The Minnesota Timberwolves have to sustain their defensive intensity against the Dallas Mavericks if they want to flip the script and emerge victorious in their National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference best-of-seven finals showdown.
The Timberwolves — the best defensive team in the regular season and early part of the playoffs — were getting a dose of their own medicine until they displayed superb defense on stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to post a morale-boosting 105-100 victory that extended the series to Game 5 on Friday (Manila time).
“We’re in the NBA, man. No team is just going to lay down and give me and Luka open shots,” said Irving, who was held to 16 points in 42 minutes of action.
“I think when I look at just the quality of our shots, I think a few of them could be better. A few of them were rushed. A few of them were in and out, especially when the game is in the balance, I’m thinking about all the plays where it could’ve gone either way.”
The Wolves made a brilliant defensive adjustment by moving NBA All-Defensive Second Team pick Jaden McDaniels to guard Irving, giving him a seven-inch height advantage. On the other hand, Anthony Edwards was given the surprise assignment of shadowing Doncic.
The game plan paid off as Doncic, who averaged 32.7 points on 46.4 percent shooting over the first three games, was held to an ugly 7-for-21 from the floor to finish with 28 points in Game 4.
Irving, meanwhile, averaged 27.7 points on 52.5 percent shooting in the first three games, went 6-for-18 from the floor to finish with 16 points.
“Unbelievably great players have had their fingerprints all over this series, making so many great plays and tough shots,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.
“At some point, maybe they’re going to have a little bit of an off night.”
“I mean, we were down 0-3. Just shuffling the deck. Ant’s good on the ball, good at navigating screens. Maybe a little length on Kyrie could help. Obviously, length on Doncic hadn’t really been effective, and hasn’t been bothering him as much. So, we just tried something different.”
Irving said they are accountable for the setback that could have sent them to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, who already swept the injury-plagued Indiana Pacers in their Eastern Conference finals.
“Just wash our hands with this one,” Irving said.
“They got a win. They’re a great team. I’ve been saying it all series. We expect them to do the same thing in Minnesota: Come out with that physicality and play to their home crowd and make things difficult on me and Luka.”