The Western Conference finals are shaping up to be a battle of which superstars have the most clutch factor. In the final two minutes of Game 1, the Dallas Mavericks snatched the lead from the Minnesota Timberwolves who looked like they were dominating during most of the game. It came down to Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić showing up with a ferocity that Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns simply didn’t match.
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Now, in Game 2, the Timberwolves are in a gut-check moment. In their series against the Denver Nuggets, they showed that they can deliver when their backs are against the wall. They’re far from having their backs against a wall, but Game 1 may have been a jolt that brings forth the best on Friday night. At the same time, the Mavs’ greater playoff experience is key in this big matchup.
Here’s a look at the storylines, odds and staff picks for Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Friday in Minneapolis.
All odds from BetMGM. Find the best deals on StubHub for tickets.
No. 5 Dallas Mavericks at No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves
How to watch: 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Series odds: Mavericks -165, Timberwolves +140
Dallas leads series 1-0
Minnesota is favored to win Game 2 at home, but Dallas has edged them out in the series odds after taking Game 1. Before the series tipped off, the Timberwolves had -185 odds to win the series. The Mavs were at +150.
The question mark in the Mavericks’ series against Oklahoma City was whether their two stars could show up with more. Dallas’ role players in general, and P.J. Washington in particular, carried them through the first several games.
Well, if there were any lingering questions about the Irving-Dončić duo delivering, they were put to rest on Wednesday night. The Mavericks’ two superstars seemed to trade halves, with Irving knocking down 24 of his 30 points in the first half and Dončić taking over after halftime and scoring 15 of his game-high 33 in the fourth quarter.
For the Timberwolves, the question is how they lost this game, and the answer seems to be that you can lead for almost a whole game but lose it on the little things. It felt like they were dominating the Mavericks, and yet they never pulled into a double-digit lead. Edwards had a decent game on paper with a double-double (19 points, 11 rebounds) and eight assists, but nothing like what he’s capable of when he’s on fire.
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Edwards pointed to the team’s fatigue after their grueling seven-game series against the Nuggets. Can Wolves fans hope that the fatigue is now more balanced between the two teams going into Game 2? It’s hard to imagine the Timberwolves don’t find another gear again in Game 2, especially after Game 1 was so close. They shot 42.7 percent from the field, lower than their 46.8 postseason average.
The Wolves need to figure out how to stop the Mavericks in the paint. The Mavs outscored the Wolves 62-38 in the paint in Game 1. But they were bad from three. Dallas shot 6-of-25, which means the whole team made the same number of threes as Jaden McDaniels on his own. They’re not likely to perform that poorly from three again, and McDaniels hasn’t had more than three from deep in any other playoff game.
Expert picks for Mavericks at Timberwolves
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(Photo of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving: Joshua Gateley / Getty Images)
