Mavericks-Timberwolves: 5 takeaways as Dallas wins West final rematch

Kyrie Irving scored 16 of his 35 points in the third quarter and knocked down six of his eight 3-point attempts.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Both teams made this game more businesslike than emotional, despite the obvious recent high-stakes history between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just five months ago, the two met in the Western Conference finals, a bloody battle that the Mavericks won in five games. They were back at Target Center, where Dallas won three times in the series, including a 124-103 victory that advanced the winners to the championship round. Minnesota worked diligently to get better for this season, and Dallas did too after being eliminated from the Finals in five games.

“That was last year. “It’s a new year,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said before Tuesday’s nationally televised matchup. “This is a different team. They’re a different team.”

Wolves coach Chris Finch didn't erase the backstory quite as much as Kidd, but he came close.

“We didn’t put together a squad to beat Dallas,” Finch said. “Right now we’re trying to figure out who we are every night. We don't look at it as a rematch, not even a rivalry. They are a great team, they deserve to win this series, I'm sure the boys will remember that. …But it's so early in the season, I'm sure they're trying to figure out who they are.

“But it’s fun to play against these teams early on because you learn a lot about yourself.”

Hey, this is our section, with five takeaways from the Mavericks' 120-114 win:

1. 2 creators, 2 closers, 2 QBs

Imagine having Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes as your starting quarterback and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson as your backup. Now imagine if you could play them together. Might distract the immune system, don't you think?

Here's how NBA defensemen feel about Dallas' use of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in their backcourt, er, backcourt. This is no longer considered news. More than that, it's an appreciation for how intimidating they can be once the teammates the Mavs circle around them have gained.

Irving scored 35 points, 25 after halftime and 16 in the third quarter. These were particularly important since it was not clear how long or well Dončić would play after suffering a right knee injury in the second quarter. The veteran point guard hit six of his 10 3-point attempts and 13 of 23 total shots and played 39 minutes after tallying nearly 36 against Utah on Monday.

“It’s a matter of how he feels,” Kidd said. “For him it’s about energy. And whatever the team needs at that moment.”

Dončić worked most of the game and engaged in verbal arguments with some fans on the sidelines, whose taunts had some truth on Tuesday. He missed his first seven 3-pointers, but with 1:04 left and the Wolves close, he made his eighth shot from 33 feet to make the score 117-109.

“Someone just said, 'We've seen this movie before,'” Kidd said. “Luka loves the opportunity to win the game.”

Dončić said: “I don't know how to make these shots and not normal shots. … I just need to get the rust out.”

Finch spoke on behalf of many NBA coaches and their upset against Dallas when he said earlier in the evening: “They have an unbelievable pick-and-roll game, of course they have a Kyrie Iso game and now (with Klay Thompson) they have an off-ball game. They have become complex. You can switch gears to do different things.”

2. Early statement game for the Mavs

While Minnesota had to take a break since Saturday, Dallas had to hold on against Utah on Monday evening. Irving logged the aforementioned 75 minutes in this game, while Dončić logged an additional 40 minutes in addition to the 33:12 he scored against the Jazz.

But here Dallas gained a 9-0 lead on the fast break in the third quarter. The Mavericks outscored the Wolves by a combined 67-48 in the second and third games. And while the Mavs had almost as many turnovers as Minnesota in the first half (10:9), the visitors cleaned up the game with just one turnover in the last 24 minutes.

It's obvious that PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, who were so valuable as midseason additions last season, are now more familiar and anchored. Young center Dereck Lively II is no longer a newcomer. And newcomer Naji Marshall, who is known for his offense, impressed the Wolves defensively with three rebounds and two steals.

3. Edwards attacks from afar

One of the saddest moments in recent NBA history occurred when Vince Carter, the league's best dunker in his prime, decided to change his game to reduce the wear and tear from penetrating the paint. He was still a young player and moved at 38 years old like he was Michael Jordan.

Hopefully, 23-year-old Anthony Edwards won't rob the NBA of its many highlights on the sidelines. But he, too, has switched to more of a ground game so far this season and happily plays with his 3-point shot as if it were a new toy.

In his first four seasons in Minnesota, Edwards averaged 7.4 attempts from beyond the arc and made 2.6 per game, for a 35.3% success rate. In four games this season, he has nearly doubled his production with 13.3 attempts, 5.5 hits and 41.5% accuracy.

Edwards shined early on Tuesday. He hit six three-pointers in the first 12 minutes and scored 24, his most in a single quarter and a Target Center record in any quarter. Dallas paid him close attention from then on, and Edwards scored just 13 more goals in the final three quarters, going 1-for-5 from the starting line.

Still, it's clear he's writing a new chapter in his budding career.

“Did we replace his midrange with 3s or does he just take more 3s and keep the same midrange?” Finch joked before the game.

“He’s gotten to the point where he really trusts his shot. We've been telling him for years that you're an excellent 3-point shooter. But he has a lot of play and likes to dribble the ball…”

4. Dallas smashed the glass late

The Mavericks only had one more offensive rebound, 12, than Minnesota. In the fourth quarter, each team had five. But Dallas came at critical moments and frustrated the Wolves. Trying to make up the 13-point deficit will be terribly difficult when the other team appears to be playing at a distance.

“The dagger shots at the end when you try to come back are extremely painful,” Finch said. “But their offensive rebounds, there were a lot of transitions, they weren’t being contested fast enough and Kyrie goes at us.”

Lively (two), Gafford, Washington and Dončić all sneaked in to create second and even third chances for the Dallas offense – killing the clock.

“It’s up to us, especially myself,” Edwards said. “I’m fucking tall. I have to be able to box them out big time.”

5. Randle fits in

Julius Randle, the newly acquired power forward, brought a sort of retro style of play when he was traded from New York to the Wolves for Karl-Anthony Towns along with Donte DiVincenzo. It's great to see old-school possessions initiated at the bottom post, but that can be a challenge in today's three-point series.

So far, so good. Randle had 20 points with seven boards, seven assists and 3-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc. He played in a flow, didn't force anything and took advantage of opportunities when his teammates looked for him.

In four games, Randle averaged 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 62.5% shooting on 3s (10 of 16).

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Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can send him an email Herefind his archive here And Follow him on X.

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