 105-100 in Game 4. The team holds a 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5 on Thursday at Target Center.
After the game, Doncic said his performance lacked energy and that he and his team need to do better in Game 5.
“It’s OK, I think that game was my fault. I just didn’t have enough energy,” said Doncic, who had 28 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 4. “So we’ve got to work harder. They won one game. We just have to focus on the next one.”
After Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 33 points in Game 4, they faced an even bigger challenge to play as usual. Jaden McDaniels started as his primary defender, limiting Irving to 16 points on 6-of-18 (33.3%) shooting overall, 1-of-6 (16.7%) from the 3-point line and committing four turnovers, the same number as his assists. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards started for Doncic.
“We’re in the NBA. Teams aren’t going to just sit back and let me and Luka take shots. Just the quality of the shots, I think some of them we could have done better,” Irving said. “Some of them we rushed. Some of them were in and out. Especially when the game’s in the balance, you just think about plays that could have gone either way.”
“But yeah, it takes a high level of focus and understanding that we need to execute effective plays, continue to target the guys we want to protect us, continue to give confidence to each other and continue to give confidence to our teammates,” Irving explained. “Good things happen when you always have your eyes on the next play, and I think that’s what we’ve done.”
Daniel Gafford also acknowledged the lack of energy and stressed that the team needs to be in tip-top condition to beat a tough opponent like the Timberwolves, especially in the postseason.
“It was probably 50/50. I can’t speak for anybody else. I just wasn’t ready to go out there and I just didn’t have the energy and I just had to rally myself up and get some energy out of it to be ready to play basketball at the end of the day. They’re not easy to beat. They came out tonight and dominated us. We had to adjust to that.”
The thing that went against the Mavericks was the absence of Derek Lively II with a neck sprain. Lively was questionable for Game 5 and it’s unclear if he’ll be available for the next game, which will be the final game. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 of his 25 points after halftime in Game 4, and Edwards continued to play aggressively despite playing less defensively. Mike Conley even ran pick-and-rolls with Rudy Gobert throughout the first half.
“Yeah, he’s a big part of our defense and our offense, so we’re going to miss him a lot when he’s gone,” Doncic said of Lively.
Doncic’s mentality has been the same message that’s been consistent throughout the team’s postseason ups and downs this season: The goal is to take each day one at a time and not get too excited or upset about any one result.
“Yeah, it’s OK. We won three games. Like I said, it’s best of four,” Doncic said. “It doesn’t matter if we win four games or seven games. We just have to win four games.”
If the Mavericks beat the Timberwolves on Thursday, they will face the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on June 6 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
