The Dallas Mavericks were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference final series by 105:100.
The team from Texas missed their first chance to advance to the grand final after a 13-year drought. Luka Doncic recorded his ninth career triple-double in the playoffs, tying Wilt Chamberlain for ninth place on the all-time list, but this was of little use as the team was defeated.
Everything was decided in the final moments when Luka Doncic initially made an incredible shot while being fouled. This elicited a genuine reaction from Anthony Edwards, who was left in disbelief. However, the Slovenian representative missed the additional free throw, leaving the score at 103:100 and practically determining the winner.
Although Edwards played an excellent game for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the decisive factor in this duel was Karl-Anthony Towns. He made four three-pointers, three of which came in the last quarter, a key detail that tipped the scales. Throughout this series, he had been performing poorly and was on track to set a negative league record, shooting just 13% from beyond the arc.
Anthony Edwards called for this foul on Luka Doncic 😭 pic.twitter.com/3NmvfeXMrQ
— SM (@SMHighlights1) May 29, 2024
In this game, however, he found his rhythm, making nine of 13 shots from the field and finishing with 25 points. Anthony Edwards recorded 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, along with six turnovers and a field goal percentage of 11/25. Mike Conley contributed with 14 points, while Rudy Gobert achieved a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Luka Doncic filled all statistical columns with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, but he made only seven of 21 shots from the field. Adding to this, Kyrie Irving’s 16 points with a 6/18 shooting performance resulted in a combined 13/39. To make matters worse, P.J. Washington’s 3/13 shooting sealed the fate of a team that shot disastrously, yet was only one possession behind with 13 seconds remaining.
The Dallas Mavericks have another chance to secure a spot in the grand final in the game from Thursday to Friday night.
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