(Photo : Tim Heitman/Getty Images) DALLAS, TEXAS – Kyrie Irving (#11) and Luka Doncic (#77) of the Dallas Mavericks react after their teams 105-100 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals at American Airlines Center on May 28, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.
No NBA team has ever returned from a 0-3 hole in a seven-game series.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have no choice but to believe as the series returns to Target Center for Game 5.
Anthony Edwards, Karl Anthony-Towns, and Rudy Gobert played their best game of the series so far, wheeling their team to a 105-100 win on Tuesday.
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More importantly, they had their best fourth quarter after a couple of the first three games saw them give up leads and let Dallas rob them of the win.
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said his players, particularly KAT, found their talent again.
“We chatted yesterday,” Finch said about Towns.
“I just told him the past is unrelated to the future. Trust your talent. Stay confident. Shots will fall. That’s how shooting is. We’ve just got to wait until the cards turn in your favor.”
There’s a three-day gap between Game 4 and Game 5, and we expect both teams to be more surgical as they make their adjustments.
Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Watch the game on TNT or stream it at TNT and Max.
Timberwolves vs Mavericks Preview
The renowned 2023-2024 Wolves defense is back in Game 4.
Dallas’s star guard, Kyrie Irving, believes this made the difference.
“We’re in the NBA, man,” Irving said.
“No team is going to lay down and give me and Luka open shots. When I look at just the quality of our shots, a few of them could be better. A few of them were rushed. A few of them were in and out.”
Irving shot just one out of six from the three-point line, a far cry from his 43.8% shooting in the first three games.
Doncic scored 28 points but had to bleed for all of them. He was 7/21 on the night and 4 out of 11 from beyond the arc.
Coach Finch was criticized for not making adjustments on defense after Gobert, the Defensive Player of the Year, was left on a single coverage against the Mavs’ best offensive players.
That is not their identity.
He was also criticized for leaving Kyle Anderson on the bench. Game 4 showed how critical the veteran forward is to their offense, especially with his leadership and plays that don’t appear in the stats.
Putting JD McDaniels and Anderson on Doncic in late-game situations spelled the difference for the Wolves in Game 4.
Finch made adjustments, but the question now is, will he stick to this winning strategy?
Timberwolves vs Mavericks Prediction
The Wolves may be down massively in the series, but this is still a game-by-game battle. Nothing is over until the Fat Lady sings.
The Wolves’ confidence is back, which is huge when trying to mount a comeback from a 0-3 series hole.
The Wolves can be scary once they get their defensive groove.
They once had their backs against the wall, and they made a strong push to get to where they are now.
It will not be surprising if the series returns to Dallas for Game 6.
Related article: Anthony Edwards Shares Intriguing Conversation With Cowboys Star Micah Parsons During Game 4 in Dallas
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