Highlights
- Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving showcased their impressive 1-2 punch in the Dallas Mavericks’ Game 1 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- Dončić explained how he and Irving “switched roles,” as he stepped up in the second half while, Irving had the Mavericks rolling early.
- Mavericks hope to secure a 2-0 series lead in Game 2 before the series heads to Dallas for Game 3.
Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving have showcased themselves as a deadly dynamic duo in the Dallas Mavericks’ playoff run this year.
Now, in the Western Conference Finals after beating the Clippers and Thunder, the Mavericks find themselves one step closer to the NBA Finals after taking a huge 108-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 to begin the series.
One big difference to how Dončić and Irving played in this game was their production in each half.
This postseason has seen Dončić score a lot in the first half and then have Irving be the closer in the second half. Wednesday night showed the reverse, with Irving setting the tone while Dončić finished the job to take down Minnesota.
“Without him here, we probably would have been down 20 [at] halftime, so he got us going. So I had to help him in the second half a little bit, so we switched roles this time,” – Luka Dončić
1-2 Punch of Dončić and Irving
Irving dominated first half; Dončić took over in second half
Dončić put up a game-high 33 points with eight assists, six rebounds, three steals, and a block on 12-of-26 shooting from the field and 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. As for Irving, he scored 30 points to go with five rebounds and four assists on 12-of-23 shooting overall.
The halves told different stories for each player. Dončić did have 14 points in the first half, but Irving was the more prominent player during that period. He had 24 points on a remarkable 11-of-14 shooting from the field, leaving Dallas trailing 62-59 at halftime.
Then, the second half, especially the fourth quarter, is where Dončić made his presence clear for the viewing audience to see. He had 19 points in the last 24 minutes, including 15 in the final 12, to seal the deal in favor of the Mavericks.
On a night where Dallas struggled from downtown, shooting 6-of-25 throughout the game, Dončić knocked down two crucial three-pointers, giving the team all the distance they needed to keep Minnesota at bay.
Dončić praised Irving for keeping the game as close as possible in the first half while fending off Minnesota’s advances. With the win now secured, they are looking forward to getting ready for Game 2.
What’s Next For Mavericks
Seek 2-0 Series Lead Against T’Wolves
It was about time for Dallas to start a series with a win, having lost their first five Game 1s under head coach Jason Kidd. It also marks their first Game 1 win since the first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers in 2021.
They are three wins away from making their first appearance in the NBA Finals since 2011, when they last won the title with franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki. If they get the job done against the Timberwolves, it would be a huge accomplishment for Dončić and Irving to bring the team back to that stage.
Dallas will look to take a 2-0 series lead on the road when they face Minnesota for Game 2 on May 24 at 8:30 p.m. EST.
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